Poll: Iraq War Takes Toll On U.S.

Majority Of Americans Want U.S. Troops Out Of Iraq

(CBS)  The President gets only a 35 percent approval rating for his handling of the Iraq war from these Iraq military families -- the same level of approval Bush receives from Americans overall on his handling of Iraq.

THE COSTS OF WAR

Most Americans are very concerned that the war is costing money and expending resources that are needed in the U.S. instead.

CONCERN ABOUT WAR'S COST TAKING RESOURCES NEEDED IN U.S.
Very concerned
53%
Somewhat concerned
30%
Not very/not at all concerned
16%

Most Republicans -- who overwhelming say waging the war has been the right thing to do -- are nonetheless at least somewhat concerned about a diversion of resources. Most Democrats and Independents are very concerned about it. This poll was conducted in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the beginning of discussion of what that rebuilding would require.

When given specific policy tradeoffs to consider in exchange for paying for the war, Americans reject some measures that might impact their wallets, or key services back home. Most would not want cuts in education or health care in order to help pay for the war; neither would they accept paying more in taxes.

IN ORDER TO PAY FOR IRAQ, WOULD YOU ACCEPT…
Eliminating the recent tax cuts
Yes
36%
No
55%

Paying more in taxes
Yes
20%
No
77%

Spending cuts on education and health care
Yes
7%
No
90%

The relatively few who would accept more taxes would pay $200 more per year. And although they disagree on so many aspects of the Iraq war, Republicans and Democrats agree on these points; in neither group would most be willing to make the tradeoffs.

This unwillingness is very different from Americans' readiness to pay for Katrina relief: most -- 62 percent - say they would pay more in taxes to help job training and housing efforts for victims of the storm, and 56 percent would pitch in more tax dollars to assist recovery efforts, generally.

Americans divide over whether or not the war is preventing the President from dealing with domestic issues in the U.S. And on this, partisan views prevail: Republicans say President Bush is focusing on both, while Democrats see the war as diverting his attention from important domestic issues.

IS PRES. BUSH DEALING WITH BOTH WAR AND DOMESTIC ISSUES?
Yes
All
47%
Reps
74%
Dems
24%
Inds
49%

No
All
47%
Reps
22%
Dems
67%
Inds
45%

OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF THE WAR IN IRAQ
Slightly more Americans think the U.S. should have stayed out of Iraq than think the U.S. did the right thing taking military action there. Those figures have changed little since late last year.

U.S. MILITARY ACTION IN IRAQ
Right thing
Now
44%
Last month
45%
10/2004
53%

Should have stayed out
Now
50%
Last month
49%
10/2004
42%

Views are highly partisan; 78 percent of Republicans think U.S. military action against Iraq was the right thing to do, while 76 percent of Democrats think the U.S. should have stayed out of Iraq.

Nor do Americans share a common sense of pride in the U.S.’s actions in Iraq. 43 percent say they are proud of U.S. military action there, but 49 percent are not proud. Most of those who think taking military action was the right thing to do are proud, while most who think the U.S. ought to have stayed out of Iraq are not proud.

PRESIDENT BUSH AND THE WAR
Although many Americans say they would like to see troop levels at least decreased now, a large majority of Americans thinks the President has not yet developed a clear plan for getting troops out of Iraq.

DOES PRESIDENT BUSH HAVE A CLEAR PLAN FOR GETTING TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ?
Yes
21%
No
75%