(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States believe their country should spend less on the coalition effort, according to a poll by TNS released by the Washington Post and ABC News. 66 per cent of respondents want Congress to reduce the federal government’s $190 billion U.S. budget request for the Iraq war.

The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein’s regime was launched in March 2003. At least 3,809 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and more than 28,000 troops have been wounded in action. 59 per cent of respondents think the war was not worth fighting, and 54 per cent believe the United States should withdraw its military forces in order to avoid further U.S. military casualties.

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.

Last month, 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 Oct. 3, Democratic Wisconsin congressman Dave Obey suggested enacting a "war surtax"—which would range from 2 per cent to 15 per cent, depending on income—so that all Americans make sacrifices for the war. Obey explained his rationale, saying, "If this war is important enough to fight, it’s important enough to pay for. If you don’t like the cost, shut down the war."

Polling Data

The Bush administration has requested nearly $190 billion U.S. to fund the wars and related U.S. activities in Iraq and Afghanistan over the next year. This is about $40 billion U.S. more than first estimated. Do you think Congress should approve all of this funding request, or reduce it?

All in all, considering the costs to the United States versus the benefits to the United States, do you think the war with Iraq was worth fighting, or not?

Do you think the United States should keep its military forces in Iraq until civil order is restored there, even if that means continued U.S. military casualties, or do you think the United States should withdraw its military forces from Iraq in order to avoid further U.S. military casualties, even if that means civil order is not restored there?

Source: TNS / Washington Post / ABC News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,114 American adults, conducted from Sept. 27 to Sept. 30, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

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