Those polls:
Sept. 13 — A new Newsweek poll finds that 51 percent of Americans say they oppose President Bush’s request for $87 billion in additional funding for U.S. efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. And nearly half of those polled—46 percent—say the United States should reduce the number of troops in Iraq and begin bringing military personnel home. Meanwhile, 48 percent believe the Bush administration did not have a well thought-out plan for establishing a stable government in Iraq. msnbc.com
...more Americans said that, if Congress decides to approve the additional money (87B$), lawmakers should roll back the president's tax cuts to pay for the increased spending, rather than add to the federal budget deficit or cut government spending.
While seven in 10 women oppose Bush's $87 billion request, a slim majority of men -- 53 percent -- rejects it.
The public's judgment of the way Bush is handling international affairs has never been lower, the Post-ABC News poll found. Slightly more than half -- 53 percent -- approve of the president's policies abroad, a precipitous fall from 67 percent barely two months ago.
The overwhelming majority of Americans believe the United States should stay in Iraq, even if it means suffering continued military casualties, but the proportion who favor getting out has increased from 27 percent to 32 percent since late August. At the same time, a 55 percent majority doubts Bush has a clear plan about what to do in Iraq, and more than eight in 10 -- 85 percent -- now fear the United States will get bogged down in a long and costly peacekeeping effort there, up from 76 percent in less than three weeks. washingtonpost.com
Do you think the Bush administration does – or does not – have a clear plan for handling the situation in Iraq?
2003 Sep 8-10
Yes, does 40%
No, does not 59%
usatoday.com (lots of other intesting results here)
My comment: Bush still has majority support, but just barely. Overall, Americans think he is still doing a good job in the "war of terror". But every question specifically about Iraq, shows a huge slippage in support and approval for the President. Americans still think it was a good idea to go into Iraq, but they think the President has bungled the occupation. |
