Some People Just Don't Get It!
Large Majority Perceives Bush Administration Still Saying Iraq Supported Al Qaeda, Had WMD But Growing Number of Americans Disagree
Half Now Say Going to War Was Wrong Decision. Better to Have Focused Instead on Al Qaeda, Afghanistan, however World Public Disapproves of War
College Park, MD:
A new PIPA/Knoswledge Networks poll finds that a large majority perceives the Bush administration making assertions about pre-war Iraq in sharp contrast to the conclusions of the 9/11 Commission and the Senate Intelligence Committee. Eighty percent perceive the administration as "currently saying that Iraq, just before the war, had actual weapons of mass destruction" (60%) or that it had a major WMD program (20%). Similarly, 70% perceive the administration as currently saying Iraq "gave substantial support to al-Qaeda" (43%) or was directly involved in the September 11 attacks (27%).
More striking, after having been largely stable since the end of the war, there has been an erosion in the majorities who agree. The percentage saying that Iraq was giving substantial support to al Qaeda has dropped from 57% in a March PIPA/Knowledge Networks poll to 50% today. The percentage saying that Iraq had WMDs or a major WMD program has dropped from 60% to 54%. Sixty-nine percent now say that the US went to war based on incorrect assumptions.
These shifts have been accompanied by a comparable decline in support for the decision to go to war with Iraq. The percentage saying that the US made the "right decision" by going to war with Iraq has slipped 9 percentage points from 55% in March - a level that had been sustained consistently since November 2003 - to just 46%. For the first time half (49%) said that going to war was the "wrong decision." Those who said the decision was the "best" thing to do dropped to 33% from 40% in March.
Fifty-two percent said that it would have been better to put a higher priority on pursuing al Qaeda and stabilizing Afghanistan, rather than pursuing the Iraq war. Only 39% thought invading Iraq and overthrowing Saddam Hussein was the better use of resources.
Steven Kull, director of PIPA comments, "Though the public hears the Bush administration still saying that Iraq had WMD and gave substantial support to al Qaeda, since the 9/11 Commission and the Senate Intelligence Committee reports, more Americans have doubts and support for the decision to go to war has eroded."
Half Now Say Going to War Was Wrong Decision. Better to Have Focused Instead on Al Qaeda, Afghanistan, however World Public Disapproves of War
College Park, MD:
A new PIPA/Knoswledge Networks poll finds that a large majority perceives the Bush administration making assertions about pre-war Iraq in sharp contrast to the conclusions of the 9/11 Commission and the Senate Intelligence Committee. Eighty percent perceive the administration as "currently saying that Iraq, just before the war, had actual weapons of mass destruction" (60%) or that it had a major WMD program (20%). Similarly, 70% perceive the administration as currently saying Iraq "gave substantial support to al-Qaeda" (43%) or was directly involved in the September 11 attacks (27%).
More striking, after having been largely stable since the end of the war, there has been an erosion in the majorities who agree. The percentage saying that Iraq was giving substantial support to al Qaeda has dropped from 57% in a March PIPA/Knowledge Networks poll to 50% today. The percentage saying that Iraq had WMDs or a major WMD program has dropped from 60% to 54%. Sixty-nine percent now say that the US went to war based on incorrect assumptions.
These shifts have been accompanied by a comparable decline in support for the decision to go to war with Iraq. The percentage saying that the US made the "right decision" by going to war with Iraq has slipped 9 percentage points from 55% in March - a level that had been sustained consistently since November 2003 - to just 46%. For the first time half (49%) said that going to war was the "wrong decision." Those who said the decision was the "best" thing to do dropped to 33% from 40% in March.
Fifty-two percent said that it would have been better to put a higher priority on pursuing al Qaeda and stabilizing Afghanistan, rather than pursuing the Iraq war. Only 39% thought invading Iraq and overthrowing Saddam Hussein was the better use of resources.
Steven Kull, director of PIPA comments, "Though the public hears the Bush administration still saying that Iraq had WMD and gave substantial support to al Qaeda, since the 9/11 Commission and the Senate Intelligence Committee reports, more Americans have doubts and support for the decision to go to war has eroded."
posted by BLONDIE at 9:55 AM
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