WP: Poll: Iraq Optimism Premature:Most Dispute WH re. Weakened Insurgency

[DeepModem Mom]

Poll: Optimism on Iraq Is Premature
Most Americans Dispute White House Assessment of Weakened Insurgency, Post-ABC Survey Finds

By Richard Morin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, June 27, 2005; 8:42 AM


A majority of Americans reject claims by the Bush Administration that the insurgency in Iraq is weakening and are divided on whether victory over the insurgents will have a major impact on terrorism elsewhere in the world, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Barely one in five Americans -- 22 percent -- say they believe that the insurgency is getting weaker while 24 percent believe it is strengthening. More than half -- 53 percent -- say resistance to U.S. and Iraqi government forces has not changed.

The Post-ABC poll also found that few Americans agree with Vice President Cheney that the insurgency was in its "last throes." That claim, which Cheney made recently in an interview with Larry King on CNN, has been repeatedly challenged by critics of the administration's Iraq policy and defended by Bush officials.

One in four Americans -- 25 percent -- say they believed that the bloody campaign against U.S. forces and the fledgling Iraqi government is on "its last legs." Even among those who thought the resistance was weakening, only half believe that the insurgency was in its final stages.

As with virtually every facet of the Iraq issue, deep partisan divisions were reflected in views of the current state of the insurgency. More than a third of all Republicans -- 35 percent -- said the insurgents were growing weaker in Iraq, compared to 13 percent of all Democrats and 19 percent of all political independents....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/27/AR2005062700270.html

[leftchick]

1. how many think cheney is the new 'Baghdad Bob'?

I wish they had asked that one.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. D.C. Dick? nt

[leftchick]

11. Dirty DC Dick...

:)

[BlueStatesForever]

12. I think he's like the Iraqi (dis)Information Minister

Saying we're defeating the insurgents as the insurgent tanks roll in!

[Straight Shooter]

30. Baghdad Bob without the charm and comedic timing.

"Dirty Dick," good one. Don't need the D.C. label, he's dirty wherever he goes.

[Ilsa]

2. And didn't Rummy say yesterday that this could go on another

ten to twelve years? So much for "last throes". Liars. Goddamned liars, all of them.

[mom cat]

4. If they all tell different stories than someone will be able to say they

were right! It's so much better than flip-flopping! They can just generate so many opinions that someone will be able to say "Hey! The administration got that one right!"

[Ilsa]

6. That's what Rummy said about Wolfowicz yesterday.

Wolfie said before the invasion that it was hard to imagine needing more troops for the occupation than what was necessary to invade and conquer. Rummy gave the numbers and made it sound like Wolfie was right all along, nevermind the fact that many ex-generals were saying there weren't enough troops for the occupation and to bring down the rebels.

[Roland99]

8. Well, some weren't "ex" generals at the time.

:scared:

[Ilsa]

9. Yeah, (sadly LOL), I know.

Some people paid a heavy price for trying to do the right thing, buck the neocons, and protect the troops from unnecessary harm and death.

[Roland99]

10. That's one thing that gets me. Imagine if the Propagandist HAD listened!

*IF* the Propagandist had listened to Shinseki and others and invaded Iraq with 375,000 -> 500,000 troops and was able to secure the peace better and start training Iraqi police/guardsmen sooner, Iraq might have been a whirlwind victory and we'd be seeing *'s approval ratings in the 60s or higher.


:scared:

[mom cat]

13. These guys would even scare Orwell.

[Rose Siding]

3. Their publicity push is having a reverse effect

The more attention the bushies throw on Iraq, the more people are forced to focus and draw their own conclusions.

[Ilsa]

7. I've wondered this myself. I hope you are dead on correct.

But there are so many that watch with a vacuous expression and nod their heads saying, "yeaaahhh," and then switch channels.

[calimary]

14. Same thing has happened with their Social Security scam - the more

people know or hear or learn about those fabulous bush "plans" to "repair" Social Security, the less they like what they're knowing, hearing or learning.

The polls prove that. Repeatedly.

So maybe we should just encourage these schmucks to keep telling their tall tales. They lose more credibility every time they open their mouths. The critics only get louder, and grow in number, and guess what - as THAT happens, THEY'RE the ones who start getting a little more press attention.

Remember this: It wasn't so very long ago when you couldn't find a sentence about what bush or dick or any of their little weasel friends said - that also included wording like "although critics point out that..." or some such language. Now, you see it routinely.

The tide is turning.

[The_Casual_Observer]

15. I wonder what will happen to these poll numbers after the chimp pep talk

on Tuesday. A further slide?

It's clear that the "adults" in charge don't have any idea how to stop this war after they started it. It is so messed up that it's hard to tell why or what they are trying to accomplish other than maintain control of the oil fields.

