Polls: Despite Doubts, Public Supports Staying in Iraq Until It's Stable

[cal04]

Despite growing doubts, most Americans still support keeping U.S. military troops in Iraq until the country is stabilized, according to polls released Monday.

More than half - 56 percent - say the United States should keep troops in Iraq until it is stable, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. Forty percent said troops should be brought home as soon as possible.

That's about the same level of support that Pew has found all year for keeping troops in Iraq until it's stabilized. An ABC News-Washington Post poll got essentially the same results.

"Even for critics of the decision to go to war, pulling out is seen as further increasing the risks of terrorism and raising the threat to the United States," said Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center. Four in 10 said they approve of the way the United States has handled the situation in Iraq, while almost six in 10 disapprove, according to a CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll. A year ago, almost two-thirds approved of the way Iraq was being handled.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBRCJ69Z2E.html

[still_one]

1. good

let's send all these reporters, so-called jounalist, and red-neck arm-chair fighters into the civil war that the idiots won't admit we are in the middle of

[LynnTheDem]

2. "Stable" took the UK 30+ years...until they gave up & pulled out.

And Iraqis hate us more than they did the UK.

Should be long enough for bush & cartel to steal everything in Iraq that's not nailed down.

Too bad the dimwit American majority don't get the fact that it is AMERICA that's causing Iraq to be unstable. Ya just don't get any dumber than the "most Americans".

And when did "MOST" = 56%???

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[htuttle]

4. Since the US propped up Saddam all those years

It would hardly be fair to foist him back upon the Iraqis.

How about we just go home, and let them figure out how they want to run their own country without our 'help'?

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Just Me]

9. The neoCONfascists invaded Iraq and their brilliant plan was,...

,...to sell it off to the highest bidder. They didn't give a rat's crap about Saddam or what he did to his people (as proof,...they sure weren't complaining AT THE TIME Saddam was committing crimes against humanity).

This war was nothing other than a big business plan with no regard to, let alone any respect for civil or human rights abuses or anything "noble" like that and the psy-ops involving "freedom" and "democracy" is merely a facade.

Moreover, if Saddam ends up "back in power" it would most definitely be due to the neoCONfascists' desire,...so long as Saddam sells out his people and gives in to corporate interests as he had previously.

The neoCONfascists are self-involved/interested oil-diggers, arms dealers and financiers. They'd sell off as many lives (American or otherwise) as necessary to prop up their profits and power.

[LynnTheDem]

21. More proof bush never gave a damn about Saddam's abuses; he and bLiar

both said Saddam Hussein could remain in power (big of them, really, allowing a nation's president to remain in power) IF HE DISARMED.

Funny thing; HE HAD DISARMED. Over a decade ago. As he'd always claimed.

And some more proof that bush never gave a shit about abuses etc against the Iraqis; he said Saddam Hussein could AVOID ANY AND ALL CRIMINAL CHARGES...if he'd just go into exile and kindly hand Iraq over to bush.

And meanwhile, back at the Forgotten War in Afghanistan, bush's own handpicked government says they will continue Sharia law, such as stoning to death women found guilty of adultery.

Yeah sure bush gives a flying f*ck about anyone's civil/human rights. Ask Ms. Tucker about that. Oops can't.

[Swamp Rat]

15. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[movonne]

5. It probably was the way the question was asked..I think a lot of

people think it is right to stay and fix what we did...but this is not going to happen unless we get help and that does not look like it will happen...

[pretzel4gore]

12. until bushwack is gone

i think americans know deep in their hearts they made a hideous mistake putting that gang of moral imbeciles into power...even the dems fear what's to happen after geeb (brother of Jeb) no longer's the 'pitcher of record'

[ClintonTyree]

6. It will never be stable.................

at least not in my lifetime. There are too many fences to mend and too many grudges to be forgotten. That will take generations. The blood there has been so bad for so long it will take many decades before all is forgiven and forgotten, and that's if Peace suddenly broke out all over the Mid-East today.
This just reaffirms my theory that a majority of Americans are too stupid to vote, even in a Pew poll.

[saigon68]

24. Tens of Thousands more deaths

Billions dumped into the pockets of the Halliburton Criminals

By the BUSH CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE

DON'T YA JUST LOVE IT !!!

I WILL FEEL NOTHING FOR ANYONE FROM THE US KILLED IN IRAQ ANYMORE.


