CBS Poll: Public Backs Iraq Timetable

59% Support September 2008 Deadline For Removing U.S. Troops

(CBS/AP)  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.

[one_american]

It is absolutely clear that the liberal Democrats care nothing about America.

They hide behind a politically-contrived bill that they think absolves themselves of any responsibility for any failure in Iraq; meanwhile they point their crooked little fingers at our President to distract the public from their own guilt.

Why can't they simply vote for the war funding by itself?

I remember why -- the liberal Democrats are cowards. They are more afraid of losing votes than losing a war to terrorists.

It's really quite apparent to any rational-thinking human being that the liberal Democrats are really the ones who are incompetent.

[sprvtr]

I'd love to see the specific question that was asked of the American public to get that 59% result. I'm not doubting that many Americans would love to see the troops home but if you asked probably 99% would want lower taxes and less spending....I don't see anyone knocking themselves out to pass any legislation to that affect

[one_american]

It is absolutely clear that the liberal Democrats care nothing about America.

They hide behind a politically-contrived bill that they think absolves themselves of any responsibility for any failure in Iraq; meanwhile they point their crooked little fingers at our President to distract the public from their own guilt.

Why can't they simply vote for the war funding by itself?

I remember why -- the liberal Democrats are cowards. They are more afraid of losing votes than losing a war to terrorists.

It's really quite apparent to any rational-thinking human being that the liberal Democrats are really the ones who are incompetent.

(See how liberals are now quoting lyrics from the Dixie Chicks, below.)

[jokers3030]

if Mr Bush continues to force our military to stay over there dieing needlessly he needs to be impeached...
noticed i called him Mr Bush thats because i was nt stupid enough to vote for him!

[one_american]

I wonder what the results would be if CBS took a poll, and asked the question:

"Do you think that liberal Democrats are destroying America?"

I would bet that a majority of Americans would say "yes".

[sprvtr]

Whether you voted for him or not he IS the President of the US. I wasn't a great fan on Bill Clinton either but I gave him the respect that his office deserved.

[sprvtr]

One American....unfortunately, I think the result would be otherwise. An unfortunate number don't bother to follow the news closely enought to form an independant opinion. They see what Katie says and go with it. Agree or disagree with many of the posters on this site I respect the fact that they are involved enough to get the facts...how they interpret them are another matter (lol)

[antoniof123]

One_American the US voted and they chose the Democrats too bad you are a poor loser. The only time the neocons are happy is when they win. So they make a lot of noise and think they will get the oil for the squeaky wheel. But there comes a time when you just replace the car. This administration goes against America and the will of the people. I for one will never again listen to the neocons they are a true bunch of lairs and should go away and leave this great country. I am tired of their whinnying. Any question send them to Iran or better yet move there.

[bigsk8fan]

"Whether you voted for him or not he IS the President of the US. I wasn't a great fan on Bill Clinton either but I gave him the respect that his office deserved." Posted by Sprvtr

I think if anything the Republicans showed us during the Clinton Administration that Americans do NOT need to show the current President any respect whatsoever. It's all on the wheel. What goes around comes around. And the American people voted their conscience last November. Good riddance to the bad rubbish in the White House.

[micma-2009]

One_American


Now that Iraq is in a state of CIVIL WAR who's side should we be on?

Should we continue to side with the Pro-Iranian Shia extremists who hate us?

or

Should we side with the Pro-Sadam Sunni extremists that hate us?

or

Should we just stand in between them and get shot at and blown up?

[lindakisme1]

How can this be counted as a poll?!?!? I thought the idea was to get EQUAL amounts from each voter registration or affiliation and THEN ask them questions...65% Democrat is a SKEWED poll, and should be reported as such, before saying the majority of Americans favor anything.
Fair reporting, thats all I ask.

[bluestardad]

THE SELL OUT AMERICA FOR ISRAEL CLOWNS ARE LISTED BELOW!

