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Iraq War Not Worth Fighting for 63% in U.S.
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in the United States regret their government's decision to launch the coalition effort in Iraq, according to a poll by the New York Times and CBS News. 63 per cent of respondents think the result of the war with Iraq was not worth the loss of American life and other costs of attacking Iraq.
The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein's regime was launched in March 2003. At least 2,295 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and more than 16,900 troops have been wounded in action.
On Feb. 22, suspected insurgents placed two bombs inside Samarra's Shiite Golden Mosque. The event has led to several days of sectarian violence in Iraq. More than 400 people have died, and more than 180 Sunni mosques have been destroyed. 54 per cent of respondents think the U.S. should have stayed out of Iraq, up four points since January.
In an interview broadcast on ABC on Feb. 28, U.S. president George W. Bush declared, "I don't buy (the) premise that there's going to be a civil war (in Iraq)."
Polling Data
Do you think the result of the war with Iraq was worth the loss of American life and other costs of attacking Iraq, or not?
Feb. 2006 | Nov. 2005 | Oct. 2005 | |
Worth it | 29% | 31% | 32% |
Not worth it | 63% | 64% | 64% |
Don't know | 8% | 5% | 5% |
Looking back, do you think the United States did the right thing in taking military action against Iraq, or should the U.S. have stayed out?
Feb. 2006 | Jan. 2006 | |
Right thing | 41% | 47% |
Stayed out | 54% | 50% |
Not sure | 5% | 3% |
Source: The New York Times / CBS News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,018 American adults, conducted from Feb. 22 to Feb. 26, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.