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Americans Regret Iraq War, But See Improvement
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - American adults remain disappointed with the decision to launch the coalition effort but believe the situation in Iraq is improving, according to a poll by CBS News and the New York Times. 54 per cent of respondents say the U.S. should have stayed out of Iraq, and 53 per cent think things are going well in the efforts to bring stability and order to the country.
The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein’s regime was launched in March 2003. At least 4,189 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and 30,700 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.
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.
On Oct. 30, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama discussed his views on the coalition effort, saying, "When it comes to keeping this country safe, we don’t have to choose between retreating from the world and fighting a war without end in Iraq. It’s time to stop spending $10 billion a month in Iraq while the Iraqi government sits on a huge surplus. As president, I will end this war by asking the Iraqi government to step up, and I will finally finish the fight against bin Laden and the al-Qaeda terrorists who attacked us on 9/11."
Polling Data
Looking back, do you think the United States did the right thing in taking military action against Iraq, or should the U.S. have stayed out?
|
Oct. 2008 |
Sept. 2008 |
|
|
Right thing |
39% |
42% |
|
Stayed out |
54% |
54% |
|
Unsure |
7% |
4% |
How would you say things are going for the U.S. in its efforts to bring stability and order to Iraq? Would you say things are going very well, somewhat well, somewhat badly, or very badly?
|
Oct. 2008 |
Sept. 2008 |
|
|
Very well |
10% |
7% |
|
Somewhat well |
43% |
39% |
|
Somewhat badly |
25% |
29% |
|
Very badly |
18% |
22% |
|
Unsure |
4% |
3% |
Source: CBS News / New York Times
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,439 American adults, conducted from Oct. 25 to Oct. 29, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.