It is not anti Semitic to believe that there are other good people in the Middle East and they should have a voice! You can see by the AIPAC advertisement below this PAC is selling influence to American Elected officials.

http://www.aipac.org/forms/join_aipa
cClubs.htm

Here are a list of the Republican Senators up for Reelection in 08. Ask them how much AIPAC influences their vote on Iraq?

Alexander, Lamar- (R - TN)
Allard, Wayne- (R - CO)
Chambliss, Saxby- (R - GA)
Cochran, Thad- (R - MS)
Coleman, Norm- (R - MN)
Collins, Susan M.- (R - ME)
Cornyn, John- (R - TX)
Craig, Larry E.- (R - ID)
Dole, Elizabeth- (R - NC)
Enzi, Michael B.- (R - WY)
Graham, Lindsey- (R - SC)
Hagel, Chuck- (R - NE)
Inhofe, James M.- (R - OK)
McConnell, Mitch- (R - KY)
Roberts, Pat- (R - KS)
Sessions, Jeff- (R - AL)
Smith, Gordon H.- (R - OR)
Stevens, Ted- (R - AK)
Sununu, John E.- (R - NH)
Warner, John- (R - VA)



Now here is the real kicker! President Bush is funding Al Qaeda in Lebanon with funds from Iraq! This is Impeachment and Treason! Here is the proof Read it!
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/
articles/070305fa_fact_hersh


CONTAC
T your ELECTED OFFICIAL http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

Sp
eakers email address: [e-mail]

info@go
p.com
Republican Party email

[e-mail]
Democratic Party email

[bigsk8fan]

"How can this be counted as a poll?!?!? " Posted by lindakisme1

More Republican sour grapes. The poll that counts is the one that happened last November. And now Congress is acting. How bad do you guys need to mess things up before we react? If we let Bush go much farther, we may not be able to fix his mess.

[jpesot]

The interesting number here is that only 37% think we should leave the committment open-ended.

So for those complaining that only the democrats want a change in direction, does that mean that only 37% of the country is republican?

Clearly many republicans have caught on to GW's incompetence.

We can no longer leave this mess to him and his ideologic followers.

[perception5]

Wow.........the Dems in Congress working hand and hand with the Dems in our corrupt liberal MSM wolfpack........what a surprise!

If it wasn't enough that our corrupt CBS hired Rick Kaplan, the "new" executive producer of the "CBS Evening News", a Democrat and close friend of the Clintons. (He slept in the Clinton White House twice the last time in April 2000).

Is Kaplan there to help Katie or is here there to run Hillary's 20087 campaign. Either way it's a "CONFLICT OF INTEREST" and he should resign.

How much more corrupt can we get in the American Press??????

[formrusmcsgt]

How much more corrupt can we get in the American Press??????
Posted by perception5 at 01:03 PM : Mar 28, 2007

More "shoot the messenger"........

The fact remains that 59% of those surveyed favored the provision while 37% are opposed.

Cry about the messenger all you want. The truth is that your side is on the outs.

[bm6005]

After 20+ yrs in new product development I can assure you that without a timetable any project is doomed to failure. Management puts everyone's feet to the fire on deadlines because if they don't the projects just drag on. Sound familiar fools?! Obviously neither of these two PNAC lizards have ever worked in private industry. Oh that's right they work in think tanks. Notorious for their work ethics aren't they? Kristol and Kagan will rot in hell for their rolls in this debacle!! To close out here, lackofperception5 is an idiot!!

[frankly6]

perception5

Which of Bush's plans do you think has been most effective:

Stay the course part 1?

Stay the course part 2?

Stay the course part 3?

Or his current stay the course part 4 strategy?

[inventagod]

There will always be terrorists. You will never meet one, they will not come to your home. Those who did 9/11 were not Afghan cave-dwellers, but bunker-dwellers here in the states. There is no reason to invade Iraq, other than to let Halliburton reap huge profits. Every other reason provided by our current administration, has been proven a lie. Saddam is dead, WMDs do not exist, there was no yellowcake, bin Laden never hid in Iraq. Bring the troops home.

