Polls & Research

Bush Has No Iraq Exit Plan, Say Americans

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in the United States believe their president has not devised a specific strategy for bringing an end to the coalition effort in Iraq, according to a poll by Scripps Howard News Service released by Ohio University. 66 per cent of respondents believe George W. Bush and his military advisers do not have a clear, well thought out plan to get U.S. troops out of Iraq.

The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein's regime was launched in March 2003. At least 1,771 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and more than 13,500 troops have been injured.

On Jun. 24 during a meeting with Iraqi prime minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari in Washington, Bush said no date would be set for the withdrawal of coalition troops from Iraq, declaring, "We are there to complete a mission, and it's an important mission. A democratic Iraq is in the interest of the United States of America, and it's in the interest of laying the foundation for peace. (...) If you give a timetable, you're conceding too much to the enemy." 56 per cent of respondents believe the U.S. should stay in Iraq for at least a few years until the new government is secure, while 34 per cent support pulling the troops out of Iraq as soon as possible.

In October 2002, Bush considered disarming Iraq "a part on the war on terror." Yesterday in Georgia, the American president discussed his rationale, saying, "The only way to protect America is a dual strategy: One, stay on the offence, bring these people to justice before they hurt us; and at the same time, spread an ideology that competes with their ideology, and that's an ideology of democracy and freedom."

Polling Data

Do you think George W. Bush and his military advisers have a clear, well-thought out plan to get our troops out of Iraq, or not?

Should the United States begin pulling its troops out of Iraq as soon as possible, or should we stay for at least a few years until the new government in Iraq is secure?