By

Joel Roberts /

CBS/ February 11, 2009, 4:37 PM

Poll: Calls To Get Out Of Iraq Escalate

A CBS News poll shows Americans are increasingly dissatisfied with the Iraq war, President Bush and the Congress, as well as the overall direction of the country.

More Americans than ever before, 77 percent, say the war is going badly, up from 66 percent just two months ago. Nearly half, 47 percent, say it's going very badly.

While the springtime surge in U.S. troops to Iraq is now complete, more Americans than ever are calling for U.S. forces to withdraw. Sixty-six percent say the number of U.S. troops in Iraq should be decreased, including 40 percent who want all U.S. troops removed. That's a 7-point increase since April.

HOW IS THE WAR GOING?

Well
22%
Badly
77%

Fewer than one in five thinks that the troop increase is helping to improve the situation in Iraq, while about half think the war is actually creating more terrorists.

The poll has bad news for President Bush, too. His job approval rating slipped to 27 percent, his lowest number ever in a CBS News poll — 3 points less than last month and 1 point below his previous low of 28 percent in January. His disapproval rating is also at an all-time high of 65 percent.

U.S. TROOP LEVELS IN IRAQ SHOULD

Increase
11%
Keep the same number
17%
Decrease
26%
Remove all troops
40%

"Presidents usually have popularity problems in their last two years in office," said Kathy Frankovic, CBS News director of surveys. "But the combination of shrinking support for the war in Iraq and opposition to domestic initiatives like the immigration bill has made assessment of this administration especially negative.

"Americans don't only disapprove of the president; they overwhelmingly see the country as on the wrong track," Frankovic said

But Congress also fared poorly in the poll. Its approval rating was also at 27 percent — a 9-point drop from last month. Nearly six in 10 among those surveyed said the 110th Congress has accomplished less during the last six months than Congress usually does.

Vice President Dick Cheney received a similarly low rating, with 28 percent approval and 59 percent disapproval.

The poll found a record number of Americans, 75 percent, believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. Only 19 percent think the U.S. is on the right track — the lowest number since CBS News first asked the question in 1983.

DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY

Wrong track
75%
Right direction
19%

There's also rising concern about America's standing in the world.

Seven in 10 Americans say the United States is not respected around the world today. More than half say President Bush's foreign policy has made world leaders less likely to cooperate with the U.S.; just 10 percent say he's made foreign leaders more agreeable.

Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved.
292 Comments Add a Comment
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NEALIET says:
What are we commenting about today that was even worst yesterday? Why are we commenting anyway? what good is it going to do about the government and the world when there is nothing you can comment on ...the president has been in office almost 8 years and the country still is in bad shape and getting worse... lets bring God back into our world and it may turn out better... bless you the people of this USA and lets keep it as was before... follow your heart and soul, not your politicians...
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guysdigdirt says:
The media has shed the wrong image and spewed untruths for so long and so deep that the American public does not know the truth of the situation and can only voice their opinion based on the garbage the media has fed them. Trash in, trash out.

It is too bad the media cannot tell the unbiased truth.
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manring99 says:
can you believe there are still some cars with a bush-cheney-o4 bumper sticker?
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sassycake says:
for all of the deluded people who voted for bush for a second term, you got what you deserved. for the rest of us we are just trying hard not to say I TOLD YOU SO!
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baghdadshere says:
WHERE ARE THE COMMENTS?
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baghdadshere says:
WHERE ARE THE COMMENTS?
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baghdadshere says:
WHERE ARE THE COMMENTS?
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alphaa10-2009 says:
"More Americans than ever before, 77 percent, say the war is going badly, up from 66 percent just two "months ago..."
---
Despite the so-called surge, which one military consultant called a "dribble", an expected wave of American public approval for Iraq has not materialized.

In fact, the harder the Bush regime cranks its propaganda machine, the worse the reception they find. The Iraq war has found its tipping point with the public.

But after years of growing doubt and criticism, why now? Have Bush, Cheney and their minions lost control of their mendacity? More likely, Americans are simply weary and wise to their tiresome lies about the war, its rationale and the massive cost of the Bush debacle.

Seven of ten respondents also said this country has lost the respect of the world. This will jolt the neocon cabal which planned to remake the MidEast in their own image. Apparently, raw military power is not the ticket to winning friends and influencing people.
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alphaa10-2009 says:
"More Americans than ever before, 77 percent, say the war is going badly, up from 66 percent just two "months ago..."
---
Despite the so-called surge, which one military consultant called a "dribble", an expected wave of American public support for Iraq hasn't materialized.

In fact, the harder the Bush regime cranks its propaganda machine, the worse the reception they find. The Iraq war has found its tipping point with public approval.

But after years of growing criticism, why now? Have Bush, Cheney and their minions become unskilled in their mendacity? More likely, Americans are simply weary and wise to their tiresome lies about the war, the war's rationale and the massive cost of the Bush debacle.

Seven in ten poll respondents said this country has lost the respect of the world. This overwhelming consensus will jolt the neocon cabal which planned to remake the world, not so many months ago. Apparently, military power is not the ticket to winning friends and influencing people.
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barbjc1 says:
What a surprise, a large majority thinks the country is heading the wrong way. Well, it started 40 years ago when the government starting dropping the education standards to get more votes.
How about this voters of America
Elect a new president in 2008
Elect a new vice president in 2008 but from a different party
Replace everyone in Congress
I think that is called starting with a clean slate
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