Poll: Many Oppose Immediate Iraq Exit (57% & 36% immediate exit)

[sabra]

http://www.mankatofreepress.com/feeds/apcontent/apstories/apstorysection/D8EI2J700.xml.txt/resources_apstoryview

Poll: Many Oppose Immediate Iraq Exit

A solid majority of Americans oppose immediately pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq, citing as a main reason the desire to finish the job of stabilizing the country, an AP-Ipsos poll found.

Some 57 percent of those surveyed said the U.S. military should stay until Iraq is stabilized, while 36 percent favor an immediate troop withdrawal. A year ago, 71 percent of respondents favored keeping troops in Iraq until it was stabilized.

In an effort to build public support for his Iraq policy, President Bush planned an Oval Office address for Sunday night to discuss the U.S. mission and what lies ahead in 2006.

The speech will be his first from the Oval Office since March 2003 when he announced the invasion of Iraq. In the past two weeks, the president has given four speeches on Iraq.

[acmavm]

1. WHAT???? Stay 'til stabilized???? When the hell will that be???? n/t

[okieinpain]

2. we can't do an immediate withdrawl. but there can be an orderly

withdrawl. there are a lot of things we can do to get iraq the protection it needs. we can ask iran to send in some troops, they are going to send in their troops once we leave anyway, now or 20 years later.

[BillZBubb]

3. Exactly! If the question was for a quick, but orderly withdrawal...

I'll bet the numbers would be much higher. The question is a loaded one as stated.

[leftchick]

4. so I guess we will have a repeat, this time from the Green Zone

Sometime in the next five years and many more dead bodies..

[still_one]

5. fine, let them send their kids over there to stablize Iraq

[wookie294]

6. Most want withdrawal in 12 months

Most Americans don't want "immediate" withdrawal, but they DO WANT withdrawal of most troops within 12 months. Bush has one year to get it right, just in time for the Nov. 2006 elections.

[mainer]

7. I have no son in this fight. So stay there as long as you want.

Really, that's the attitude of most Americans. No draft, so no one cares about the war. It's just happening over there, and our lives go on. Until the country goes bankrupt, Americans will support this stupid occupation.

[kstewart33]

8. If you're for withdrawal, these numbers aren't bad.

57% is not an overwhelming majority, by any measure.

[sabra]

10. I agree, in addition there was 7% that was on the bubble...

peace.

[Voltaire99]

9. "Stabilize": euphemism for invasion and mass murder.

First you "stabilize," see, then you "democratize."

The survivors will love it!

[pat_k]

11. To Exit, or Not to Exit, Is NOT the Question!

Debating actions "Our Government" should take makes NO SENSE when "Our Government" DOES NOT EXIST.

As long as the criminal and incompetent Bush regime is allowed to thwart the will of the people, wield the unlimited power they have taken unto themselves, and trample on our Constitutional Democracy, any discussion of "What to do in Iraq?" is completely useless.

The criminality and incompetence of this regime cannot be tolerated.

Offering "plans" to them only makes us complicit with their crimes. It is time to stop pretending they have any legitimacy.

The Bush Regime has lied and terrorized the American people with their threats of mushroom clouds in 45 minutes. They've abused power. Their failures have been criminal negligence and their actions have been just plain criminal.

Dean almost had it right when he said "We Can't Win the War". It's too bad he failed to grasp the real problem with the assertion. Rather than retreating from it, he should have made a simple substitution.

The problem is not the "un-winnable" part, it is the "We" part. The most effective, and correct change is

from
"WE Can't Win"

to
"THEY Can't Win"

WE are not THEM. They are rogues, operating outside the bounds of our common contract: the Constitution for the United States of America that We the People established.

"They Can't Win" is an assertion firmly grounded in reality.

Good things do not grow out of the seeds of evil. Immoral and unlawful means will never result in moral and legitimate ends. We must dig up the rotten seeds and do our best to start anew. We must punish their actions, establish legitimate and moral leadership, and seek to repair the damage done in ways we can be proud of.

It is time for our leaders to see the truth -- that their oath to protect and defend the Constitution requires them to stand up and demand Impeachment and removal of this criminal regime.

Any risks our elected officials perceive -- ridicule, political suicide -- are nothing compared to what the members of our armed services face.

We expect our soldiers, sailors, and marines to risk life and limb to preserve our Constitutional Democracy. We should expect no less from our candidates and elected officials.

Impeachment NOW!

[melody]

12. Responses are all in the way the questions are asked

They primed these with dark scenarios beforehand to get the "right" responses. We just don't see the wind-up to the pitch.

[Teaser]

13. People will answer whatever "sounds right"

amongst the options presented.

"Leave" or "Stay till Stabilized" makes the presumption that the country *can* be stabilized. And sure, if it could be stabilized...maybe we should stay.

But it can't be, and that reality was not presented, even as a possibility, in this poll.

[tabasco]

14. Chickenhawks love war until they have to go.

Armchair warriors love to watch war on the telescreen.

Makes them feel proud to be Americans!

Time to start the draft.