Poll: Bush Not Doing Enough For Iraq Vets

After a week of Congressional hearings investigating reports of shoddy treatment of veterans at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, most Americans are critical of the Bush administration's efforts for the wounded soldiers returning from the Iraq War, a new CBS News/New York Times poll finds.

Three out of four — 76 percent of — Americans do not think the Bush administration has done enough to care for these veterans. A majority of Republicans agree with all Americans overall on this issue.

Monday, the Army forced its surgeon general, Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, to retire, officials said, making him the third high-level official to lose his job over poor outpatient treatment of wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.


HAS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION DONE ENOUGH FOR IRAQ WAR VETS?

Yes
17 percent
No
76 percent

Fewer Americans are leery of putting more American troops in harm's way by sending additional troops to Iraq. Though 59 percent of Americans still oppose President Bush's recent decision to send more than 20,000 additional troops to Iraq, 36 percent now favor that decision — a slight increase from last month and a rise of 7 points since January.

SENDING MORE THAN 20,000 ADDITIONAL TROOPS TO IRAQ

Now
Favor
36 percent
Oppose
59 percent

February 2007
Favor
33 percent
Oppose
63 percent

January 2007
Favor
29 percent
Oppose
66 percent

Instead, most Americans — 56 percent — favor decreasing or removing the number of U.S. troops in Iraq. Seventeen percent of Americans think current U.S. troop levels in Iraq should be maintained, while 22 percent think more troops should be added.

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Read the complete results of this CBS News/New York Times poll (11 pages)

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Assessing The War

As the Iraq War enters its fifth year, optimism about the prospects for a successful resolution is now at its lowest level so far. Only one in 10 Americans believe the United States is very likely to succeed in Iraq. Thirty-four percent of Americans think success is somewhat likely, but more than half — 53 percent — believe the prospect for success in Iraq is not very or not at all likely.

WILL THE U.S. SUCCEED IN IRAQ?

Now
Very Likely
11 percent
Somewhat likely
34 percent
Not very/at all likely
53 percent

February 2007
Very likely
13 percent
Somewhat likely
37 percent
Not very/at all likely
47 percent

March 2006
Very likely
15 percent
Somewhat likely
36 percent
Not very/at all likely
47 percent

There has been a drop even among Republicans when it comes to optimism about the war's outcome. Nineteen percent of Republicans think success in Iraq is very likely — down 10 points from last month. A majority of Republicans continue to believe success in Iraq is at least somewhat likely. Democrats and independents disagree.

Just 29 percent of Americans think the war is going even somewhat well for the United States, though this is up slightly from last month's assessment.

Rather than engage in a military conflict with Iran over Iraq, Americans seem more inclined to look to Iran for help in providing stability to Iraq. A slight majority of Americans — 51 percent — believe the United States should request the support of Iraq's neighbors in the Middle East, such as Iran and Syria, even if the governments in those countries have been unfriendly or hostile to the United States in the past.

SHOULD THE U.S. REQUEST THE SUPPORT OF IRAN AND SYRIA?

Now
Yes
51 percent
No
40 percent

February 2007
Yes
46 percent
No
46 percent

December 2006
Yes
51 percent
No
40 percent

Looking back, most Americans think the U.S. should have stayed out of Iraq in the first place. Just 39% of Americans think the U.S. did the right thing in taking military action against Iraq, while 56% believe it should have stayed out. Those numbers have been generally consistent for the past year.


President George W. Bush

The President's job approval rating has risen to 34 percent in this poll, its highest level since November 2006.

BUSH'S JOB APPROVAL RATING

Now
Approve
34 percent
Disapprove
58 percent

February 2007
Approve
29 percent
Disapprove
61 percent

The increase is due almost entirely to an uptick in approval among Republicans; 75 percent now approve, up from 65 percent last month.

BUSH'S JOB APPROVAL RATING BY PARTY

Now
Total
34 percent
Republicans
75 percent
Democrats
8 percent
Independents
28 percent

February 2007
Total
29 percent
Republicans
65 percent
Democrats
6 percent
Independents
27 percent

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For detailed information on how CBS News conducts public opinion surveys, click here.

This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,362 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone March 7-11, 2007. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.

[bluestardad]

November 7, 2006 Democrats elected to House and Senate on platform of getting America out of Iraq War!

President Bush announces 21,000 Surge in Troops in Iraq which escalates war!

Democrats approve surge but pass non binding resolution against war.

