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Americans Support Plan to Leave Iraq by 2008
- Many adults in the United States agree with one of the key proposals made by the Iraq Study Group, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 64 per cent of respondents support removing almost all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by early 2008.
The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein's regime was launched in March 2003. At least 2,924 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and more than 22,000 troops have been wounded in action.
In December 2005, Iraqi voters renewed their National Assembly. In May, Shiite United Iraqi Alliance member Nouri al-Maliki officially took over as prime minister.
On Dec. 6, the Iraq Study Group—a bipartisan panel of experts—presented its findings on how to deal with the situation in Iraq. The ten members called for a quicker process to train Iraqi forces, engaging with Iran and Syria in a dialogue aimed at stabilizing Iraq, and pulling back U.S. combat troops by early 2008.
Yesterday, Iraq Study Group co-chair Lee Hamilton explained the rationale, saying, "What we're saying in this report is we want to conclude this war, we want to conclude it in a responsible way. We do not want American forces involved in sectarian clashes or violence, that's not our business. We do have some business there and that's to get rid of al-Qaeda and the terrorists and of course to protect our own forces."
Polling Data
The Iraq Study Group is expected to recommend removing almost all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by early 2008. Do you favour or oppose this proposal?
Favour | 64% |
Oppose | 22% |
Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 likely American voters, conducted on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.