CBS Poll: Public Backs Iraq Timetable
More than half of Americans support the U.S. House provision setting a timetable that calls for most U.S. troops to be out of Iraq by September, 2008. According to a new CBS News poll, 59% of those surveyed favored the provision while 37% are opposed.
The poll was conducted before Tuesday's Senate vote to include a non-binding withdrawal timetable in its version of legislation to provide continued funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
President Bush has pledged to veto either version of the legislation, and in a speech Wednesday, reiterated his opposition to a timetable. "The consequences of imposing such a specific and random date of withdrawal would be disastrous," Mr. Bush said in a speech at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association meeting. "Our enemies in Iraq would simply have to mark their calendars. They'd spend the months ahead plotting how to use their new safe haven once we were to leave."
The poll also found that while most Americans believe Iran is providing weapons to insurgents in Iraq, the majority sees that nation as a threat not requiring military action on the part of the U.S. While 65% believe Iraq is aiding insurgents, 54% believe containment is the best policy while just 18% said it requires military action.
On the domestic front, the CBS News poll finds that just half of Americans are following the news about the firing of several U.S. Attorneys but 40% say Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should resign, while 25% say he should not and 35% are not sure. Among those who say they are following the story closely, 55% think Gonzales should resign.
This poll was conducted among a random sample of 831 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone March 26-27, 2007. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher. An oversample of registered voters who plan to vote in a Democratic primary next year was also conducted for this poll, for a total of 539 interviews among this group.
The subsample of all Democratic primary voters was weighted to the proportion of these voters across three previous 2007 CBS News and CBS News/New York Times Polls. The margin of error for Democratic primary voters is plus or minus four percentage points.
MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The poll was conducted before Tuesday's Senate vote to include a non-binding withdrawal timetable in its version of legislation to provide continued funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
President Bush has pledged to veto either version of the legislation, and in a speech Wednesday, reiterated his opposition to a timetable. "The consequences of imposing such a specific and random date of withdrawal would be disastrous," Mr. Bush said in a speech at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association meeting. "Our enemies in Iraq would simply have to mark their calendars. They'd spend the months ahead plotting how to use their new safe haven once we were to leave."
The poll also found that while most Americans believe Iran is providing weapons to insurgents in Iraq, the majority sees that nation as a threat not requiring military action on the part of the U.S. While 65% believe Iraq is aiding insurgents, 54% believe containment is the best policy while just 18% said it requires military action.
On the domestic front, the CBS News poll finds that just half of Americans are following the news about the firing of several U.S. Attorneys but 40% say Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should resign, while 25% say he should not and 35% are not sure. Among those who say they are following the story closely, 55% think Gonzales should resign.
This poll was conducted among a random sample of 831 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone March 26-27, 2007. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher. An oversample of registered voters who plan to vote in a Democratic primary next year was also conducted for this poll, for a total of 539 interviews among this group.
The subsample of all Democratic primary voters was weighted to the proportion of these voters across three previous 2007 CBS News and CBS News/New York Times Polls. The margin of error for Democratic primary voters is plus or minus four percentage points.
MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Posted by Savan3 at 10:03 AM : Mar 30, 2007
What happened was that through legislation supported by the likes of Ted Kennedy support for the South Vietnamese was stripped, giving communism victory. Iraq will be just like Vietnam; freedom seeking people will be turned over to homicidal maniacs.
So katg21, what happened with Vietnam once that conflicted ended? The same Communist that supported Vietnam ( China ) that cost the lives of around 59,000 of Americans young men, are now one of Americas trading partners as well as Vietnam,through NAFTA. No only is China a trading partner, to support this war in Iraq, we are heavily indebt on loans from China.
Posted by singinrick at 01:33 AM : Mar 30, 2007
Yes, you are and yes, it's not.
Oh and yes you did make a joke about the war as*shole.
I see it doesn't bother you one bit to spill more American blood keeping the sides apart in this civil war. Terrorists could care less about a timetable - they'll just wait us out either way. They live there. We don't.
Seeing as how Vietnam is now at peace and trying to attract U.S. business and tourists, your analogy sounds fine to me. Yes, let's get the hell out.
I see it doesn't bother you one bit to spill more American blood keeping the sides apart in this civil war. Terrorists could care less about a timetable - they'll just wait us out either way. They live there. We don't.
Seeing as how Vietnam is now at peace and trying to attract U.S. business and tourists, your analogy sounds fine to me. Yes, let's get the hell out.
Posted by ronhono at 05:47 PM : Mar 29, 2007
Okay, so let's cut and run and let Vietnam happen all over again. The terrorists are just sitting back waiting for us to announce our time table.
Well said and I agree.