[perception5]

Cry about the messenger all you want. The truth is that your side is on the outs.
Posted by formrusmcsgt at 01:07 PM : Mar 28, 2007


.......The truth of the matter is the "messenger" is corrupt to the core......and that's just the facts.

[sprvtr]

bigsk8fan...I agree with you. What's really sad about this entire debate is that if we can take all the vitriol out of the discussions I think we'll find that many of us have alot more in common than most people realize. I am a republican, I am not a neocon. Last election may prove to many American's that our voice, our vote does matter. The november election was a bitter pill to swollow but it is what it is.

[jimibear]

It's really laughable that a Bush supporter would talk of someone else being corrupt.

In fact, the very phrase "Bush supporter" is itself a joke in the worst possible taste.

Perception5, what is the upside to advertising yourself as a delusional, Neo-Fascist dullard by continuing to support the worst, most dishonest, self-serving, double-dealing, murderous thug to ever disgrace the office of the presidency? Are you simply stupid, or does the rot go beyond that?

[iceman_1960]

Bush contradicts himself on the war.

On the one hand he says the pro-democracy government has the support of the majority of the Iraqi people, and that the government forces have the training and arms offered by the world's greatest superpower. All the insurgents have, he claims, is a handful of Iraqis, and the arms ans support of a third rate power, Iran.

Now he says if we set a deadline, the insurgents will just "mark their calendars," wait, then walk right over the govenrment forces when we leave.

Why is that ? Can't the forces of Iraqi democracy mark their calendars too ? Why will the insurgents be ready to "stand up" when the deadline arrives, and the government forces won't be ?

This is Vietnam all over again.

[formrusmcsgt]

.......The truth of the matter is the "messenger" is corrupt to the core......and that's just the facts.
Posted by perception5 at 01:15 PM : Mar 28, 2007

Poll after poll after poll consistently show that Bush only has 30% of the electorate thinking he has his head screwed on straight. You can dismiss them all as biased if you wish, but that doesn't change the fact that neocons are becomming a rare breed.

Last November proved it in spades by stripping control of both houses of Congress from the Repubs. Call all the elections corrupt as well, it doesn't change the facts.

[frankly6]

perception5

What's your favorite Bush quote?

Mine is, "I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." %u2014Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000

[jimibear]

Oh, and perception5? Perception does not dictate truth. Your name give you away as a victim of your own delusions.

Your president is a liar, a mass murderer and a traitor. The war in Iraq is a transparent ruse designed to gain oil, and also to secure political capital and ongoing profits by creating endless war. Your president does not care that his goals come at the expense of thousands of lives. And those (not that) are (not is) the facts.

By the way, your inability to use the language reflects your inability to think.

[iceman_1960]

Bush is keeping the war going to save face.

Any other reason he gives now is a lie.

He will pay any price in American soldiers' lives and taxpayers dollars, just to avoid saying he made a big mistake.

A mistake his father didn't make. His father knew better than to try to occupy a Muslim country in the Middle East with Western troops.

[jimibear]

frankly6, I think my favorite is, "Our enemies never rest in their struggle to destroy America, and neither do we." Such involuntary speaking of the truth begs a call from Dr. Freud.

[jimibear]

"You can dismiss them all as biased if you wish, but that doesn't change the fact that neocons are becomming a rare breed."

For which we should all be thankful, exusmcsgt.

Lemmings are becoming less common for similar reasons. Unfortunately, though, as long as there is a stupid, greedy, conscienceless bigot left on the planet, there will still be at least one NeoCon.

[one_american]

CBS's disclaimer. Read it carefully:

"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."

This phoney survey is a complete fabrication.

539 Democrat voters out of 831 adults nationwide.
That's about 65% Democrats loaded into the polling.

At least CBS is fully disclosing its bias!

[iceman_1960]

There is nothing funny about Bushisms.

Bushisms should be taught in all high schools in America, to illustrate the disastrous effects on the human brain, of alcohol and cocaine use in one's formative years.

