Iraq's Costs Worry Americans, Poll Indicates

[cal04]

Two and a half years into the war in Iraq, Americans are worried about the toll it is taking on the United States, both in the mounting casualties and the drain of resources needed at home. And although they anticipate a long, protracted American involvement, they say Iraq will never become a stable democracy, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll. The poll also suggested that there was widespread reluctance to make sacrifices to continue to pay for the mission in Iraq.

Ninety percent of those surveyed, including a majority of Republicans, disapprove of Washington cutting spending on domestic programs to pay for the war, almost 80 percent would not be willing to pay more in taxes and 55 percent disapprove of eliminating recent tax cuts to raise revenue. And Americans say they are feeling the impact of the war on their communities, a sentiment that is more pronounced among blacks than whites.

A majority of all respondents said that the war in Iraq was having an impact on their communities - 27 percent rated the impact as major and 37 percent as minor. Among blacks, 42 percent said the impact was major and 26 percent said it was minor. Those in the South were affected more than those in other regions: 34 percent said the impact was major and 31 percent said it was minor.

Support for the war is at an all-time low. Forty-four percent now say the United States did the right thing in taking military action against Iraq, the lowest reading since the question was first asked more than two years ago.A majority, nearly 60 percent, now disapprove of the way President George W. Bush is handling the situation in Iraq, while 36 percent approve. Almost half of those surveyed said that they were not proud of what the United States is doing in Iraq. When asked how long U.S. troops should remain in Iraq, a majority said they should leave as soon as possible, even if Iraq is not yet a stable democracy. Fifty-two percent called for an immediate departure and 42 percent said troops should remain for as long as it takes to make sure Iraq is a stable democracy.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/09/16/news/poll.php

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/17/politics/17poll.html

[TheStates]

1. Get that poll number for immediate departure....

To rise past 60%, new rank in file americans in the streets......Force good old congress to pay attention....The war ends immediately no more bs..

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Is this coming from the Department of truth?

There are days I wonder

[agincourt]

3. Perhaps they should have taken a good look,

at John Kerry's scrutinization of shrub's Iraq spending bill in late 2003 if they were so worried. Instead of so many of them falling for flip-flop crap.

[Erika]

4. Check www.icasualties.org for the truth

Again, www.icasualties.org

But W says be happy...don't worry. None of his families kids are over there. They are too busy partying and being happy and not worrying. They take after W and Babs. The elitist brats.

[rodeodance]

5. only worried--why not outraged!

[rodeodance]

6. 52 % called for an immediate departure

......Fifty-two percent called for an immediate departure and 42 percent said troops should remain for as long as it takes to make sure Iraq is a stable democracy.

[lebkuchen]

7. Iraq will never become a stable democracy because that's not Bush's goal

the more destabalized Iraq is, the more money that's in it for him and his gang of thieves.