Poll: Most Americans Say War Not Worth It

64 Percent Say Results Of War Not Worth American Lives Lost

(CBS/AP)  On the eve of the five-year anniversary of the start of the war with Iraq, Americans continue to think the results of the war have not been worth the loss of American lives and the other costs of attacking Iraq, according to a new CBS News poll.

Today 29 percent of Americans say the results of the war were worth it; 64 percent say they were not.

In August 2003, less than six months after the beginning of the war, Americans were divided as the whether or not the results of the war were worth it. Opinion reached a low point in March 2006 - when only one in four Americans said the war was worth the costs.

Support today breaks heavily along partisan lines. Sixty-two percent of Republicans say the results of the war with Iraq were worth the costs, while only 10 percent of Democrats and 25 percent of Independents agree. In fact, belief among Republicans that the war was worth it has risen 11 points since March 2006, while support among Democrats and Independents has remained largely the same.

Meanwhile, in Iraq on Tuesday, Vice President Dick Cheney played the part of backroom power broker for two days and came away with pledges from Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds to firm up a new blueprint for U.S.-Iraq relations that will stretch beyond the Bush presidency.

Cheney flew in a cargo plane to Iraqi Kurdistan in the north to finish two days of private meetings with powerful politicians in Iraq. On Monday, he had talks with officials in Baghdad - even venturing outside the secured Green Zone to dine and have private discussions.

Topics ranged from security in Iraq to Iran's rising influence in Mideast, but a key item was about crafting a long-term agreement between the U.S. and Iraq, plus a narrower deal to define the legal basis for continued U.S. troop presence.

The deal would take the place of a U.N. Security Council resolution that expires in December, the same time Bush will be packing up to leave office. The administration says the deal will not seek permanent U.S. bases in Iraq or codify troop levels, nor tie the hands of a future commander in chief as some Democrats fear

Administration officials say they probably will not seek Senate approval of the plan because the agreement will not be a treaty that provides Iraq with specific security guarantees. This position has prompted a backlash in Congress, where Democrats have proposed legislation that would render the agreement null and void without the Senate's blessing.

Democrats and some Republicans have questioned whether the 2002 authorization of force in Iraq still applies legally because it referred to the need to get rid of Saddam Hussein and eliminate the threat of weapons of mass destruction. Since the 2003 invasion, Hussein has been captured and executed, and no weapons of mass destruction were ever found.

Cheney advisers said that President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, made clear on Monday that even though the Kurds have a seniautonomous region in northern Iraq, they were completely committed to making the area work within an Iraqi state.

Cheney was warmly greeted in Irbil by Massoud Barzani, head of the regional administration in the semiautonomous Kurdish area. "We are certainly counting on President Barzani's leadership to help us conclude a new strategic relationship between the United States and Iraq, as well as to pass crucial pieces of national legislation in the months ahead," Cheney said.

Barzani said the Kurds are committed to being "part of the solution, and not part of the problem."

"I would like to reiterate our commitment that we will continue to play a positive role in order to build a new Iraq - an Iraq with a foundation of a great federal, democratic, pluralistic, free Iraq," Barzani said.

Cheney spent Monday night at Balad Air Base, northwest of Baghdad. On Tuesday morning, before he headed to northern Iraq, he spoke at an outdoor troop rally, saying that as long as freedom is suppressed in the Mideast, the region will remain a place of "stagnation, resentment and violence ready for export."

Later in the day, Cheney flew to Oman, continuing his 10-day trip to the Mideast, which will include visits to Saudi Arabia, Israel, the Palestinian territory and Turkey.

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This poll was conducted among a random sample of 844 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone March 15-17, 2008. 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.

[ioweign]

Not only that, McCain doesn''t know the Sunni from the Shia.
Posted by liberalme at 05:38 PM : Mar 19, 2008

Seriously, if I were running for president, I think I''d have that down by now, but I guess understanding the war isn''t a priority for "stay the course" McSame.

Posted by Candide777 at 06:09 PM : Mar 19, 2008

Hey - what is the hurry - he has a 100 years to figure out who is who...

[rune99]

In Europe we are not afraid of Iran but we are afraid of Bush becuase he is verry verry ivil.

[leftyintexas]

Most Americans who voted for Doofus have finally woken up and realized that he was not the man they thought he was. Unfortunately it has taken a huge toll on America and it''s future in the world. This war was started under false pretenses and we will not win it no matter how much money and lives are spent. Cut our losses and get out now while the ''gettin'' is good.

[adamyoung5]

Pres. Bush will never accept the truth about his presidential legacy which is that he instigated a war based on a lie to the nation.
My mother taught me that a lie is useless. And she certainly believed, as I do, that a lie doesn''t deserve any rewards, because the means never justifies the end.
So Pres. Bush is only fooling himself. The nation spits back in his face the lies he''s told to use for the past five year.
Thanks for Nothing, Liar.
Adam Young

[smilnjackw]

George W has spent the last 7 years cleaning up the mess billy and hilly made. Thank God and I mean Thank God George W took on the terri-***** and we haven''t lost another 4000 or more in the twin towers attack. Maybe if we didn''t have so many in the Congress and Senate that want to tear this nation apart and take it to a facist, socialist government their ratings wouldn''t be lower than the George W.

