Polls & Research

Three-in-Five Americans Back Iraq Timetable

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States would welcome a timetable for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, according to a poll by Hart/McInturff released by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News. 60 per cent of respondents believe this is a good idea, while 30 per cent disagree.

The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein’s regime was launched in March 2003. At least 4,124 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and 30,400 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.

In September 2007, 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. After July 2008, all troop withdrawals from Iraq will be suspended.

The U.S. and Iraqi governments are hoping to finalize an agreement this year, which would establish a "security relationship" that would provide a legal basis for the presence of U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

Earlier this month, al-Maliki discussed the situation, saying, "The current trend is to reach an agreement on a memorandum of understanding either for the departure of the forces or a memorandum of understanding to put a timetable on their withdrawal."

Republican Arizona senator John McCain—the presumptive presidential nominee for the Republican Party in this year’s United States election—dismissed the rationale, declaring, "Since we are succeeding, then I am convinced, as I have said before, we can withdraw and withdraw with honour, not according to a set timetable. And I’m confident that is what [al-Maliki] is talking about, since he has told me that for many meetings we’ve had."

Polling Data

As you may know, the president of Iraq has said that the United States should set a timetable for withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Do you believe that it is a good idea or a bad idea for the United States to set a timetable for withdrawal of troops from Iraq?

Good idea	60%
Bad idea	30%
Not sure	10%

Source: Hart/McInturff / The Wall Street Journal / NBC News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 American adults, conducted from Jul. 18 to Jul. 21, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.