"You took an oath to defend our flag and our freedom, and you kept that oath underseas and under fire." - G. W. Bush. addressing war veterans, Washington, D.C., Jan. 10, 2006

(Of course they kept that oath underseas. It's hard to renounce anything when you're holding your breath.)

[perception5]

What's your favorite Bush quote?

Mine is, "I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." %u2014Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000
Posted by frankly6 at 01:24 PM : Mar 28, 2007

........ my favorite quote is from Clinton appointee George Tenet of the CIA.....when our President asked if Iraq had WMD's ....Mr. Tenet said....."It's a slam dunk Mr. President"..... why did this Clinton appointee tell our President that Iraq had WMD's?????
Was it a "Vast Left Wing Conspriacy"??? (As Hillary would say)

[us_infidel]

At least CBS is fully disclosing its bias!
Posted by One_American at 01:31 PM : Mar 28, 2007

Here's one for the new SAT: Democrat is to surrender as France is to:
A) Defeat
B) Humiliation
C) Cooking
D) Both A & B

[jimibear]

"How can this be counted as a poll?!?!? I thought the idea was to get EQUAL amounts from each voter registration or affiliation and THEN ask them questions...65% Democrat is a SKEWED poll, and should be reported as such, before saying the majority of Americans favor anything.
Fair reporting, thats all I ask.
Posted by lindakisme1 at 12:50 PM : Mar 28, 2007"

Try to read, Linda. Or get an adult to do it for you. Nowhere does it say anything about the polled people being 65% Democrats.

Yet another example of the fact that you have to be stupid to support Bush.

[perception5]

This phoney survey is a complete fabrication.

539 Democrat voters out of 831 adults nationwide.
That's about 65% Democrats loaded into the polling.

At least CBS is fully disclosing its bias!
Posted by One_American at 01:31 PM : Mar 28, 2007

...... this is typical for this corrupt news/political organization.........who usually runs polls with another corrupt liberal MSM wolfpack partner, the New York Times......who's new slogan is "Every liberal lie that's fit to print or not"

[iceman_1960]

Another Bushism: "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."

And our friends in Iraq cannot do the same, to much greater effect, because ----- ?????

(Fill in the blanks)

[bigsk8fan]

"That's about 65% Democrats loaded into the polling." Posted by perception5

After 6 years of W, I am surprised that only 65% is the typical statistical sample from the USA population. I mean, look how much of a pasting he took last election!

[jimibear]

How about this, US_Infidel:

Republican is to stupid, bloodthirsty bigot as

a) Dog is to canine
b) Cat is to feline
c) Bush is to shrub
d) You are to a$$hole

What is the virtue in continuing a war that was wrong to begin with? It's murderous insanity. And doesn't your bashing of the French just get old? Like all your party, you are a one-trick pony, and a lame one at that.

[frankly6]

Mr. Tenet said....."It's a slam dunk Mr. President"..... why did this Clinton appointee tell our President that Iraq had WMD's?????
Was it a "Vast Left Wing Conspriacy"??? (As Hillary would say)
Posted by perception5 at 01:33 PM : Mar 28, 2007

I like that one too.

Didn't Bush give him the Medal of Freedom?

[jimibear]

Un-American, you really need to learn to read, as does Lindawhatever.

The second sample was a separate group, and the results were adjusted to balance the fact that the people being polled planned to vote democratic. Try again. Results you don't like do not indicate bias.

Presumably, the pollsters couldn't get enough Special Olympians on the phone to conduct a meaningful poll of people who plan to vote republican.

[iceman_1960]

Note that Bush cl;early assumes that the insurgents will win when we leave:

"Our enemies in Iraq... (would) spend the months ahead plotting how to use their new safe haven once we were to leave."

Why would they automatically win once we leave, Mr. President.

I thought most Iraqis (accoding to you) oppose them ?

Has Iran armed the insurgents that much better than we have armed the government ?