THEY ARE TOOLS AND FOOLS. IF YOU STICK YOUR HEAD IN A PAIL OF WATER AND BREATH YOU WILL DROWN.

[w4rma]

8. I opposed this war wholehartedly and I would have said yes, so pro-war

people shouldn't be reading too much into this poll. The public does NOT support your occupation and will NOT support future invasions of other countries.

[Just Me]

10. Well, now,...that we immorally destroyed a nation and ,...

,...victimized a people,...

,...we do have the moral obligation of reparation.

The question is: how do we pay for the immoral act in which we have engaged?

[aneerkoinos]

11. Answer

"The question is: how do we pay for the immoral act in which we have engaged?"

The aswer is: cure yourself from the disease called "American way of life" and stop spreading it and making other suffer from it.

When you are sick in the mind and body, you have no moral obligation to help others, you simply can't. Your only obligation is to get well and stop spreading the sickness. And Bush is not the cause of the disease, just symptom.

If you think you can "pay for" an immoral act (I think you mean causing suffering), you can't, thinking that way is part of the disease. There is no cosmic judge you can pay to buy pure conscience and go back to feeling good about the innocent yourself that you never were, that nobody ever was.

[Disturbed]

13. Stable means?

Turning Iraq into another Warsaw ghetto, ala Falluja.

Most Iraqis aren't agreeable to being a U.S. Colony. Calling the Insurgency terrorists is the U.S Fascist colonizers brainwash on the ingnorant U.S Masses.

Here is the U.S. programm for Iraq.

The Hand-Over That Wasn't: Illegal Orders give the US a Lock on Iraq's Economy
by Antonia Juhasz

Officially, the U.S. occupation of Iraq ended on June 28, 2004. But in reality, the United States is still in charge: Not only do 138,000 troops remain to control the streets, but the "100 Orders" of L. Paul Bremer III remain to control the economy.

These little noticed orders enacted by Bremer, the now-departed head of the now-defunct Coalition Provisional Authority, go to the heart of Bush administration plans in Iraq. They lock in sweeping advantages to American firms, ensuring long-term U.S. economic advantage while guaranteeing few, if any, benefits to the Iraqi people.

The Bremer orders control every aspect of Iraqi life - from the use of car horns to the privatization of state-owned enterprises. Order No. 39 alone does no less than "transition from a … centrally planned economy to a market economy" virtually overnight and by U.S. fiat.

Although many thought that the "end" of the occupation would also mean the end of the orders, on his last day in Iraq Bremer simply transferred authority for the orders to Prime Minister Iyad Allawi - a 30-year exile with close ties to the CIA and British intelligence.

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0805-07.htm
*All of the Dems that voted for the Iraq resolution were either duped or they had their heads up their ass. After Kerry said that he would still vote for it after knowing that there were no WMDs it was over for him in my view. All the Dems that stuck to that betrayed the progressives in the party and took the core Dems for granted due to ABB.

It's bullshit to say that liberals &/or leftists are anti-war. Most are anti-foolish wars that lead to disaster. The U.S. created the anti-American blast around the world by supporting any right wing dick that said he/she was anti-commie. The ME countries, for the most part, oppress their masses and the U.S aides that. The people there know it. Most people in the world that hate the U.S. don' t evy us or hate us for our freedoms. They hate the U.S. Govt. policies that keeps them oppressed and downtrodden. The Iraq invasion threw gasoline onto their fire.

The mantra that the Dems need to move more right is a fool's song.

[Just Me]

14. Identifying the "disease" is a challenge.

However, you avoid identifying the "disease" while assuming Bush (and, for clarity's sake, the circle of influence which gravitates to him) are "symptoms".

If you would further extrapolate on what you view as "the disease" AND explain how the Bush adminstration is a "symptom",...then, I might be able to wrap my mind around what you post.

[aneerkoinos]

34. Identifying the disease

Fear and anger. Also this board is full of it.

[Just Me]

17. Kindly, answer my questions.

Please, identify what you perceive as "the disease" and distinguish the Bush leadership as "the symptom".

I am very interested in your view,...and, it would help me greatly to both understand and respond to your post.

[aneerkoinos]

35. Here comes

Like I said, at the bottom fear and anger. Manifesting in many ways, divisive partisanship, scapegoating, searching security in militarism and patriotism; searching security in compulsive materialistic consumerism, envy, freedom understood as unsolidarity and individualism understood as selfishness leading to mistrust of others, broken communal spirit, lack of dialogue. Isn't that the American way of life?

