Public Opinion: Surveys Continue to Show Doubts, Concerns on Iraq
Public opinion surveys continue to return conflicting results on the U.S. presence in Iraq. Majorities continue to say they support the war, but the number who say casualty levels are unacceptable has increased 28 points since the spring. Most agree with President Bush that the Iraq war is part of the war on terrorism, but are increasingly divided on whether it will make the U.S. safer from new attacks. A bare majority says the rebuilding effort is going well, but only four in 10 say the U.S. is in control of the situation.

These are all classic warning signs that public attitudes are unsettled. It would be difficult to predict where this reconsideration could lead. If setbacks breed doubts, there's also evidence that success in the rebuilding could promote confidence. Whether the public perceives the Iraqi people as for or against the U.S. presence could make a difference. Saddam Hussein himself may be the key: the number of people who say it's essential to capture or kill him has increased since the end of "major combat." The public's confidence that the U.S. will get him also jumped sharply after the deaths of Hussein's sons, as did confidence that the U.S. will be able to establish a democratic Iraqi government.…

In the wake of a series of bloody car bombings, much of the debate in Washington has focused on whether the U.S. has committed enough troops and money to Iraq. Only 42 percent told CBS News that the U.S. was in control of the situation in an Aug. 26-28 survey, while 47 percent said the situation was out of U.S control.

Yet at the same time, the ABC News poll conducted Sept. 7 found 53 percent who rated the U.S. effort to restore order "excellent" or "good." And the public also seems divided about what should be done in response. Only 22 percent told CBS that the U.S. should send more troops to Iraq, while 41 percent thought troop levels should be kept the same and 31 percent thought the number of troops should be decreased. The Newsweek poll conducted July 24-25 found an even split: 46 percent said the U.S. should withdraw, while 49 percent said it should stay.

The very same Newsweek poll found sentiment for getting tougher, with 53 percent who said the U.S. should take more aggressive action against the insurgents "even if it means greater risk of civilian casualties." At the same time, 55 percent rejected the idea of sending more troops to Iraq.

The public would be more than happy, however, if other countries would join in. ABC found 85 percent who would support adding international troops to U.S. forces in Iraq, and 55 percent would support an international force even if it meant American troops would be placed under U.N. command. In general, while surveys found dissatisfaction with how the U.N. handled itself prior to the war, most Americans have always been willing to cede the lead role in setting up an Iraqi government to the U.N. (69 percent were willing to give the U.N. that responsibility in the August CBS poll, compared to 61 percent in April).

So far, a majority of the public still says the war was worth fighting -- but the numbers have bounced up and down, depending on events and on how the question is phrased. The Sept. 7 ABC/Post poll found 54 percent who said the war was worth it, down from 70 percent April 30. Gallup found the number changing from 76 percent in April to 56 percent in late June, then bouncing back up to 63 percent by July 25-27.

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