Poll: More Say Saddam Ouster Not Worth It

[Barrett808]

WASHINGTON - More voters now say the removal of Saddam Hussein was not worth the cost financially or in casualties caused by the war in Iraq, according to a poll released Wednesday night. The NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll found that 42 percent of registered voters say it was worth the cost to get rid of Saddam and 47 percent felt it was not worth it. An NBC-WSJ poll as recently as March found 50 percent of adults felt it was worth the cost to remove the Iraqi leader.

The poll appeared to show a drop in support since the last poll, but comparing results about registered voters with results measuring the attitudes of all adults should be viewed cautiously.

More than half, 55 percent, said they favor withdrawing U.S. troops within 18 months. The number willing to say troops should stay as long as necessary has fallen to 44 percent from 56 percent in January.

The poll comes at a time when allegations of abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers have put the Bush administration on the defensive and have angered people in the Mideast and around the world.

The poll of 1,012 adults was taken Saturday through Monday and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, slightly larger for registered voters.


http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/1-05062004-29526...

[Mattforclark]

1. People catch on eventually

It can take a while, but eventually...

[burrowowl]

3. LOL

so as not to cry:

During Adlai Stevenson's 1956 presidential campaign, a woman called out to him, "You have the vote of every thinking person!" Stevenson called back, "That's not enough, madam, we need a majority!"

God help America! God save the world from America!

[mbperrin]

2. Gee, who could have imagined it wouldn't be worth it?

Just me and a few million others!!!!!!!

Wake TF UP!

[daleo]

4. It led some elements the U.S. military to commit terrible deeds and crimes

Shock and Awe. Standing by while a civilization's treasures are looted, sometimes even helping. Indiscriminate shootings at checkpoints. Kicking in doors and taking people away in the dead of night. Now, torture at Saddam's very prisons, with indisputable evidence.

People are beginning to realize that Saddam was not worth the price of the country's reputation or the stain on the national soul. Sadly, lots still don't get it though, so this horror will stagger on for some time yet.

[wickerwoman]

5. Count me in the 12%.

I supported staying (in a limited supporting role for the UN) until we fixed the mess we made and Iraq had a stable government but it is increasingly obvious to me that Iraq will be an enormous mess as long as a single American soldier pitches his tent there.

Get every damn one of them out now and beg the UN to see the job through.

[Just Me]

9. My initial view was that we were obliged to stay,...

,...and clean up our own mess. Now, like you, I simply do not see how our presence will make anything better. Should we make reparations? Absolutely. But, our military simply is not a nation-building machine,...it is a war machine.

We have got to pull the international community into a full discussion and debate about other workable options. And we must do so in a completely transparent manner,...no more of the secret wheeling and dealing.

[xchrom]

6. i have little faith any more

in the conscience of the american population.
glad to see things changing -- but it's a little late.

[dusty64]

7. But, but, but,

they said the capture of saddam would make it all better.

[snippy]

8. But what about disarming Iraq? After all,

BUSH DISARMED THIS IRAQI

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

10. In my humble opinion

this poll is one of those examples of creating public opinion.
Saddam was never a threat to begin with, therfore this whole operation can never be justified, as far as I'm concerned.
It's as if one day the White House announced purple tennis shoes were deadly and to be avoided. A poll is taken showing 62% agreeing with this. After people realize what said, the poll is taken again and the number drops to 48% and so on.
I'm willing to bet most of us here realized Saddam was no more a direct threat to anyone living in the United States than purple tennis shoes...........