Gallup: 58% Say Iraq War Has Had Overall 'Negative' Impact on Life in US

[sabra]

http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002198590

Gallup: 58% Say Iraq War Has Had Overall 'Negative' Impact on Life in the USA

NEW YORK While the latest Gallup poll carrying the usual high-profile questions on the Iraq war--was it a mistake? are we winning?--gains the lion's share of attention as the third anniversary of the invasion approaches, the same organization's survey on broader questions has been overlooked.

One rather profound result from this March 10-12 survey, for example, is: 58% of Americans believe the war in Iraq has had a negative effect on life in the United States generally; just 21% say it has had a positive effect. Soon after the war began in 2003, Gallup found almost the opposite results, with 52% saying it had had a positive effect on life in the United States and 18% saying it had had a negative effect.

When asked how the war in Iraq has affected their personal lives, Americans are nearly three times more likely to say it has had a negative (39%) rather than a positive (14%) effect. However, the plurality of Americans, 45%, say it has not had much effect.

The poll also asked Americans if they have "close friends, family members, or coworkers" who have served in Iraq in the U.S. military since the war began. More than half (58%) report knowing someone who served in Iraq, including 12% who say that person was wounded or killed in Iraq and 46% who say that person has not been harmed.

[lebkuchen]

1. No shit, America.

Ask the same question of the military family exclusively.

[MrModerate]

2. How about its effect on life in Iraq . . .

Did they have an opinion on that?

Let's see, corruption, oppression, and the chance of a nasty death under Saddam, vs corruption, free-lance oppression by sectarian berserkers, and the chance of a nasty death under our occupation . . . hard to make that choice.

[Demeter]

3. Only 58%??

Are the other 42% in self-administered, drug-induced comas?? Or don't they give a s***?

[Dunvegan]

4. Yes. And yes.

[depakid]

8. Gallup "results"

Are aimed at influencing your opinion. They're agenda driven and not a relection of public opinion.

[wookie294]

5. 58% "know somebody" who served in Iraq?

I can't believe that number. Your co-worker's cousin who you never met does not constitute "knowing somebody" who served in Iraq. I bet only about 20% know someone who served in Iraq, maybe even less than that.

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. The war in Iraq isn't over.

[Virginia Dare]

7. The hurdle that we as American must get over...

We must come to terms with what we as a country have done.
We are not a "liberating" army. We are an occupying army. Read your history, study what has happened to countries where armies have occupied them. Study what happens to and between the soldiers and the citizens. It ain't pretty. Whatever advantage there may have been for the Iraqi people in removing Saddam is far outweighed by by subsequent tragedy that has befallen them. I'm personally heartbroken that we as Americans have allowed this to happen. This is and will be an ugly ugly stain on our history and we will be paying both figuratively and literally for this for a long time. God help us all if we invade Iran.



;(

[daleo]

9. Over 10% know someone personally who was injured or killed

That's probably a very critical statistic. I wonder how high that number got during the Viet Nam war? My guess is quite a bit higher, but 12% is still pretty high.

I wonder if there has been sociological or political science research on this, i.e. what is the tipping point? It seems to me that war support would be strongly influenced by this statistic, unless the population saw a war as being very necessary for national security.

[onehandle]

10. The other 42% will vote Republican this Fall.

The Revolution is over.

b 1994, d 2006

[AX10]

11. If the Dems get 58% of the vote this Fall...

the Dems will be looking at huge gains, anywhere between 240-250 seats.

[lovuian]

12. U.S. public support for Iraq war falls

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=c053a3dae69a1ef6

Support for the Iraq war has fallen in the past three years as a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll shows 60 percent of U.S. respondents now say the war wasn't worth it.

In March 2003, just after the invasion of Iraq began, 29 percent of those asked said it was not worth it to go to war.

Telephone interviews with 1,001 adults nationwide conducted March 10-12 found 22 percent of respondents felt the United States would certainly win the war. In March 2003, 69 percent expressed that amount of confidence.

In 2003, by 73 percent to 24 percent, poll respondents said the war was morally justified, but today the public is divided, with 47 percent saying it is morally justified and 50 percent saying it is not

more...
The American people are waking up to this quagmire!!!

[rodeodance]

13. well, Dems, you can start protesting the war anytime now.

[LynnTheDem]

14. "morally justified". Jesus H Christ.

47% have a very different "morality" than I. And thing is, THANK GOD coz I sure as fuck don't want their kind of "morality".