Polls & Research

Iraq War a Mistake for 59% of Americans

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States remain disappointed with the coalition effort, according to a poll by Ipsos-Public Affairs released by the Associated Press. 59 per cent of respondents think the U.S. made a mistake in going to war in Iraq, and 50 per cent believe the conflict is a hopeless cause.

The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein's regime was launched in March 2003. At least 3,291 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and more than 24,400 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 Mar. 23, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 218-212 to authorize an emergency supplemental war spending bill, which sets a deadline of Aug. 31, 2008 for the end of the coalition effort in Iraq. On Mar. 29, the U.S. Senate voted 51-47 to pass a separate bill, which calls for all combat troops to be removed from Iraq by Mar. 31, 2008.

Yesterday, U.S. president George W. Bush discussed the situation, saying, "It's now been 64 days since I have requested that Congress pass emergency funding for these troops. (...) In both the House and the Senate, majorities have passed bills that substitute the judgment of politicians in Washington for the judgment of our commanders on the ground. (...) Congress's failure to fund our troops will mean that some of our military families could wait longer for their loved ones to return from the front lines. Others could see their loved ones headed back to war sooner than anticipated. This is unacceptable."

Polling Data

All in all, thinking about how things have gone in Iraq since the United States went to war there in March 2003, do you think the United States .

Do you think the war in Iraq is...