Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research

Lack Of WMD’s Shifts American Views On War

June 05, 2003

(CPOD) Jun. 5, 2003 - The controversy over weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is changing views on the conflict, according to a poll by Gallup released by CNN and USA Today. 31 per cent of respondents say the United States government deliberately misled the American public by either overstating or exaggerating intelligence information.

The elusive evidence has brought a reassessment of the case for war. Last March, 41 per cent of respondents believed the conflict was justified even without conclusive evidence of weapons of mass destruction. This month, only 23 per cent of respondents agree.

The approval rating for U.S. president George W. Bush dropped slightly to 64 per cent.

Polling Data

Do you think the Bush administration deliberately misled the American public with information regarding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?

Yes, deliberately misled the American public

31%

Greatly overstated threat

21%

Generally accurate but exaggerated

10%

No, did not deliberately mislead the American public

67%

Information was accurate

31%

Thought information was accurate, but it was not

31%

Unsure

5%


Was the war in Iraq justified, even without evidence of weapons of mass destruction?

Jun. 2003

Apr. 2003

Mar. 2003

Justified only with evidence

23%

24%

41%

Justified even without evidence

56%

58%

38%

Not justified

18%

15%

15%


Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?

Jun. 1

May 21

May 7

Approve

64%

66%

69%

Disapprove

32%

30%

28%


Source: Gallup / CNN / USA Today
Methodology: Interviews to 1,019 American adults, conducted from May 30 to Jun. 1, 2003. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

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