POLL: Only 29 Percent Of Americans Believe The Escalation Is Working

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/03/28/29-escalation-working/

POLL: Only 29 Percent Of Americans Believe The Escalation Is Working

A new Gallup poll shows that only 29 percent of Americans believe the Iraq escalation is making the situation better. Another 43 percent say the escalation is “not making much difference,” and 22 percent say it is making conditions in Iraq worse.

In addition, fully 80 percent of Americans “endorse a requirement that U.S. troops meet strict readiness criteria before being deployed to Iraq,” while 60 percent “favor a timetable for withdrawing all U.S. troops from Iraq by fall 2008.”



Americans are right. A senior Bush administration official acknowledged recently to the Washington Post that “right now there is no trend” showing the escalation is working. While sectarian attacks in Baghdad are down, “deaths of Iraqi civilians and U.S. troops have increased outside the capital”:

If violence is down in Baghdad, analysts said, it is likely because the Shiite militias operating there are waiting out the buildup in U.S. troops, nearly all of whom are being deployed in the capital. At the same time, Sunni insurgents have escalated their operations elsewhere.

President Bush nevertheless insisted today that “the Iraqi people are beginning to see positive changes.” He cited “two Iraqi bloggers.”

[robinlynne]

1. Someone thinks the escalation is working?

[yellowcanine]

5. As Garrison Keillor would say, "These are the same people who think Noah's family rode to church on

a dinosaur." I am not kidding - I heard him say that in reference to people who still support Bush. Has to be one of the funniest lines ever.

[depakid]

6. McCain apparently does

and goes on TV and lies about it....

[robinlynne]

8. oh right!

[depakid]

11. Check this out

if you haven't seen it:

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/03/27/michael-ware-i-dont-know-what-part-of-neverland-senator-mccain-is-talking-about/

[Fresh_Start]

2. fatal flaw against saying insurgents will wait out timeline

is because if the insurgents will wait out the timeline, the insurgents will also wait out the surge.

LOL

[tblue]

POLL: Only 29 Percent Of Americans Must Watch Fox News

[tblue]

3. self-delete

[Cabcere]

4. Hmmm, 29%...

...think that number represents the Backwash Demographic, still supportin' the Bushmeister surgin' troops?

[TwilightGardener]

7. Honestly, people won't care whether it "works" or not--this war will

never be popular again. We're all just waiting for it to wind down. The Propaganda Machine is going full tilt, and no one is listening.

[AshevilleGuy]

9. 29%, which is likely bush's absolute rock bottom of support.

I think that Nixon's was around that same number. Coincidence? I think not.

[OHdem10]

10. II think many people , even myself,

for the troops sake, would like to see some sort
of positive solution. However, my realist self
tells me: Baghdad is bound to quieten down with
the American Soldiers doing the heavy lifting.
As long as our soldiers stay in there forcing
the peace--it can look pretty good. I have
difficulty believing that in just a few months
the Iraqi Soldiers will be willing to step in
and hold the peace assuming complete responsibility.

M. El Sadr, the Shiite Militia Leader is in Iran
and his people have gone underground. This is
by agreement with Maliki. When he returns will
he continue to work with the government or will
his group spin out of control only to stir up
trouble. The Shias not fighting is a major
factor in the success so far.

Other Militias and Sunni Insurgents have left Baghdad
and are creating problems elsewhere in the Country.

While things may appear to be working, there
are too many contingencies for many to believe
success is possible.

[frogcycle]

12. polls like this are idiotic

what percent of the public has or has not been successfully duped has nothing whatever to do with the facts. Nobody in the US has any realistic ability to evaluate whether any aspect of the thing is "working." Why not take a poll on how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?

If it said only 29% believe anything the administration says, then it would at least be informative as to attitudes toward the administration.

It is appalling that only 5% are informed enough to realize that they are NOT informed enough to have a meaningful opinion.