March 24, 2008

Is America Tired Of The Iraq War?

Harry Smith: Support For It Has Certainly Waned, But Where Is Deafening Demand That It End?

  • Iraq War demonstrators gather outside the American Petroleum Institute in downtown Washington, Wednesday, March 19, 2008, to mark the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq.

    Iraq War demonstrators gather outside the American Petroleum Institute in downtown Washington, Wednesday, March 19, 2008, to mark the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq.  (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

  • Video The Cost Of War

    In 2003, President Bush assured the U.S. that the Iraq war would cost no more than $100 billion. But five years later, the cost has surpassed that mark and the war continues. Randall Pinkston reports.

  • Video Progress In Iraq?

    Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) speak with Chip Reid about their conflicting views of the current state of Iraq, in the wake of the fifth anniversary of the U.S. war there.

  • Photo Essay Protesting 5 Years Of War

    Demonstrations mark the fifth anniversary of U.S. invasion of Iraq.

  • Photo Essay Week In Iraq Photos

    A daily diary with scenes of the latest attacks and snapshots from the effort to rebuild a nation.


(CBS)  This column was written by CBS News Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.
Four thousand. Five years of war and four thousand dead.

The Iraq War made the news today because of a number. Had the number of dead stayed the same or even only made it to 3,998, it’s unlikely you would have noticed much reporting on the war. You wouldn’t have noticed because there is much less of it.

The war gets only a fraction of the coverage it once did. The hawks complain because they say the news from there has improved…and doves complain because they say at least 100 Iraqi civilians are killed each week, as well as one U.S. soldier or marine a day.

Gone are the tributes from the evening news casts. Gone too are many of the protestors from the peace demonstrations.

Is it safe to say America is tired of the war? Support for it has certainly waned. But, where is the deafening demand that it end?

Perhaps the Iraq War has become a given…something that will always be with us.

By Harry Smith
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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