Now I'm not a big believer in polls, afterall we're still 6+ months away from the November to Remember, and anything can happen between then and now. However, CBS released a poll today that got my attention:
One year after the declared end of major combat in Iraq, Americans have new doubts about the war and doubts about what the Bush Administration has said about it.
Just 32 percent, the lowest number ever, say Iraq was a threat that required immediate military action a year ago.
Less than half, 47 percent, now say the U.S. did the right thing taking military action in Iraq, the lowest support recorded in CBS News/New York Times Polls since the war began.
There are growing concerns about the long-term impact of the war.
--41 percent now think the war increased the threat of terrorism against the U.S.
--71 percent say the Administration’s policies have worsened the U.S.’s image in the Arab world.
~snip~
e public’s assessments of the Bush Administration’s decision-making before (and after) the war are also negative.
Seven in ten don’t believe the Administration claims that the decision to go to war was made in March 2003, and say the Bush Administration had decided to go to war earlier than that.
61 percent believe the Administration did not try hard enough to reach a diplomatic solution before going to war in Iraq -- a reversal of the public’s belief last year during the war.
For now, only 31 percent believe the Administration has a clear plan to turn over power in Iraq; 32 percent say it has a clear plan to rebuild the country.
The struggles in Iraq appear to have hurt assessments of the President.
--His overall approval rating (46 percent)
--His rating on handling Iraq (41 percent)
--His rating on handling foreign policy (40 percent) are at the lowest points ever in this Administration. In each case, more disapprove than approve.
--53 percent of voters are uneasy about Bush’s handling of international crisis, figures unmatched since before 9/11.
~snip~
WAS U.S. ACTION RIGHT THING, OR SHOULD U.S. HAVE STAYED OUT?
Right thing
Now 47%
Last month 58%
3/2003 - 69%
Stayed out
Now 46%
Last month 37%
3/2003 - 25%
There's a bunch of other numbers too. While I don't put a whole lot of stock in these early polls, it's good to see that maybe JUST MAYBE the public is waking up to the fact that this country is headed in the wrong direction.
UPDATE: Not hard to see why BushCo's numbers are headed south:
Ten U.S. Soldiers Killed in Spate of Attacks in Iraq
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Ten U.S. soldiers were killed in attacks around Baghdad on Thursday, eight of them in an apparent suicide car bombing just south of the capital, the U.S. military said.
The deaths took to 534 the number of U.S. soldiers killed in action since U.S.-led forces invaded Iraq 13 months ago. About 125 of them have been killed in April, the bloodiest month for U.S. forces in Iraq since the invasion.
The car bomb went off just south of Baghdad near Mahmudia at about 11:30 a.m., the U.S. military said in a statement.
"A driver in a station wagon approached the task force. Once he was close enough to inflict injury he detonated the explosive device," it said a statement, which did not make clear whether the driver was in the vehicle when it exploded.
The soldiers, who were searching for roadside bombs which are a favorite insurgent weapon, were all from the 1st Armored Division and the wounded were flown to a Baghdad military hospital by helicopter, it said.
Shortly before dawn, a U.S. soldier was killed in a rocket-propelled grenade attack in eastern Baghdad, a separate statement said.
At around 10 a.m., a roadside bomb killed a U.S. soldier and wounded another in the town of Baquba, 40 miles north of Baghdad. Iraqi police said an Iraqi civilian was also killed in the attack.
With just weeks to go before the United States hands over sovereignty to Iraqis on June 30, U.S.-led forces face a growing insurgency.
New polls showed Iraqi civilian deaths combined with heavy U.S. losses this month have eroded support for President Bush's war plan both among Iraqis and among the Americans who will vote on his re-election in November.
Just 32 percent, the lowest number ever, say Iraq was a threat that required immediate military action a year ago.
Less than half, 47 percent, now say the U.S. did the right thing taking military action in Iraq, the lowest support recorded in CBS News/New York Times Polls since the war began.
There are growing concerns about the long-term impact of the war.
--41 percent now think the war increased the threat of terrorism against the U.S.
--71 percent say the Administration’s policies have worsened the U.S.’s image in the Arab world.
~snip~
e public’s assessments of the Bush Administration’s decision-making before (and after) the war are also negative.
Seven in ten don’t believe the Administration claims that the decision to go to war was made in March 2003, and say the Bush Administration had decided to go to war earlier than that.
61 percent believe the Administration did not try hard enough to reach a diplomatic solution before going to war in Iraq -- a reversal of the public’s belief last year during the war.
For now, only 31 percent believe the Administration has a clear plan to turn over power in Iraq; 32 percent say it has a clear plan to rebuild the country.
The struggles in Iraq appear to have hurt assessments of the President.
--His overall approval rating (46 percent)
--His rating on handling Iraq (41 percent)
--His rating on handling foreign policy (40 percent) are at the lowest points ever in this Administration. In each case, more disapprove than approve.
--53 percent of voters are uneasy about Bush’s handling of international crisis, figures unmatched since before 9/11.
~snip~
WAS U.S. ACTION RIGHT THING, OR SHOULD U.S. HAVE STAYED OUT?
Right thing
Now 47%
Last month 58%
3/2003 - 69%
Stayed out
Now 46%
Last month 37%
3/2003 - 25%
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Ten U.S. soldiers were killed in attacks around Baghdad on Thursday, eight of them in an apparent suicide car bombing just south of the capital, the U.S. military said.
The deaths took to 534 the number of U.S. soldiers killed in action since U.S.-led forces invaded Iraq 13 months ago. About 125 of them have been killed in April, the bloodiest month for U.S. forces in Iraq since the invasion.
The car bomb went off just south of Baghdad near Mahmudia at about 11:30 a.m., the U.S. military said in a statement.
"A driver in a station wagon approached the task force. Once he was close enough to inflict injury he detonated the explosive device," it said a statement, which did not make clear whether the driver was in the vehicle when it exploded.
The soldiers, who were searching for roadside bombs which are a favorite insurgent weapon, were all from the 1st Armored Division and the wounded were flown to a Baghdad military hospital by helicopter, it said.
Shortly before dawn, a U.S. soldier was killed in a rocket-propelled grenade attack in eastern Baghdad, a separate statement said.
At around 10 a.m., a roadside bomb killed a U.S. soldier and wounded another in the town of Baquba, 40 miles north of Baghdad. Iraqi police said an Iraqi civilian was also killed in the attack.
With just weeks to go before the United States hands over sovereignty to Iraqis on June 30, U.S.-led forces face a growing insurgency.
New polls showed Iraqi civilian deaths combined with heavy U.S. losses this month have eroded support for President Bush's war plan both among Iraqis and among the Americans who will vote on his re-election in November.
<<<<< Home