[sprvtr]

The purpose of continuing this war is to keep our word to the Iraqi people and not let them there to suffer to consequences of our actions. Agree or disagree if you have a shred of pride in being an American you can't possibly believe that it is right to just up and pull our troops out before they are ready to defend and govern themselves. In an earlier post someone said that this is Vietnam all over again...I'm afriad if we just leave, that statement will be sadly true. How many innocent people died in Vietnam when we left.

[perception5]

Dear CBS, as long as you have A Democrat party members that is close friends with the Clintons your "words" and "stories" (and that's what most of them are, stories). You will have no creditability with the American public.... except for the ones you've "contaminated".

Mr. Rick Kaplan MUST RESIGN........

Our "foundering fathers" wanted an independent press....CBS not not independent!!

If it wasn't enough that our corrupt CBS hired Rick Kaplan, the "new" executive producer of the "CBS Evening News", a Democrat and close friend of the Clintons. (He slept in the Clinton White House twice the last time in April 2000).

Is Kaplan there to help Katie or is here there to run Hillary's 20087 campaign. Either way it's a "CONFLICT OF INTEREST" and he should resign.

[jimibear]

Perception5, multiple postings of your blather only magnifies its stupidity. You are a tiresome tool.

[iceman_1960]

The purpose of continuing this war is to save Bush's face.

All the right wing crocodile tears shed for the people in Southeast Asia who died after we left cannot obscure that fact.

They would not have died (according to Sydney Schanberg, the real life reporter whose story is told in the film "The Killing Fields") if the U.S. had not sown the dragon teeth in Cambodia with the massive Kissinger-Nixon invasion and bombing.

[jimibear]

"The purpose of continuing this war is to keep our word to the Iraqi people and not let them there to suffer to consequences of our actions. Agree or disagree if you have a shred of pride in being an American you can't possibly believe that it is right to just up and pull our troops out before they are ready to defend and govern themselves. In an earlier post someone said that this is Vietnam all over again...I'm afriad if we just leave, that statement will be sadly true. How many innocent people died in Vietnam when we left.
Posted by Sprvtr at 01:44 PM : Mar 28, 2007"

Far fewer than died while we were there, Sprvtr, as is the case here. And in the case of Iraq, few or none of the people who have died in this conflict would have done so had we never stuck our noses in.

We have caused horrendous death and destruction for no purpose but political capital, oil and profit. If you think there was any noble motivation in this invasion, and if you believe that our "word" as a country means a dirty red cent since Bush took office, you are sadly mistaken.

Things in Iraq could not get worse by our leaving.

[jimibear]

As for my "having a shred of pride in being an American", Bush and his cadre of evil neo-Fascists have made even that difficult over the last 6 years.

Step one to making this country something to be proud of again will be to leave the people of Iraq to their own business and stop either killing them ourselves or fanning the flames of the conflict among them. Step two will be the removal from office and trial for treason of Bush, Cheney, and as many others as can be indicted.

If you love your country, you work to make it something to be proud of. Insisting that one be proud when the country is charging full-steam down the utterly wrong path is blind stupidity at its worst.

[iceman_1960]

Why do Bush supporters just ASSUME the insurgents will win when we leave ?

Because they know that most Iraqis do not oppose them.

This is not the powerful German Wehrmacht occupying Iraq. It's just the insurgents, who have a much weaker sponsor, Iran, that the pro-democracy (if that's what it is) government has.

But they assume the insurgents will win. That speaks volumes.

[micma-2009]

Bushism:

"There's an old saying in Tennessee %u2014 I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee %u2014 that says, fool me once, shame on %u2014 shame on you. Fool me %u2014 you can't get fooled again." %u2014Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002

[nolalou]

It's not just the CBS poll that shows most Americans favor a timetable for withdrawal. The Rassumsen Reports, which have been praised by publictions like US News & World report for thier acuracy, said that 55% favor a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq, with 37% of that group favoring imediate withdrawal! You can read the article here:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2007/January%20Dailies/TroopTimetable.htm