POLL: Bush Suffers Double-Digit Drop On Iraq Since Launch of ‘Strategy for Victory’ Tour
POLL: Bush Suffers Double-Digit Drop On Iraq Since Launch of ‘Strategy for Victory’ Tour
The latest Washington Post/ABC News poll finds that a majority of Americans (52 percent) think that the number of U.S. military forces in Iraq should be decreased – up 14 points since last summer.
President Bush continues to say there is progress in Iraq, but fewer and fewer Americans believe him.
Only 43 percent say the United States is making significant progress in Iraq in this latest poll, down a whopping 17 points from mid-December, when the Bush administration started its failed public relations campaign pushing its National Strategy for Victory in Iraq.
The country’s debate on Iraq must continue, and leaders in Congress need to look closely at the problems with the Bush administration’s Iraq strategy and consider serious alternatives.
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Oh yo mean the pretty blue and read book that has neither stratgey nor victory in it?
March 6th, 2006 at 9:39 pmHarper’s Magazine discussion/forum on IMPEACHMENT
March 6th, 2006 at 9:42 pmSam Seder is moderator
c-span 2 NOW
It would be pathetic if were not so tragic.
March 6th, 2006 at 9:48 pmThanks, Katy, I just tuned it in.
March 6th, 2006 at 9:48 pm43%????
March 6th, 2006 at 9:48 pmThere’s that many drones out there?
Sh*t. That coupled with the Diebold machines = another Republican “win.”
The numbers keep dropping, but it won’t make any difference folks unless we gain power in congress.
March 6th, 2006 at 9:49 pmWonder what this will this do to his numbers???
From ABC News Intl:
U.S. military and intelligence officials tell ABC News that they have caught shipments of deadly new bombs at the Iran-Iraq border.
They are a very nasty piece of business, capable of penetrating U.S. troops’ strongest armor.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/IraqCoverage/story?id=1692347&page=1
March 6th, 2006 at 10:07 pmYes Marie
It is still a long shot, but better odds everyday.
March 6th, 2006 at 10:08 pmIn shaping their message, White House officials have drawn on the work of Duke University political scientists Peter D. Feaver and Christopher F. Gelpi, who have examined public opinion on Iraq and previous conflicts. ….”The most important single factor in determining public support for a war is the perception that the mission will succeed,” Gelpi said in an interview yesterday. June 2005
March 6th, 2006 at 10:12 pmBeep52, the story is part of the slow drumbeat against Iran….
March 6th, 2006 at 10:15 pmHello, WWIII………..
March 6th, 2006 at 10:39 pmPretty sure something big is festering fast- I’m surprised no buzz on Bolton’s rant yesterday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/07/international/europe/07iran.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
March 6th, 2006 at 10:54 pmThe toxicity that is growing at the UN (fostered by Bolton), added to the news of weapons entering Iraq from Iran (the veracity of such claims yet to be proven) will be seen in the future as early signs of the inevitability of the invasion of Iran (or the bombing of Iran) unless there is an intervention. Bush&co will have to move quickly if they intend to secure a large and serious national security issue before the elections.
March 6th, 2006 at 11:18 pmHis poll numbers only add to the urgency felt at the White House.
Marie,
I know I’m speaking to a lady so please pardon my crude reference here. What BushCo is doing here is playing “who’s got the biggest balls”. – JFK and the Bay of Pigs style maybe? Only not so sure they can pull it off.
March 6th, 2006 at 11:45 pmThere is only one alternative : declare victory and get the hell out.
March 7th, 2006 at 12:00 amMarie,
I know I’m speaking to a lady so please pardon my crude reference here. What BushCo is doing here is playing “who’s got the biggest ballsâ€. – JFK and the Bay of Pigs style maybe? Only not so sure they can pull it off.
Comment by WiscoDuk
…’Course not! Momma took them balls away YEARS ago….
March 7th, 2006 at 12:00 am-GWB-
Why do you think we needed “in-vitro”???
March 7th, 2006 at 12:01 am#14 WD
Thanks for the consideration, but I surprise myself and my family lately with the language I find myself using with regard to Bush&Co. Anger and frustration and outrage have taken its toll.
