More Troops Unhappy With Bush's Course In Iraq, Poll Finds

[Mark E. Smith]

Military Times via USA Today
12/29/06

WASHINGTON -- The American military, once a staunch supporter of President Bush and the
Iraq war, has grown increasingly pessimistic about chances for victory.

For the first time, more troops disapprove of the president's handling of the war than approve
of it, according to the 2006 Military Times Poll.

When the military was feeling most optimistic about the war - in 2004 - 83% of poll respondents
thought success in Iraq was likely. This year, that number has shrunk to 50%.

Only 35% of the military members polled this year said they approve of the way Bush is handling
the war, and 42% said they disapprove.

Just as telling, in this year's poll only 41% of the military said the U.S. should have gone to war
in Iraq in the first place, down from 65% in 2003. That closely reflects the beliefs of the general
population - 45% agreed in a recent USA TODAY-Gallup poll.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-12-29-poll...

Explains the lack of Bushie photo-ops with the military lately.

[Trajan]

1. Ah ... The Military Times ...

Now THERE is a commie, yellow, liberal rag if I ever saw one ...

[DeeDeeNY]

2. One question they didn't ask

was whether they still think Saddam was behind 9/11 or if they now realize this is untrue. The last time I remember seeing this question asked in a poll was before the 2004 election, when an extremely high percentage of the military serving in Iraq believed it to be true.

[aquart]

3. yeah, but how do the soldiers feel?

[Rageneau]

4. HO-AH! A little more killing will cheer them up.

I can't believe that all the soldiers whom I saw shouting HOO-AH at the cameras before we illegally invaded Iraq and started slaughtering innocent people would ever grow discouraged just because of a few fuck-ups and setbacks. My guess is that it must be just a few malcontents -- probably offspring of liberals -- who now disapprove of Smirk's splendid little war.

I'm sure that the rest of the military -- the good, patriotic, Republican part -- is still waving the bloody shirt and shouting HOO-AH!!

And making us all proud to be Americans.

[IndianaGreen]

9. HOO-AH!

Considering that Faux News and Rush Limbaugh are the primary source of information for the troops in Iraq, and elsewhere, the drop in confidence in Bush and "victory" is rather significant.

Perhaps they will throw down their weapons and have mass desertions, as a demoralized Russian army did in 1917.

[yurbud]

5. support the troops k & r

[PBass]

6. OMFG!!!!

The troops don't suppport the troops!!!

Why do they hate America? Do they have Bush Derangement Syndrome? Do they want the terrorists to win?

[saigon68]

11. Rumdumb, Ford and "5 deferments" Cheney

[liberal N proud]

7. So is this in opposition to the reports last week that...

the troops support bu$h and his plan to send more Americans to die?

[buddysmellgood]

8. These are important numbers. 42 percent said they disapprove while a gun was held

to their head.

[deutsey]

10. More importantly, though, is that he's still the kinda guy they'd like

to have a beer with.

[antiimperialist]

12. 35% approval in the military...lmao

Wasn't this supposed to be his base?