Public divisions remain deep and fixed over war

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1203/p03s02-ussc.html

Several factors are holding up support that differentiate Iraq from past conflicts.

By Liz Marlantes | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

WASHINGTON – Lately, the news out of Iraq has been significant - and sobering: Last month was the second deadliest yet for American troops in Iraq, with 134 confirmed fatalities. Leading up to Thanksgiving weekend, Americans watched a successful - albeit costly - offensive in Fallujah unfold on their television sets. With calls mounting for next month's scheduled election to be postponed, the US now plans to increase troops to the highest levels since the invasion.

Yet so far, American attitudes toward the war appear to have barely budged, suggesting that the same basic divisions that emerged over Iraq during the presidential campaign could in fact hold for some time to come. According to the most recent Gallup poll, 51 percent of Americans believe the US did not make a mistake in sending troops to Iraq, while 47 percent think it did - numbers that have hardly moved at all since the beginning of October.

Of course, some Americans may be waiting to see what happens with the Iraqi election, with the success or failure of that event shaping opinion in the weeks that follow. It's also possible that as the nation moves further away from the polarizing atmosphere of the presidential campaign, attitudes toward the war will move as well.

YET to many experts, the stability of public opinion in recent weeks has been striking - suggesting Americans have hunkered down into two hardened camps, with those opposing the war unlikely to be won over, and those favoring it allowing President Bush a fair amount of leeway in continuing his policies, at least for a while.

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[PartyPooper]

1. It's official: 51% are ignorant and stupid. And, God save the rest of us!

Regardless of the facts that got us into this mess, most Americans still believe it was a "just war" or "Saddam was behind 9/11".

When will they ever learn?!?

:dunce:

[nagbacalan]

3. Wouldn't be surprised if the precepts of the Flat Earth Society soon

became part and parcel of public policy.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

6. Some of them will never learn

I have talked to people that "know" for a fact that Saddam was behind 9/11. They have no proof and no matter how much you have they call you an unpatriotic liar. They will go to their graves believing in a cause that did not exist.

[Just Me]

9. All I can say is: I am proud to be labelled a "49er"!!!

At least it has nothing attached other than a member of the human race that opposed a dictatorship in democratic clothing.

I love it. :hug:

And when the neocons incite their world war,...I will embrace all those who want to join the "49ers". I will still have compassion for those who had, for whatever reason, no clue or control.

[bemildred]

2. This is utter, lying horseshit. nt

[NewYorkerfromMass]

4. "successful"

Really? by whose terms? That's the whole problem right there- The propoganda war.

[gratuitous]

5. Allowing Stupidhead "a fair amount of leeway"???

Okay George, another $175 billion, 5,000 casualties, 100,000 dead civilians, and 1,300 dead soldiers, but by golly, that's IT!

Of course, it'll all be okay as long as he keeps saying that we're making progress. After all, it's not like anyone in a position to say he's full of shit is going to do so.

[JawJaw]

12. $$$$$$$$

The only people "makin' progress" are the weapons manufacturers and privatized military subcontractors - Bush's real core constituency.

[msgadget]

7. Will anyone here be influenced by the elections?

[Just Me]

8. Imagine what would happen if election fraud is proven.

Imagine WHO would be bringing violence to the fold,...if the election is proven to be a fraud.

Would it be those "leftists" and "liberals" and "democrats"?

No.

[LynnTheDem]

10. Last month was THE deadliest month @137; can't "journalists" EVER

get their facts correct???

And she doesn't bother to point out that 60% of bushbots still think Iraq did 911, had WMD, had ties to al Qaeda, and that the world supported bush's war of aggression.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. And someday, most of that 60% are gonna wake up & realize they've killed a lot of American men, women & kids for not a damn thing.

[struggle4progress]

11. kick

:kick: