Polls & Research

Americans Foresee Troops in Iraq Until 2009

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States believe the coalition effort will continue after the end of George W. Bush's tenure, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 94 per cent of respondents believe it is very or somewhat likely that U.S. soldiers will still be in Iraq when the next U.S. president takes office.

The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein's regime was launched in March 2003. At least 3,020 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and more than 22,800 troops have been wounded in action.

In December 2005, Iraqi voters renewed their National Assembly. In May 2006, Shiite United Iraqi Alliance member Nouri al-Maliki officially took over as prime minister.

On Jan. 10, Bush introduced his new course of action for the coalition effort, which includes an increase in U.S. troop levels. On Dec. 14, U.S. vice-president Dick Cheney discussed the current state of affairs, saying, "The president is the commander-in-chief. He's the one who has to make these tough decisions. He's the guy who's got to decide how to use the force and where to deploy the force. Congress, obviously, has to support the effort through the power of the purse, so they have got a role to play and we certainly recognize that. But also, you cannot run a war by committee. The Constitution is very clear that the president is, in fact, under Article II, the commander-in-chief."

Bush—a Republican—earned a second four-year term in the November 2004 presidential ballot and is scheduled to step down in January 2009. His successor will be elected in November 2008.

Polling Data

How likely is it that U.S. soldiers will still be in Iraq when the next president takes office?