I can only hope Bush&Co is playing a game of “mine is bigger than yours” – which would be appropriate because they are such pricks!
Trueblue, you may have a point there.
March 7th, 2006 at 12:15 amMost Americans want the troops to come home to their families ASAP, but Bush never intends to end the Iraq Occupation until every drop of crude oil is pumped out of the ground > that means 20 to 30 years! Iraq was NOT about WMD, or ties to Osama, it is about petroleum!
March 7th, 2006 at 12:38 amWatch this
March 7th, 2006 at 1:48 amIAEA offers hope of Iran deal
LINK
March 7th, 2006 at 4:09 amBush suffers 14 points drop in America, And the rest of the world 91% of 5 billion is 4,550,000,000 people in this planet hate that Mass Murdering Dictator
never mind 14 points
March 7th, 2006 at 4:41 amLets face this fact: If America invades Iran it will be going after a terrorist state, BUT it will get its ass handed to it. OPEC does not want America in control of too much of its oil, and will rally behind Iran to fight off an invasion.
If America had not invaded Iraq, it would have been in a position to take Iran right now, but for some unknowable and frankly stupid reason the war which will always be remembered as the war of Weapons of Mass Distraction, happened. Your soldiers are tired, your enrollment is down, and your enemies are multiplying.
Brittain will not join in the next war, nor will your other allies except maybe Israel, though they have problems of their own.
Your own people are sharply divided. Your leadership is idiotic, especially your war leadership, and your press is no longer trusted. Your country is in massive debt, and you are still fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. Lastly, the UAE sounds like it is about to get control of your ports. The Saudis already own plenty of Americas assets, having your ports in the hands of one of the last countries to ban slavery doesn’t sound like a good idea to me.
A war with Iran, would have worked pre-Iraq, but won’t work now – you can’t afford the other shit that will inevitably come with it.
March 7th, 2006 at 5:22 am23# IAEA offers hope of Iran deal
The IAEA are very happy with Irans help
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/03/07/iran.nuclear/index.html
Only American media is not happy and war mongering
March 7th, 2006 at 5:40 amBush insists that we are “making progress” in Iraq. If civil war and chaos is progress then I’m a cumquat from Queens.
March 7th, 2006 at 6:20 amThe UN is sadly irrelevent. It made itself irrelevent when Israel was chastised by it for rescuing hostages from Ida Amin, and has largely stayed that way ever since.
Iraq was not fought with the UN’s blessing. The UN said no, and the Bush Administration went ahead and invaded anyway. Sort of the last nail, but it really hasn’t been anything but a talk shop for decades now anyway.
Iran will, or won’t happen whether the IAEA is involved or not. Hopefully, it won’t because the potential there is for WWIII, but it possibly will if Bush needs a distraction badly enough and still controls all three houses.
March 7th, 2006 at 6:31 amHo Chi Minh add the assassination of the Iraqi military commander of Baghdad, who was looked on by the US as the Iraqi solution for defense of the capital from insurgents but the shiites may also have gotten rid of a serious rival to their control of the nations capital.
March 7th, 2006 at 6:33 am“We have to address the fact that the president has broken the law.†— Senator Russ Feingold
March 7th, 2006 at 6:52 amWhat if this newly Elected government votes, in their Parliment, to ask us to leave, unconditionally? Wonder why this Dubai deal came out of no where? We can’t put our troops back in Saudi Arabia. I guess with UAE we would have a border to flee accross.
March 7th, 2006 at 6:59 amIsn’t it intereseting the Boogey Men, Al-Qualude, can’t be found or identified in Iraq, BUT OH LOOK they’re in Gaza. Perele, Feith, Kristol, Wolfowitz and Rumsfeld should have to appear before Congress and tell us just what they want to happen next, then with permission, this time we give it to them and make them accountable. That arrogant BS that spewed from Kristols mouth the other day about the Government and the military hasn’t done a good job makes my ass chapped to the nth dgree. Spinelss aritocrats.