[Just Me]

37. No. That's the right-wing psy-ops imposed upon American life.

Is there fear and anger? Yes, both of which are being tactfully manipulated by a corporate-controlled regime.

However, the people in this country are far more faceted, have far more depth and breadth than your characterization.

The people you describe are a sect, not a majority.

[aneerkoinos]

44. I don't describe people

You asked me to describe the disease, not the people. All people have depth and complexity, I'm not defined by the disease I suffer from. But I can't start the healing process unless I honestly study the disease and what is causing it. And it's not only "them" because scapegoating is one of the symptoms.

[Just Me]

20. Didja' leave? n/t

[tabasco]

18. Simple. We get out and give billions to the UN ...

to get in there and prevent civil war. If I was President, I could get things moving that way within a week.

The problem for us is that Bush and the robber barons don't want to get out. The neocons thought they could set up an effective puppet government to do our bidding but the Iraqis aren't cooperating. Sorry, not enough Iraqis willing to put their boot on the throats of their fellow Iraqis at the bequest of foreign invaders. Whoda thunk it?

[Just Me]

19. I wish your simple solution to be the answer.

But,...humanity is complex,...the problem we've created,...ugh.

The first to consult,...in my weary humble opinion,...is the "majority" league of NGOs known and popularly having served civil and human rights (of course, THAT will NEVER happen). At minimum, I would put these very popular figures to the general public in the forefront. Unfortunately, all civil and human rights activists are targets for the power-mongers and,...well,...the power-mongers will continue to produce the precise environment against which human beings will oppose.

Blah.

[tabasco]

30. The US must get out.

That is the only alternative. We have killed too many people to have any goodwill remaining with the majority of Iraqi people.

The main impediment to international help in Iraq is US intrasigence in insisting on sole US control of operations. As soon as we give up that demand and agree to depart, we can receive help from the world community (U.N.). Billions of dollars being wasted by Bush could be well-spent to support an international effort to rebuild Iraq.

This is how it will eventually end. Let's do it now rather than later and save some lives. Sometimes the solutions are amazingly simple. What is difficult is getting our government to act correctly when it is controlled by war profiteering corporations.

[Swamp Rat]

16. Another bull shit statistic

Blah blah blah!

OK, let me give MY statistic based on MY population sample: 100% of Americans want our soldiers to come home NOW!

[Sara Beverley]

22. That's because "the public" doesn't have to fight in Iraq.

They would change their tune if half of their asses were drafted.

[saigon68]

27. if half of their asses were drafted. (danger graphic)

And their faces turned to mush.




Here's Randi Rhodes photo of dude's autopsy.




DOESN'T LOOK SO ROMANTIC NOW--- EH CHILDREN !!!!

[kineneb]

23. Stable, about the time

"hell freezes over" and pigs fly. How many will needlessly die in the meantime?

[MGKrebs]

25. Hmmm. Perhaps our presence contributes to the instability!

Tell The Truth

(by Eric Clapton and Bobby Whitlock)

Tell the truth. Tell me who's been fooling you?
Tell the truth. Who's been fooling who?

There you sit there, looking so cool
While the whole show is passing you by.
You better come to terms with your fellow men soon, cause...

The whole world is shaking now. Can't you feel it?
A new dawn is breaking now. Can't you see it?

Tell the truth. Tell me who's been fooling you
Tell the truth. Who's been fooling who?

It doesn't matter just who you are,
Or where you're going or been.
Open your eyes and look into your heart.

The whole world is shaking now. Can't you feel it?
A new dawn is breaking now. Can't you see it?
I said see it, yeah, can't you see it?
Can't you see it, yeah, can't you see it?
I can see it, yeah.

Tell the truth. Tell me who's been fooling you
Tell the truth. Who's been fooling who?

Hear what I say, 'cause every word is true.
You know I wouldn't tell you no lies.
Your time's coming, gonna be soon, boy.

[Benhurst]

26. BushAmerica will be kicked out of Iraq long before it is stable.

It's just a question of how long and how many more innocent lives will be lost before that takes place. If you liked the rout at the end of the Vietnam war, you're going to love the final act of our invasion of Iraq. :puke:

[ckramer]

28. Bush shouldn't have invaded Iraq in the first place

He didn't understand that Iraqis need a "Saddam" to hold them together.

