November 01, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States believe their legislative branch should establish a date for the end of the coalition effort, according to a poll by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. 52 per cent of respondents support Congress setting a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States believe their legislative branch should establish a date for the end of the coalition effort, according to a poll by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. 52 per cent of respondents support Congress setting a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

In addition, 55 per cent of respondents think going to war with Iraq was the wrong thing for the United States to do.

The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein’s regime was launched in March 2003. At least 3,841 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and at least 28,300 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.

In September, commander of the Multi-National Force - Iraq David Petraeus and U.S. ambassador in Iraq Ryan Crocker provided a comprehensive assessment of the situation in Iraq to the U.S. Congress. In addition, U.S. president George W. Bush said U.S. forces in Iraq would be reduced by 5,700 troops in December, and announced the possibility of a further decrease in July 2008.

According to the book "Write It When I’m Gone" authored by Thomas de Frank, former U.S. president Gerald Ford disagreed with Bush’s rationale to launch the coalition effort. Ford declared: "I thought they made a mistake about weapons of mass destruction. There was plenty of reason to do what he did; Saddam Hussein was an evil person and there was justification to get rid of him. But we shouldn’t have put the basis on the weapons of mass destruction. That was a bad mistake, and I don’t know who advised the White House on that."

Polling Data

Do you support or oppose Congress setting a timetable for withdrawing United States troops from Iraq?

	Oct. 2007	Aug. 2007	Jun. 2007
Support	52%	55%	54%
Oppose	43%	40%	39%
Not sure	5%	5%	7%

Do you think going to war with Iraq was the right thing for the United States to do or the wrong thing?

	Oct. 2007	Aug. 2007	Jun. 2007
Right thing	38%	35%	37%
Wrong thing	55%	59%	57%
Not sure	6%	6%	7%

Source: Quinnipiac University Polling Institute
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,636 registered American voters, conducted from Oct. 23 to Oct. 29, 2007. Margin of error is 2.4 per cent.