[texrally]

"Thanks for all the money. Sorry about your kids."
Love,
Halliburton

[candide777]

Rasmussen has Obama up by 5%. Gallup had them right about the same today as it had them on March 3, so nothing has changed much since then. I guess the whole Wright thing wasn''t that big a deal after all.

[miles1967-2009]

2/3 of Americans think it was not worth ir, blatant lies about WMD and al Qaeda presence, the "surge" is a sham (see below link)..and yet Bush, Cheney, McCain etc cannot even HINT that it was a mistake. Because to do so, would mean that they are also admitting they lied to the American people. Pathetic...simply pathetic.

McCain does not have the judgment and patience to lead America. He is an ill-informed, myopic, close-minded man who is easily swayed by the bigoted religious right. Check out the result of his BRILLIANT support of the "Surge", not to mention the fatally wrong idea to go to war with Iraq in the first place, and not actually go after the 9/11 terrorists. Check the facts at the below link:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/18722376/the_myth_of_the_surge

[dmgenet]

Cut the corporate connections to the White House. This is one of multiple reasons we are where we are today. Bush is the shill and we''ve been taken for a ride.

[inventagod]

The thing is -
We have not yet received the bill for the Bu$h Oil Invasion...

[daladyb-2009]

Barack Obama is running for President,not his former pastor. Black Pastors say all kind of things but you have to take the bitter with the sweet. Black people have their own thought about every issue. Black people are not robots, doing what their pastor say. Obama has his own mind and it is unfair to beat him down because somebody else said something. Listen to him and make up your own mind about him. There are bigger issues to deal with in America. Talking about race is as bad as talking about religion. Who cares you are who you are and you believe or not believe what you want. Hillary Clinton has as much garabage in her closest. Who cares???? I want to know about real issues that affect me!!! That is what you should be concentrating on. Getting those young people home and treating them from the trauma of what they have been facing. Jobs for the unemployed. Education for the children. Housing problems. Transportation problems. Homelessness. Crime in our streets and homes. Misuse of government funds. Funding for veterans and their families. Helping somebody in this country. It''s nice to help other countries but not while this country is going to hell in a hand basket. If you want to think about something think about those things and a lot more for America.

[miles1967-2009]

2/3 thirds of Americans think it was not worth it, Bush'' approval ratings at all time lows, blatant lies from Bush admin about WMD and presence of al Qaeda...and Bush, Cheney, McCain, and many right-wing sheep STILL can''t even hint to the fact that it was a mistake.

McCain does not have the judgment and patience to lead America. He is an ill-informed, myopic, close-minded man who is easily swayed by the bigoted religious right. Check out the result of his BRILLIANT support of the "Surge", not to mention the fatally wrong idea to go to war with Iraq in the first place, and not actually go after the 9/11 terrorists. Check the facts at the below link:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/18722376/the_myth_of_the_surge

[candide777]

Our grand, grand grand kids will be paying for this dumb war.
Posted by sueann702 at 06:08 PM : Mar 19, 2008

Not to worry, Haliburton is using some of the spoils to make t-shirts that say, "Grandpa and Grandma Put The War On My Credit Card And All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt."

[liberalme]

There should not be one homeless veteran in this country. Therefore, I say America take care of your own. Stop lying to the new recruits and take care of what is really going on in America.

Posted by DaLadyB at 06:10 PM : Mar 19, 2008

Amen Lady-I havwe a grandson thats been there and on "standby" for another tour "somewhere".

[daladyb-2009]

If you had a son or daughter in Iraq, there would be no questions about the invasion. I am a veteran and I feel for those who are coming back jacked up from head to toe. I feel even worst about how the VA is going to treat this warriors. This country is paying billions of dollar on the invasion but the military personnell is not getting big bucks. Veterans of other era is being treated unjustly, waiting for years for claims process and appeals decisions. The Veterans are not living the American Dream. There should not be one homeless veteran in this country. Therefore, I say America take care of your own. Stop lying to the new recruits and take care of what is really going on in America.

[candide777]

Not only that, McCain doesn''''t know the Sunni from the Shia.
Posted by liberalme at 05:38 PM : Mar 19, 2008

Seriously, if I were running for president, I think I''d have that down by now, but I guess understanding the war isn''t a priority for "stay the course" McSame.

[sueann702]

Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of BILLIONS of your TAX dollars at work...and you''''ve yet to be taxed for it! We''''ll be paying for decades...


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Posted by tmn123 at 05:35 PM : Mar 19, 2008

Our grand, grand grand kids will be paying for this dumb war.

[liberalme]

still a threat.
Thank god Bush is leaving. Only a fool would vote for McCain, the Bush protege and his 100 Year/80Trillion dollar war.

Posted by sueann702 at 05:36

Not only that, McCain doesn''t know the Sunni from the Shia.

[sueann702]

The war in Iraq is the biggest foreign policy blunder in years. Not only did it kill 4000 Americans and 100,000 Iraqis, it costed us a fortune. We''re building roads, schools, military and police force for them and what do we get in return? We made Iran stronger by destroying the counter balance to Iran- sunni secular Iraq saddam.
We''re no safer than in 2001. Al Qaida is still a threat. The Taliban is still a threat. Bin Laden is still a threat.
Thank god Bush is leaving. Only a fool would vote for McCain, the Bush protege and his 100 Year/80Trillion dollar war.

[tmn]

Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of BILLIONS of your TAX dollars at work...and you''ve yet to be taxed for it! We''ll be paying for decades...