Annie
Diamond Member
- Nov 22, 2003
- 50,848
- 4,827
- 1,790
You'll have to go to the article to see the graphics
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A540-2003Dec15.html
Despite Capture, Poll Indicates Wariness on Iraq
President's Ratings Rise, but 9 of 10 Respondents Anticipate Major Challenges Ahead
By Claudia Deane
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, December 15, 2003; Page A07
Americans greeted the news of Saddam Hussein's capture with measured optimism while acknowledging the breadth of the challenges still facing the United States in Iraq, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll conducted yesterday.
At least initially, the capture did not do much to change the overall shape of opinion on the war in Iraq.
Roughly 2 in 3 respondents said Hussein's capture would be at least somewhat helpful in ending attacks on U.S. troops and contributing to Americans' long-term security, although only 15 to 23 percent thought the arrest would "help a great deal." Larger percentages were hopeful the news would help restore stability to Iraq.
Nine in 10 Americans said big challenges still face the United States in Iraq, with fewer than 1 in 10 saying Hussein's capture would resolve the hurdles facing U.S. troops. Eight in 10 rejected the notion that with the former Iraqi president in custody, the United States should withdraw its forces from the country.
President Bush received immediate credit for his handling of the situation in Iraq, with his approval rating in that area jumping to 58 percent, from 48 percent in mid-November. In a separate survey conducted yesterday by CNN/USA Today/Gallup, 8 in 10 Americans said finding Hussein was a "major achievement."
Bush's overall job approval rating in the Post-ABC News survey was 57 percent, 4 percentage points up from a survey conducted last week and the same as this time last month.
The public remains deeply divided as to whether "the war with Iraq was worth fighting," with 53 percent agreeing it was, and 42 percent saying it was not -- unchanged from last month.
Evaluations of the war against terrorism remained steady in the Post-ABC survey. About two-thirds of Americans said the war on terror is going at least fairly well, three percentage points higher than when they were last asked in late October.
Meanwhile, more Americans say the war in Iraq is going worse than expected (27 percent) than say it is going better than expected (14 percent). The majority said it is turning out much the way they had anticipated.
By evening yesterday, more than 9 in 10 poll respondents had heard the news of Hussein's capture, which was widely broadcast throughout the day.
The poll suggests the public is somewhat split on the complicated question of Hussein's future. A narrow majority (52 percent) said he should be put on trial in a United Nations-sponsored forum, compared with 39 percent who think he should stand trial in Iraq. By a 2 to 1 margin, Americans said if Hussein, 66, were convicted of war crimes he should face the death penalty rather than life in prison.
The Post-ABC poll was conducted yesterday afternoon and evening among a randomly selected sample of 506 adults nationwide. The margin of sampling error for results is plus or minus five percentage points.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A540-2003Dec15.html
Despite Capture, Poll Indicates Wariness on Iraq
President's Ratings Rise, but 9 of 10 Respondents Anticipate Major Challenges Ahead
By Claudia Deane
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, December 15, 2003; Page A07
Americans greeted the news of Saddam Hussein's capture with measured optimism while acknowledging the breadth of the challenges still facing the United States in Iraq, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll conducted yesterday.
At least initially, the capture did not do much to change the overall shape of opinion on the war in Iraq.
Roughly 2 in 3 respondents said Hussein's capture would be at least somewhat helpful in ending attacks on U.S. troops and contributing to Americans' long-term security, although only 15 to 23 percent thought the arrest would "help a great deal." Larger percentages were hopeful the news would help restore stability to Iraq.
Nine in 10 Americans said big challenges still face the United States in Iraq, with fewer than 1 in 10 saying Hussein's capture would resolve the hurdles facing U.S. troops. Eight in 10 rejected the notion that with the former Iraqi president in custody, the United States should withdraw its forces from the country.
President Bush received immediate credit for his handling of the situation in Iraq, with his approval rating in that area jumping to 58 percent, from 48 percent in mid-November. In a separate survey conducted yesterday by CNN/USA Today/Gallup, 8 in 10 Americans said finding Hussein was a "major achievement."
Bush's overall job approval rating in the Post-ABC News survey was 57 percent, 4 percentage points up from a survey conducted last week and the same as this time last month.
The public remains deeply divided as to whether "the war with Iraq was worth fighting," with 53 percent agreeing it was, and 42 percent saying it was not -- unchanged from last month.
Evaluations of the war against terrorism remained steady in the Post-ABC survey. About two-thirds of Americans said the war on terror is going at least fairly well, three percentage points higher than when they were last asked in late October.
Meanwhile, more Americans say the war in Iraq is going worse than expected (27 percent) than say it is going better than expected (14 percent). The majority said it is turning out much the way they had anticipated.
By evening yesterday, more than 9 in 10 poll respondents had heard the news of Hussein's capture, which was widely broadcast throughout the day.
The poll suggests the public is somewhat split on the complicated question of Hussein's future. A narrow majority (52 percent) said he should be put on trial in a United Nations-sponsored forum, compared with 39 percent who think he should stand trial in Iraq. By a 2 to 1 margin, Americans said if Hussein, 66, were convicted of war crimes he should face the death penalty rather than life in prison.
The Post-ABC poll was conducted yesterday afternoon and evening among a randomly selected sample of 506 adults nationwide. The margin of sampling error for results is plus or minus five percentage points.