[calimary]

16. Well, first of all, you can expect him to be semi-coherent.

I'm tempted to say "bring 'em on." Because every time this asshole opens his piehole, he digs himself in deeper. His Reverse-Midas Touch will probably be turned up to Level 10. Let him talk. Let him show his ignorance and stubborn stupidity. Let him be like Kevin Bacon's character in "Animal House" - who desperately screeched "All is WELL!" as he was being run over by crowds of rioters up and down Main Street. And don't forget the two words to add to EVERY sentence he utters, to help clarify it completely: "my ass." If you add "my ass" to every statement he makes, you'll have the truth. Especially - the truth as he sees it.

[Supersedeas]

17. Most rationale people dispute...but the Corporate Media sure is slow to

come around...hard to get out of the Drum Beat to War coverage, I guess

[gratuitous]

18. What is this "deep partisan divisions" nonsense?

From the article:

"As with virtually every facet of the Iraq issue, deep partisan divisions were reflected in views of the current state of the insurgency. More than a third of all Republicans -- 35 percent -- said the insurgents were growing weaker in Iraq, compared to 13 percent of all Democrats and 19 percent of all political independents."

Or, put another way, let's see how many think the insurgents are maintaining their strength or growing stronger:

65% of Republicans
87% of Democrats
81% of Independents

Does that look like a deep partisan division to anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

If Chimpy came out of the 2004 elections with a man date, those numbers look like a virtual consensus to me!

[Moderator]

19. Kick

[jsamuel]

20. Majority of Americans believe Bush administration misled public on Iraq

Majority of Americans believe Bush administration misled public on Iraq: poll

56 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Most Americans now believe that President George W. Bush's administration "intentionally misled" the public in going to war in Iraq, according to a poll.

The ABC News/Washington Post poll came on the eve of a key speech in which Bush will seek public support for the war, which 53 percent of Americans who were surveyed said was not worth fighting.

A record 57 percent say the Bush administration "intentionally exaggerated its evidence that pre-war Iraq possessed nuclear, chemical or biological weapons," according to the poll.

It was the first time a majority said the administration "intentionally misled" the public, the survey said.

The poll also shows 56 percent disapprove of Bush's handling of Iraq, including 44 percent who "strongly disapprove".

Still, 53 percent remain optimistic rather than pessimistic about the prospects for Iraq in the next year, the poll said.

And nearly six in 10, or 58 percent, want US troops to stay in Iraq until civil order has been restored, while 41 percent asked for their withdrawal.
<snip>

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050628/ts_afp/usiraqbushpoll_050628061432


Edit:
It's nice to see that people are finally waking up. We need to keep pushing the DSM as well as the "intentional pre-war bombing of Iraq" which is illegal.

[still_one]

21. problem is that 60% want us to stay until civil order is restored

I think those 60% should commit their children to this impossible war

We are in the middle of a civil war, and 60% want us to stay!!!

This country is screwed big time...

In addition, their is an implicit threat if Iran continues to develop nuclear weapons we will NOT stand for it.

I am more and more convienced that if we don't take back congress in 2006 it is over for this country, both economically, scientifically, and with our policy of taking over the world, which will fail

[Brundle_Fly]

22. I am so sick of the word

M I S L E A D

[pinniped]

23. WTF is this misled BS?

If some pollster chump called me and asked that, I would say that he FCKING lied.

[wake.up.america]

25. Wake UP America

Misled??????!!!!!

I was never misled!!!!

You do not have to be an Einstein to have known Bush was bogus from the start.

[DeepModem Mom]

29. Right on, wake -- welcome to DU!

[alittlelark]

24. With 243 votes it's at 1 star....... uh, yeah

Why bother w/ yahoo anymore???? If it is a BIG story it doesn't get past 2 1/2.....ever.



Why bother.

[NVMojo]

26. glad to hear a few may be giving up their "koolaid addiction".

[dbt]

27. Never mind the DSM, THIS is the smoking gun!

Consider: the Media Borg in bu$h-o-Murka has done--and IS doing--everything in its considerable power to portray bu$hler in the most favorable light. Said Borg will also not utter a single word against Dear Leader.

Yet, DESPITE THE MEDIA SMOKESCREEN, 57 per cent of survey respondents think the Regime "misled" the public over WMD. In a nation of flag-sucking half-wits who get their "news" from TV, this is MIND-BOGGLING! HOW did the Sheeple ever figure this out? Well, that's a moot point, for perception is reality.

bu$h's handlers have bought their Idiot Boy a mess of trouble and it couldn't happen to a more deserving fool. Let him lie in the bed they have made for him!

:popcorn:

[leftchick]

28. The word is LIE!

or does that only pertain to sexual indiscretions by a Democratic president?