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Most Americans Say Iraq War Not Worth Fighting
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in the United States believe their government should not have launched military action against Iraq, according to a poll by CBS News. 59 per cent of respondents believe the war was not worth the loss of American life and other costs.
The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein's regime was launched in March 2003. At least 1,825 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and more than 13,700 troops have been injured.
The war cost has been estimated at more than $200 billion U.S. so far. In January 2003, Mitch Daniels—then the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget—forecast a total cost of "between $50 and $60 billion U.S."
Hussein was captured by coalition soldiers in Adwar—near his hometown of Tikrit—in December 2003. 47 per cent of respondents believe removing Hussein from power was not worth the loss of American life and other costs of attacking Iraq.
On Jul. 17, a tribunal officially introduced specific charges against the deposed leader and three other men. Hussein is accused of assassinating Shiite men and expelling women and children from the northeastern Iraqi town of Dujail in 1982. The actions were regarded as retaliation for an attempt on Hussein's life organized by members of the Dawa Party
Polling Data
Do you think the result of the war with Iraq was worth the loss of American life and other costs of attacking Iraq, or not?
Aug. 2005 | Jul. 2004 | |
Worth it | 34% | 34% |
Not worth it | 59% | 62% |
Don't know | 7% | 4% |
Do you think removing Saddam Hussein from power was worth the loss of American life and other costs of attacking Iraq, or not?
Aug. 2005 | Mar. 2004 | |
Worth it | 45% | 47% |
Not worth it | 47% | 43% |
Don't know | 8% | 10% |
Source: CBS News
Methodology: Telephone interviews to 1,222 American adults, conducted from Jul. 29 to Aug. 2, 2005. Margin of error is 3 per cent.