March 26, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The views of American adults on the coalition effort have remained stable throughout this year, according to a poll by CBS News. 59 per cent of respondents think the United States should have stayed out of Iraq, and 54 per cent believe things are going very or somewhat badly in the efforts to bring stability and order to Iraq.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The views of American adults on the coalition effort have remained stable throughout this year, according to a poll by CBS News. 59 per cent of respondents think the United States should have stayed out of Iraq, and 54 per cent believe things are going very or somewhat badly in the efforts to bring stability and order to Iraq.

The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein’s regime was launched in March 2003. At least 4,000 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and 29,300 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 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, and announced the possibility of a further decrease in July 2008.

On Mar. 21, U.S. Defence Department spokesman Geoff Morrell suggested putting off plans for a further reduction of U.S. troops in Iraq until the summer, adding, "A pause of some duration is worthwhile to figure out the impact of the rapid withdrawal of the last four surge brigades. So losing those four brigades over the course of four months is going to require some assessment of the impact that has."

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?

	Mar. 2008	Feb. 2008	Jan. 2008
Right thing	36%	38%	36%
Stayed out	59%	58%	58%
Unsure	5%	4%	6%

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?

	Mar. 2008	Feb. 2008	Jan. 2008
Very well	4%	6%	7%
Somewhat well	39%	37%	31%
Somewhat badly	30%	30%	27%
Very badly	24%	24%	32%
Unsure	3%	3%	3%

Source: CBS News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,067 American adults, conducted from Mar. 15 to Mar. 18, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.