Political Hotsheet
By

Jennifer De Pinto /

CBS News/ October 21, 2011, 5:49 PM

Iraq pullout comes as most say war going well

President Barack Obama announced Friday that U.S. troops will leave Iraq by the end of the year, saying, "Today I can say that our troops in Iraq will definitely be home for the holidays."

The announcement comes amid positive evaluations of the Iraq war among the American public. In a CBS News Poll conducted last month, 57 percent of Americans say the war in Iraq is going at least somewhat well for the U.S. -- in sharp contrast to just 40 percent who say the same thing about Afghanistan.

Most Republican and Democrats (and half of independents) say the war is going well.

Chart - How things are in the U.S. CBS

Public evaluations of U.S. efforts in Iraq have become more positive in recent years. In September 2008, 52 percent said things were going well - the first time a majority said so since February 2005 (53 percent), shortly after Iraqi elections were held. Since the fall of 2008, Americans' assessments of the Iraq war have been mostly positive.

In May 2003, after then-President George W. Bush announced major combat operations in Iraq were over, 72 percent of Americans thought things were going well in Iraq - the highest number in CBS News Polls. That level was nearly matched in April 2009 when 71 percent said the war was going well.

Assessments of the Iraq war reached their lowest point in June 2007, when only 22 percent said things in Iraq were going well for the United States. Americans' views on the war began to sour about a year into the conflict and amid the treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib.


Line Chart - U.S. in Iraq CBS

Even though Americans now say the war in Iraq is going well, a CBS News/New York Times Poll conducted in August found 30 percent think U.S. involvement in Iraq has increased the threat of terrorism against the U.S., while half has many (16 percent) say the terror threat has decreased.

Fifty percent of Americans say the Iraq war has had no impact on the terror threat against the United States.

© 2011 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
9 Comments Add a Comment
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dancer1331 says:
Who participated in the poll? How many people participated, and how were they chosen? Were participants randomly selected?What is the margin error for the poll??
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dancer1331 says:
Who participated in the poll? How many people participated, and how were they chosen? Were participants randomly selected?
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decotoguy says:
I LOVE these WARS.
WAR for the sake of WARFARE you see it puts a little color to the cheeks of the American people.
"Somewhat well" covers it all.
I might come to the conclusion that the Majority of Americans are suffering from some-sort of Paranoid Schizophrenic,Dementia.
Is that Somewhat good no?
If not,just say to yourself "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED".
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focusonjobs1 says:
The Republican response to our troops coming home proves they are truly hypocrites....always talking about Obama's spending is out of control and we need to cut all social programs. But we have billions to spend on policing people who never asked for our help.
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sprague-c says:
Bring ALL our troops home.

"Veterans Vote" - 19 million strong.
Get us out, or we will vote you out.
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RobAla says:
"President Obama's astonishing failure to secure an orderly transition in Iraq has unnecessarily put at risk the victories that were won through the blood and sacrifice of thousands of American men and women," he said. "The unavoidable question is whether this decision is the result of a naked political calculation or simply sheer ineptitude in negotiations with the Iraqi government. The American people deserve to hear the recommendations that were made by our military commanders in Iraq."

I certainly hope Romney is wrong, but I feel sure he is right. Washington has been in chaos for the last two years, and I am afraid this is more of the same. I certainly hope President Obama is not so irresponsible as to risk the stability of a new Iraq by an attempt to cater to his left wing base. I hope this doesn't undo all that has been accomplished by those who have given their lives. It seems to be totally rash to remove all troops, instead of an orderly downsizing.
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cadmus557 replies:
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I thought the gop message was "we are broke the cost of war exceeds the needs of americans at home", Did i miss something? Or are you saying i should support Iraqi's with my tax dollars not americans?
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AmericanConscious says:
As soon as Obama sees this poll of how Americans really feel about the Bush successes in Iraq, Barry O will flip flop so he can try and please them so he can try to get re-elected.
He is a slave to the polls.
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MurdochSucks says:
So essentially Obama has come into office and cleaned up a bunch of Bush's messes. Financial collapse, housing bubble, Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, instability in the Egypt and Libya, and Osama Bin Laden and Pakistan.

How can people think the war is going "well for the US" when it costs us millions of dollars an hour? We could employ a whole lot of people for that price! Obama is sticking to his word and his guns and pulling the troops from Iraq. Mission REALLY Accomplished, Mr. President! Finally, somebody got the job done.
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