Was It Worth It? Poll: More..Think Iraq War Raises Risk of Anti-US Terror

[Khephra]

Was It Worth It?
Poll: More Americans Think Iraq War Raises Risk of Anti-U.S. Terror

Americans express a growing suspicion that the war in Iraq will boost rather than ease the long-term risk of terrorism against the United States, a concern that directly challenges President Bush's rationale for invading.

This finding of a new ABCNEWS poll follows continued attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and on civilians elsewhere in the world, and marks a sharp turn in public attitudes.

A week after the fall of Baghdad, 58 percent of Americans thought the war would reduce the long-term risk of terrorism. Today that's down 18 points, while 48 percent — up 19 points — think the war has raised the risk.

At the same time, the number of Americans who say the war was worth fighting has slipped to 54 percent — a new low, down from 61 percent in mid-August and a high of 70 percent as the main fighting wound down.

more................

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/World/poll030908_iraq.html

[grytpype]

1. Very big news here!

All trends are against Bush. Americans don't approve of Bush or want him re-elected. We are nearly equally divided on whether the war was worth fighting in the first place, and momentum there is agaist Bush as well. It really is coming apart, at last. This is no fluke.

[Noon_Blue_Apples]

2. Yup

there is no out unless the UN comes on-board, and even still...

With the curtains closed behind them... all bets are off

B

[grytpype]

3. Even if the UN comes in, there still might be no answer.

It will take hundreds of thousands of troops to stabilize Iraq. If that is true - and it probably is -- then failure is inevitable.

There won't be nearly enough troops in Iraq, even under the most optimistic scenerio, where we get 80,000 or so troops from other countries.

So we know this is going to end badly, the question is how much it is going to cost in American lives and money before we face the facts.

More painful days ahead for poor ol' Whistleass.

[Journeyman]

4. And not only the cost in American lives and treasure. . .

but what kind of mess will be left in the mideast when we finally withdraw, and what will that portend for our future? I fear this ill-considered, truly evil attack will haunt us through the rest of our lives as well as the lives of our children.

[Racenut20]

5. I believe Senator Graham said that

BEFORE he voted against the damn war

[pippin]

6. women think differently

note these findings:

"Bush's tougher audiences include minorities and women; many in both groups tend to be more skeptical of military action as well as more apt to be Democrats. While 56 percent of men approve of Bush's work on Iraq, that declines to 43 percent of women; and it's 54 percent among whites, but 31 percent among nonwhites. . .Moreover, women are 11 points more apt than men, and nonwhites 21 points more apt than whites, to call the level of U.S. casualties in Iraq "unacceptable."

Maybe it's time for the rest to get real.

[Vikingking66]

7. wow

48% to 40%? That's a fnarging huge shift, and none too bloody soon.

49% approval of Bush's handling? - that number isn't coming back up any time soon.

Pretty soon, every question - from worth fighting to approval of Bush - is going to sink into the low fourties, high thirties.

I smell a change in the wind....