Only 25% Of Americans Agree With Democrat “Pull Out Now” Position On Iraq
The polls are moving in the President’s favor on Iraq:
WASHINGTON—Public discontent with the Iraq war has eased slightly, a new Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll shows, suggesting President Bush may have a little more maneuvering room at a critical point in debates over war costs and troop levels.
As Mr. Bush prepares to follow congressional testimony by the top general in Iraq, David Petraeus, with a televised speech to the nation tonight, the poll shows an uptick in support for the president’s handling of the war as well as a small increase in the proportion of Americans who believe the troop surge is helping and that victory remains possible.
Those shifts in public opinion remain modest. Solid majorities continue to disapprove of the president’s performance and say victory in Iraq isn’t possible and that the war hasn’t been worth its human and financial costs. “There’s been no surge from the American people,” said Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducts the Journal/NBC poll with Republican counterpart Neil Newhouse.
Yet only one in four Americans say troops should leave now regardless of conditions on the ground. The public’s “heads and hearts are going in two different directions,” Mr. Newhouse said. “They want the troops to come home but think we can’t just leave.”
Poll after poll has come up with results similar to that last bit time and again, yet it never seems to get much play in the media. Americans may get frustrated with the President, and may not always approve of the way he’s handled the war, but they’re not exactly flocking to the Democrat position on this issue either.
An idea also born out by Congress’ approval numbers, which are perpetually hovering in the teens.
