Stick this in your pipe and smoke it: Little Concern About Lack of WMD in Iraq Public rejects charges of deliberate deception by Bush administration by David W. Moore GALLUP NEWS SERVICE PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans appear relatively unconcerned that nearly eight weeks after Saddam Hussein was deposed from power, coalition forces in Iraq have not been able to produce indisputable evidence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Some political leaders who originally backed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq have now raised questions about whether the war was justified, given that U.K. and U.S. officials cited Iraq's possession of WMD as a prime rationale for the invasion. And some critics have even charged the Bush administration with deliberate deception. But a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll finds that a majority of Americans are generally sanguine about this issue. By 67% to 31%, Americans say the Bush administration did not deliberately mislead the American public about whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Overall, 62% of Americans now believe the information was inaccurate, but half of that group (31%) says the Bush administration thought the information was correct. The other half believes the Bush administration knew it was incorrect. Another 31% believe the original information provided by the Bush administration was correct. Evidence of Weapons of Mass Destruction Not Necessary The American public has also changed its mind about whether WMD are the primary justification for the war in Iraq. Just as the war began, a plurality of Americans, 41%, said the war would not be justified unless the United States found conclusive evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, while 38% said the war would be justified even without that evidence. Another 15% said the war was not justified regardless. Two weeks into the war, as WMD were not used by Iraq and were not found by coalition forces, Americans changed their minds. In an April 5-6 poll, 58% said the war would be justified even without evidence that Iraq possessed WMD, a 20-point increase. In the current poll, despite continuing controversy over the failure to find the weapons, 56% of Americans continue to take that position. Only about a quarter of Americans are suspending judgment on the war pending the outcome of the search for weapons of mass destruction. Positive View About What is Happening in Iraq Although news stories suggest a great deal of chaos in Iraq, as well as demonstrations by Iraqis against the U.S.-U.K. occupation, Americans appear fairly content with how things are going in post-war Iraq. Overall, 70% say things are going either "very" or "moderately" well for the United States in Iraq, while just 29% say either "moderately" or "very" badly. At the beginning of May, Americans were more positive than they are now -- 86% said things were going well, compared with the current percentage of 70%, suggesting the news stories have had some modest effect. The percent saying things are going very well is down to 11%, from 30% less than a month ago. Consistent with their rosy view of the events in Iraq, a majority of Americans, 56%, say that the Bush administration has a clear plan for improving conditions in Iraq, while 41% disagree. This positive assessment comes in spite of criticism levied by some against the administration that, although it had a good plan for military action in Iraq, it did not have a well-thought out plan for dealing with the situation in Iraq after the military battles were won. Similarly, a majority of Americans say the war with Iraq will end up solving more problems than it creates, by a 53% to 42% margin. Partisan Differences The war with Iraq continues to be a highly divisive partisan issue. On all the questions, there are significant differences between Democrats and Republicans, with independents in the middle. Attitudes About Iraq Compared by Party Affiliation (%) Republicans Independents Democrats Things are going very or moderately well in Iraq 89 67 59 Bush has a clear plan for Iraq 82 53 34 War is justified even without evidence of WMD 80 52 36 War with Iraq will create more problems than it solves 23 42 59 Bush administration deliberately misled public 9 31 51 As shown in the foregoing table, the gap between Republicans and Democrats ranges from 30 to 48 percentage points, suggesting the war could be an important campaign issue in the 2004 presidential election. http://www.gallup.com/poll/releases/pr030604.asp I think the poll speaks for itself. Draw your own conclusions.
Nothing quite like using "the public doesn't care that Bush lied about WMDs" as justification for the war. I wonder if they called my dad for the poll. When I told him the administration had already given Halliburton a gi-normous contract before the war even started, indicating the serious breach of ethics---helping Cheney's old company make tons of money rebuilding a country we were about to wreck, and in the process, probably even getting people at Halliburton to look the other way on pending investigations into Cheney's actions at the company before he became VP---well, my dad (serious Republican of course) said, "Well, somebody's got to do it (rebuild Iraq)." The administration uses these same arguments. "So what?" they shrug. They'd better hope no one exhumes any of the bodies they've buried. They think they can act with impunity forever. I guess it goes from the basic premise. If you believe it's a good thing to beat up on countries and show them who's boss, you shrug at these allegations. If you think (like me) that what we're doing is little more than a giant criminal lie, well, you pay attention. I am convinced the polls cited are rigged anyway. They call small business owners and soccer moms and ask them loaded questions. I know plenty of people who care about this subject but they have their own lives and don't really figure themselves capable of doing anything about it anyway.
Great, the public thinks our administration can be duped into going to war but they are alright with it. What does that say about our country?
or maybe it's that they believe him?? maybe they aren't looking for conspiracy theories? maybe they remember the clinton administration telling us the exact same things?? maybe the remember the countless weaspons insepctors who told us they believed iraq had weapons programs in violation of UN orders???
I am in NOOO way a Bush/Cheney supporter...that being said--I believe the gov't jeked Haliburton's contract. While they had critical support contracts before the war: oil well fire work, water and infrastructure rebuilding, those contracts were frozen--could anyone clarify?
I guess the public just doesn't give a rat's patootie about all the whiners that want to create a conspiracy about lying or not lying. Maybe just maybe most of the public wants to deal with the here and now, and move on, and think that the President did what he thought was RIGHT. And that is the most important thing to remember, sometimes doing something because it is the right thing to do is simply a good thing. Glad to have a strong President with a backbone in the whitehouse. In 50 years, people of the world will be safer, and the middle east will be more secure...all because of 2 leaders named Blair and Bush. The Blair/Bush project. A great way to start the new millenium. DD
Your simple logic never ceases to amaze me. Just because someone thinks what they are doing is right doesn't always make it right. Even you can understand that I'm sure DD.
Pgabrial, I and most of America agree with Bush, can you understand that? Therefore, I think what he did was right, and based upon intel that he believed was legitimate. The war is over, we won, why can't people be happy about that. I guarantee there are lots of Iraqis who are happy about it, we should be too. Not to mention the terrorists of the world have one less safe haven to plan and scheme. And it sends a message to other governments that harbor terrorists. Heck, there are too many positives to count. DD
I'm not always going to agree with who is in power. But if I feel they've studied an issue carefully...and they've made a decision they feel is right...then I can argue whether it's a good decision or not...but I can't impugn their character over it.
Max, It is typical of Pgabrial to attack the messenger when he has zero ammo for the message. My skin is thicker then that. DD
Whose attacking the messanger??? I made a legitimate point. Do you want me to go through history and point out how many times people supported their leaders because they thought they were right only to have been proven wrong?
Pgabrial, And when doing this research please include all the times where people supported their leaders and they were RIGHT !!!! Get it? I think they were Right in their decisions, you think they were wrong....the truth is that none of us will know for at MINIMUM 5 years and maybe more. However, I contend that doing nothing was worse then what we did, it is about time we were proactive rather then inactive. DD
I doubt these polls will stop the Senate's investigation, which could end up being quite damning to the president.
I feel that the Bush Admin cherry picked their intel to support their cause, ignoring the quality of the intel they kept and ignoring any intel that disagreed with their predetermine opinion. This is deceitful, any way you cut it.
do you feel the clinton administration did the same thing when they made the point, quite forcefully, that saddam had WMD, would use them and was a threat to the US?? while they were firing cruise missiles at Baghdad??