[Revolucionario83]

29. I have no faith in people

56% wow thats a lot. I guess the Neocons have successfully in brainwashing everybody. Goddamn it this is such a pointless stupid war, this is exactly why I've it. Its a losing battle, I truly believe the U.S. is gonna be stuck they're for a long time. This will become Vietnam. I HATE to say it but its true. They re's already an estimated 50-100 U.S. veterans that are homeless. Expect that to multiply. Fucking Democrats in the House and Senate who voted for this war always keep bitching about how Bush has fucked it up. Well then douchbags "WHY THE FUCK DID THEY VOTE FOR THIS WAR!!!!" It's like they had faith in Bush or something. I'm so frustrated :argh:

[teryang]

31. Sunk costs are no costs

There won't be any stable Iraq until we leave. This "majority" is delusional or misinformed. Of course most are expressing their unfounded opinion out of complete ignorance of the dynamics of colonial conquest.

[Barkley]

45. Spoken like an economist

you're correct!

Weighing the marginal cost against the marginal benefits.

We know what the additional costs of staying in Iraq are in terms of dollars and human lives and the addition benefit of staying in Iraq is oil. Oil is not worth human blood (to me).

People say democracy is a benefit. But I don't buy that argument.
Americans don't give a rat's ass about the Iraqi people; especially after imposing sanctions that killed 500,000 of 'em and then shock and awe that killed another 100,000 and then Abu Ghraib...

Deep down that's the calculus Americans are doing. If Iraq exported bananas we'd never even bother.

[leesa]

32. I doubt it, but if that is your fantasy...

[daleo]

33. The very definition of a quagmire, I believe

You know you should leave, but you can't (or think you can't, which is often the same thing).

His new nickname should be Quagmire Bush.

[talk hard]

36. Iraq will NEVER be stable.

And especially with the US in charge.
Look what they've done to our country.

[belab13]

38. they still don't get it, god bless their puny little minds.

the (4 billion+/month) quagmire will get progressively worse and this country will be humbeled like we never have before.

[VegasWolf]

39. We'll be leaving bush's iraq the way we did Vietnam, by helicopter

off the roof of the American Embassy. That poor country
will only find stability once the invaders and their
puppet governments are gone. Support the Ooops.

[osaMABUSh]

40. LOL - stability? Where out of there in 4 years or impeachment

whichever comes first

[LibertyorDeath]

41. The Rightarded half

"More than half - 56 percent"

It is truly beyond comprehension how fucking dumb these people are.

"We fight them there so we don't have to fight them here"

Dumber than a box of fucking Rocks.

[Bragi]

42. Continue US Beatings To Boost Iraqi Morale

[OETKB]

43. The Pogo Answer

"We have met the enemy, and it is us." It is time for the sleepy press to inform the uninformed majority that US forces are the cause of this violence and clearly show the horrendous mistake this administration has made by invading a defenseless nation.

It must force this president to have no choice, but to admit this wrong. We'll have to pick up the pieces afterwards, but maybe we can do it together. We are a wounded nation. What is missing is that leadership that will eventually start the healing process.

The event or example will finally come to show the error of our present policies. I only hope it will not come at the cost of too many lives. Nothing else seems to move the public.

[Barkley]

46. "...keeping troops in Iraq until it's stabilized" = The White Man's Burden

The White Man's Burden*
-Rudyard Kipling (1899)

Take up the White Man's burden--
Send forth the best ye breed--
Go bind your sons to exile
To serve your captives' need;
To wait in heavy harness,
On fluttered folk and wild--
Your new-caught, sullen peoples,
Half-devil and half-child.

...

*This famous poem, written by Britain's
imperial poet was a response to the American
take over of the Philippines after the Spanish-American War

[wildwww2]

47. More needless death must equal stability to these weirdo`s.

Cause that is all we are going to get. As long as we are there. This war is already lost. We lost it. We need to cut our losses and get the freaking hell out of there now.
Peace
Wildman
Al Gore is My President

[Skittles]

48. like waiting for Bush to grow a f***ing brain

IDIOTS

[stevebreeze]

49. funny Iraq was "stable" before we got there.

It won't be stable until we leave. WE are the cause of instability!

[indepat]

50. Stable is something Iraq will never be

[leftchick]

51. Or as neo-con freak Frum says....

<snip>
"On Iraq, what we've learned is that Americans are capable of worrying about something and simultaneously supporting it," said David Frum, a former speechwriter for Bush.