Poll: Iraq War Takes Toll On U.S.

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

(CBS)  There are noteworthy partisan differences. 90 percent of Democrats think the President doesn’t have a plan. But Republicans are more evenly split; 43 percent think President Bush does, while 50 percent think he doesn't.

Just 35 percent express confidence in President Bush’s ability to make the right decisions about the war; 63 percent say they are uneasy about his approach.

CONFIDENT PRES. BUSH WILL MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS ON IRAQ
Confident
35%
Uneasy
63%

Bush receives a similar 36 percent approval rating for his overall handling of the war. 59 percent disapprove.

AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND THE IRAQ WAR
From the start, African Americans have been less supportive of the war in Iraq than white Americans, and most now want the U.S. to remove all its troops from Iraq.

In this poll, just one in five African Americans think taking military action against Iraq was the right thing to do compared to 49 percent of whites.

U.S. MILITARY ACTION IN IRAQ
Right thing
Whites
49%
African Americans
19%

Should have stayed out
Whites
45%
African Americans
77%

76 percent of African-Americans think U.S. troops should leave Iraq as soon as possible, even if Iraq is not stable. Whites are more divided: 47 percent say U.S. troops should stay as long it takes to make sure Iraq is a stable democracy, while 47 percent think troops should leave as soon as possible.

U.S. TROOPS IN IRAQ SHOULD…
Stay as long as it takes
Whites
47%
African Americans
20%

Leave as soon as possible
Whites
47%
African Americans
76%

In fact, six in 10 African Americans want all U.S. troops to leave Iraq now. Only 26 percent of white Americans think the troops should come home now.

U.S. TROOP LEVELS IN IRAQ SHOULD BE…
Increased
Whites
10%
African Americans
6%

Kept the same
Whites
29%
African Americans
15%

Decreased
Whites
29%
African Americans
18%

Remove all troops
Whites
26%
African Americans
60%

African Americans do not have a feeling of pride in the U.S.’s actions in Iraq. 80 percent say they are not proud of U.S. military action there, but 51 percent of whites say they are.

DO YOU FEEL PROUD ABOUT WHAT THE U.S. IS DOING IN IRAQ?
Yes
Whites
51%
African Americans
10%

No
Whites
42%
African Americans
80%

While both blacks and whites are concerned that the war is costing money and expending resources that are needed in the U.S., 71 percent of African Americans say they are very concerned, compared to 48 percent of whites.

57 percent of African Americans say the Iraq war is preventing President Bush from dealing with domestic issues in this country, while three in 10 think he is focusing on both. Whites are more divided; 51 percent say President Bush is dealing with both the Iraq war and domestic problems.

IS PRES. BUSH DEALING WITH BOTH WAR AND DOMESTIC ISSUES?
Yes
Whites
43%
African Americans
57%

No
Whites
51%
African Americans
31%

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This poll was conducted among a nationwide random sample of 1167 adults, interviewed by telephone September 9-13, 2005. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. An oversample of African Americans was also conducted for this poll, for a total of 211 interviews among this group. The margin of error for African Americans is plus or minus seven points.

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