Democrats talk cannot find consensus on Iraq, Refuse to cut funding for war!

Permanent American bases being constructed in Iraq for indefinite U.S. presents!

Walter Reed hospital scandal breaks on News Cast where wounded soldiers are living in rat infested broken rooms.

Democrats approve war funding request and ad more money, remove amendment requiring notification of Congress Before attacking Iran because if Israeli concerns!

FBI announces private citizens have been spied on with Patriot Act and abuses have been perpetrated upon the American People.

Justice Department fires U.S. Attorneys for political reasons.

Democrats in positions of Leadership, from the County Leadership to the Leadership of the Congress that do not execute the will of the people, must be removed from their Leadership Positions and replaced with someone that will effectively execute the office in which they are trusted.

CONGRESS FIDDLES WHILE IRAQ BURNS AND BUSH RUNS AMOK!

Write your Representatives and Senators! OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES ARE BEING TRAMPLED ON BY THIS CORRUPT ADMINISTRATION!

http://www.visi.com/j
uan/congress/
Here is the House Speakers email address: [e-mail]

[sclaires]

I agree that Bush is not doing enough to support and help our wounded and tramatized veterans. He is taking money from military health care and using it to pay for HIS war in Iraq and Afghanistan. I wish that I was on the "panel" to investigate military hospitals and the VA facilities. I could point out a lot of problems that exist at this time. I was a civilian employee at an army base until I was forced to retire on disability due to harassment and a chronic medical condition. Now I open my mouth via my fingers on anything that I feel needs commenting on. I honestly do not see how Bush can be Commander in Chief of the military since all he did was avoid military service.

[sjc_1]

When I see wounded veterans and the new oil deal that give most of the wealth to the oil companies for the next 30 years, I start to wonder what they were fighting for.

[bluestardad]

YOU CAN SAY HIS APPROVAL RATINGS ARE UP BUT BAGHDAD BOB IS MORE BELIEVEABLE THAN YOU ARE!

The real issue is the Supplemental Funding of the War that may not pass congress, and this mismanaged war from the lack War Planning to the Care of the Wounded at Walter Reed. American Politicians listened to the Saudi Arabians, Oil Companies, and Israeli NEOCONS, and fought this war when the real war was against Afghanistan and Al Qaeda! Now Bush is funding under the table Al Qaeda in Lebanon and his family friends the Saudis are funding the Sunnis in Iraq killing our troops! His FBI is abusing the Civil Liberties of American Citizens under the Patriot act and the Justice department is firing Attorneys that do not prosecute Democrats for Republican claims of voter Election fraud!

CONGRESS FIDDLES WHILE IRAQ BURNS AND BUSH RUNS AMOK!

Write your Representatives and Senators! SHOW THEM YOUR DISDAIN OF THEIR COWARDOUS ACTIONS WHILE OUR TROOPS ARE BEING KILLED AND OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES ARE BEING TRAMPLED ON BY THIS CORRUPT ADMINISTRATION! http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
Here is the House Speakers email address: [e-mail]

[scott4261]

The next president will be a Democrat. Count on it (and those of you who have Halliburton stock, I'd cash it in before the election!)!

[phil-in-fin]

75% of Republicans approve of how Bush does his job?

Seriously, who could believe such a thing, unless 75% of Republicans were idiots.

[mgpm-2009]

Can someone please, PLEASE, explain to me how the military continues to support this jackass? How and why????

[don7699]

The neo-con method of support for the troops is a Bumper Sticker and a Yellow Ribbon. Everything else is meaningless lip service. Brave men and women die in lonely places so the neo-con can drive their SUV in the USA.

[homespunlady]

cbville72: Let's make your confusion a little less.
Are we STILL in Serbia?
How many Americans DIED or even were injured in Serbia?
Is Serbia STABLE?
Is Serbia Still in a Civil War?
Which strategy worked and which failed?

This is a homework assignment that even our undereducated middleschoolers might be able to do. Even if they can't find Iraq and Serbia on the map. So Please learn to read and get back with the answers.

[homespunlady]

Pride cometh before the fall....Anyone remember where that saying came from?
Whatever happened to that Bush "dirty word" diplomacy? Glad to see some common sense returning to this county. Unfortunately it's come down to places like Uraguay and Mexico to tell George to shape up and they have their own agendas to attend to.
Next time let's elect an intelligent President that kisses up to Big Business and Bankers a little less.