May 26, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in Britain are particularly critical of their prime minister and the American president over their Iraq policies, according to a poll by Ipsos-MORI. Only 17 per cent of respondents approve of the way Tony Blair is handling the current situation with Iraq, and just nine per cent feel the same way about George W. Bush.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in Britain are particularly critical of their prime minister and the American president over their Iraq policies, according to a poll by Ipsos-MORI. Only 17 per cent of respondents approve of the way Tony Blair is handling the current situation with Iraq, and just nine per cent feel the same way about George W. Bush.

Britain committed troops to both the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and the U.S.-led coalition effort in Iraq. The conflict against Saddam Hussein's regime was launched in March 2003. At least 3,711 soldiers have died during the military operation in Iraq, including 149 Britons. Only 11 per cent of respondents say they still support the war in Iraq.

Earlier this month, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter criticized both Bush and Blair for their performance on the world stage, saying, "I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history. (...) One of the defences of the Bush administration, in the American public and on a worldwide basis—and it's not been successful in my opinion—has been that, OK, we must be more correct in our actions than the world thinks because Great Britain is backing us."

Polling Data

Do you approve or disapprove of the way the prime minister, Tony Blair, is handling the current situation with Iraq?

	May 2007	Jan. 2003	Sept. 2002
Approve	17%	26%	40%
Disapprove	77%	62%	49%
Don't know	6%	13%	11%

Do you approve or disapprove of the way the president of America, George W. Bush is handling the current situation with Iraq?

	May 2007	Jan. 2003	Sept. 2002
Approve	9%	19%	30%
Disapprove	85%	68%	59%
Don't know	6%	13%	11%

Which, if any, of the following statements comes closest to your own view about the war in Iraq?

I supported the war and I support it now	11%
I supported the war but do not support it now	22%
I did not support the war but I support it now	3%
I did not support the war and I do not support it now	61%

Source: Ipsos-MORI
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 961 British adults, conducted from May 11 to May 13, 2007. No margin of error was provided.