Public not liking what they see in Iraq

The Bush administration and its chickenhawk allies sold the nation a bogus war in Iraq, and the public now doesn't like what it sees.

SIXTY-NINE PERCENT of Americans polled say they are very concerned (40 percent) or somewhat concerned (29 percent) that the United States will be bogged down for many years in Iraq without making much progress in achieving its goals. Just 18 percent say they’re confident that a stable, democratic form of government can take shape in Iraq over the long term; 37 percent are somewhat confident. Just 13 percent say U.S. efforts to establish security and rebuild Iraq have gone very well since May 1, when combat officially ended; 39 percent say somewhat well.

Nearly half of respondents, 47 percent, say they are very concerned that the cost of maintaining troops in Iraq will lead to a large budget deficit and seriously hurt the U.S. economy. And 60 percent of those polled say the estimated $1 billion per week that the United States is spending is too much and the country should scale back its efforts. One-third supports the current spending levels for now, but just 15 percent of those polled say they would support maintaining the current spending levels for three years or more.

The war is going poorly, and it's generally recognized that Bush lied to get us in the mess. The result? His numbers continue to plummet.

He's now at 53 percent in the Newsweek poll, and his relect is at 44 percent. 49 percent want someone else.

These numbers jive with the latest Zogby poll, which had 45 percent reelecting Bush, with 48 percent saying it was time for someone new (compared to 49 Bush, 38 someone else in early June).

So is there anyone left who still really thinks Iraq will be a winner issue? (Outside of Fox News stable of blowhards, that is.)

By year's end Iraq will be radioactive.

Not to mention domestic issues, which have ALL broken the Dems' way:

The biggest shift in opinion, however, comes in Bush’s handling of non-terror issues. A plurality of voters now think the Democratic leaders in Congress have a better approach to dealing with the economy, tax cuts, healthcare, education, social security, the environment and energy policy. In January 2002, more thought Bush had the best approach to handling all the issues above, except the environment.

Posted August 23, 2003 02:22 PM | Comments (253)