52% of respondents believe all U.S. soldiers should withdraw from Iraq

[phk]

 Americans Want Troops Out of Iraq Within A Year

(Angus Reid Global Scan) – Many adults in the United States believe an exit strategy should be implemented in Iraq soon, according to a poll by Gallup released by CNN and USA Today. 52 per cent of respondents believe all U.S. soldiers should withdraw from Iraq either immediately or over the next 12 months.

Conversely, 38 per cent of respondents believe the troops should stay in Iraq for as long as they are needed, and seven per cent would deploy more soldiers.

The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein’s regime was launched in March 2003. At least 2,083 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and more than 15,500 troops have been injured.

On Nov. 17, Democratic Pennsylvania congressman John Murtha—a Vietnam War veteran—introduced a bill seeking the withdrawal of U.S. troops stationed in Iraq "at the earliest practicable date," adding, "Our military has done everything that has been asked of them, the U.S. cannot accomplish anything further in Iraq militarily. It’s time to bring them home."

Yesterday, White House spokesman Scott McClellan issued a statement, which read, "The eve of an historic democratic election in Iraq is not the time to surrender to the terrorists. (...) We remain baffled—nowhere does (Murtha) explain how retreating from Iraq makes America safer."

Americans are divided in the likelihood of an eventual victory for coalition forces. 50 per cent of respondents think the U.S. cannot win the war in Iraq, while 46 per cent disagree.

Polling Data

Here are four different plans the U.S. could follow in dealing with the war in Iraq. Which one do you prefer: withdraw all troops from Iraq immediately, withdraw all troops by November 2006, withdraw troops, but take as many years to do this as are needed to turn control over to the Iraqis, or send more troops to Iraq?

Withdraw immediately
   

19%

Withdraw in 12 months
   

33%

Withdraw, take as many years as needed
   

38%

Send more troops
   

7%

No opinion
   

3%

Which comes closer to your view about the war in Iraq? The U.S. will definitely win the war in Iraq, the U.S. will probably win the war in Iraq, the U.S. can win the war in Iraq, but you don’t think it will win, or you do not think the U.S. can win the war in Iraq?

Definitely win
   

23%

Probably win
   

23%

Can win, but don’t think it will win
   

17%

Do not think it can win
   

33%

No opinion
   

4%

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Great, another thing that I was ahead of the curve by about 3 years, and am now finally in the majority. Too bad the American liberal is so ignored in today's society.

[Beet]

The establishment turns their noses up at the American people because they think they're better than us.

[Emsworth]

Thank goodness this country isn't run by people who respond to polls.

[Beet]

Thank goodness this country isn't run by people who respond to polls.

Shut up, you elitist prude.

[Emsworth]

I take it you would prefer a democracy to a republic?

[Beet]

They're not necessarily exclusive.

[Emsworth]

They're not necessarily exclusive.

Fair enough.

My personal opinion is that direct democracy (as opposed to a republic) is a dangerous system of government. Public opinion changes very often and very unpredictably. Were this country governed on the basis of polls, there would be utter chaos in its policies.

[Beet]

They're not necessarily exclusive.

Fair enough.

My personal opinion is that direct democracy (as opposed to a republic) is a dangerous system of government. Public opinion changes very often and very unpredictably. Were this country governed on the basis of polls, there would be utter chaos in its policies.

That is true. I modified my post to show that I was joking. But conservatives do like to complain all the time how liberals are so elitist when the ignore the fact that public opinion is as often as not against them.

Also, republicans have an annoying, almost obsessive tendency to insist on the term "republic" being used, while either republic OR representative democracy, one of two main types of democracy, would be technically correct. I can only think it has something to do with their party being called the Republican party. Whatever, if semantics matter that much to them so be it, but it's technically correct either way.

[Emsworth]

But conservatives do like to complain all the time how liberals are so elitist when the ignore the fact that public opinion is as often as not against them.

Definitely true. I think that, in general, conservative pro-business "elitism" is more evident than liberal elitism.

[A18]

"Democracy" is associated with majority rule far more than the word "republic." Hence the insistence on the word republic in situations like this.

[The Duke]

I'd like everyone to not the correlation between the perceptions of how the war is going and what policy people think had ought to be adopted.

33% take the most pessimistic view of how things are going, and 33% take the most pro-withdrawal position.

17% take the second most pessimistic view, and 19% take the second most pro-withdrawal position.

46% take an optimistic view, and 45% oppose a speedy withdrawal.

This is not coincidental, but I don't think the White House knows that.

The establishment turns their noses up at the American people because they think they're better than us.

The establishment is right.  They are better than the average person.  And not just a little better, either.

Great, another thing that I was ahead of the curve by about 3 years, and am now finally in the majority. Too bad the American liberal is so ignored in today's society.

And in 18 months when things are going well, and the bandwagoners turn on you, will you use public opinion polls to determine what is right and what is wrong then?

Thank goodness this country isn't run by people who respond to polls.

I don't think your optimism is fully justified.

[MODU]

Thank goodness this country isn't run by people who respond to polls.

I'll second that.

[Monty]

Thank goodness we have a bunch of hack politicians to flush our money down the toilet on bridges to nowhere and never-ending nation-building projects. 

[True Democrat]

This just in: 52% of America called braindead.

[Hatman 🍁]

They're not necessarily exclusive.

Fair enough.

My personal opinion is that direct democracy (as opposed to a republic) is a dangerous system of government. Public opinion changes very often and very unpredictably. Were this country governed on the basis of polls, there would be utter chaos in its policies.

That is true. I modified my post to show that I was joking. But conservatives do like to complain all the time how liberals are so elitist when the ignore the fact that public opinion is as often as not against them.

Also, republicans have an annoying, almost obsessive tendency to insist on the term "republic" being used, while either republic OR representative democracy, one of two main types of democracy, would be technically correct. I can only think it has something to do with their party being called the Republican party. Whatever, if semantics matter that much to them so be it, but it's technically correct either way.

I think I finally get why one party is called the Democrats and the other the Republicans

[Platypus]

Considering over half of america supports withdrawal AND the theory of 'intelligent design'...how the bloody hell did the US get to be the sole superpoer?

[MODU]

Considering over half of america supports withdrawal AND the theory of 'intelligent design'...how the bloody hell did the US get to be the sole superpoer?

hehehe . . . because the intelligent design side cancels out the withdrawal side. 

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

They're not necessarily exclusive.

Fair enough.

My personal opinion is that direct democracy (as opposed to a republic) is a dangerous system of government. Public opinion changes very often and very unpredictably. Were this country governed on the basis of polls, there would be utter chaos in its policies.

It's better than having a crazy minimum wage hating Bush vs. Gore supporting person in charge.