Yippee!! We’re losing the war and Americans are depressed about it! More death to America so Democrats can take back control on Congress!
The left is truly repugnant in their bloodthirst to see America fail. It is treason.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:27 amTour
Nobody likes seeing America fail, well except for the Rightwing who seem to delight in having their noses rubbed in their own copious amounts of shit the whole time, we on the left are mainly pissed off about the whole issue and want something done about it.
Oh, and a farce isn’t a farce if it is just stupid, it has to be funny too. Your parody of Anne Coulter needs a bit more servile god-president worship in it.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:42 amOff topic, please forgive, or not.. Did any one here besides me listen to the jerk, Bush give his little speech about the ports.? It pissed me off he and the Dubi person spoke about educating the public. Bush then went on with a sentance about how his people knew what they were doing and would not let any one that was a threat to our country buy into our ports. “The public must be educated so they know (my) government is doing the right thing.” Sorry folk’s I went into orbit. The term my coming from this person set me off. This isn’t suposto be his it is our’s. Dictator in charge can’t say anything to make me happy. I take that back, I resign would make me happy……Blessings
March 7th, 2006 at 9:13 amGary Hart will be on XM satellite radio tomorrow ( Channel 133 ) discussing the report on Homeland Security that he prepared early in 2001 (i.e., before 9/11) – which he says was ignored by both Bush and Cheney.
I am not sure of the time for the program. If you have the service, you will have to check and see for yourself.
This should be interesting. If Hart makes a good case, it further underscores the pattern of the Bush Administration having the chance to use valuable information – but choosing to ignore it instead.
The American Eagle
March 7th, 2006 at 9:28 amThe Army moved a bunch of AC130 gunships into Iraq recently. They are flying gun platforms that provide devistating ground support. To me that means one of two things: We are going on an intense ground offensive or we expect a fighting retreat to get the hell out.
If its the former I expect Boy Blunders numbers to go up, if it is the latter he will not be in office much longer even with a Republican Congress
March 7th, 2006 at 9:31 am…and these numbers are with a toadying corporate media trying to present the best possible spin, along with a basically apathetic public (”Oh well, watchoo gonna do? Long as it ain’t my kid getting his legs blown off over there in that country on the other side of the globe somewheres”).
Maybe there is cause for optimism?
March 7th, 2006 at 9:42 am#32 Sharon,
March 7th, 2006 at 9:56 amI, too, heard President Ignoramus expound on “educating” the American people and I nearly threw up.
This isn’t the first time he has referred to the government as “his” — a Freudian slip that indicates what he believes about himself and his authority. He is the anointed-by-God King of America; he can’t do anything wrong because it is all divinely sanctioned; polls don’t matter, because he is doing God’s will.
I must stop for now, it’s not healthy to feel the hatred I feel for him – at least before going to work this morning.
The coming war with Iran is in the advanced stages of planning! While we all were distracted by Cheney shooting his pal in Texas, and the UAE dirty deal to take over our ports, massive military supplies were moved into the region around Iran! Cruise missiles are already in place on our Navy ships in the Gulf and submarines also were refitted with bunker buster missiles! Bombs and equipment have been stockpiled at our Iraqi bases too! The war on Iran will be
March 7th, 2006 at 10:17 ama savage display of aggression, and it most likely will set-off WWIII, but also it may become Bush’s Waterloo?!
Yes, the drum beat to drive the Republicans out of Congress will build when Hart and others bring the connection between ignored Al Quaida intel and ignored Katrina warnings to the fore, and the connection is obvious to people. That’s why his poll numbers are going deeper into the tank from the Katrina video. This is the sort of thing Rove won’t be able to spin to the corporate media toadies. Then the republicans won’t be able to distance themselves. Then, God-willing, there will be a way the public can make them pay at the ballot box.
March 7th, 2006 at 10:19 amTour De Farce,
Nobody’s rejoicing about the fact that thousands of American lives have been lost to satisfy one man’s oedipal complex and the rich’s lust for oil. What’s good news is that people are finally understanding that they have been misled into war and would like it to end.
Just because you approach politics like a New York Yankees fan doesn’t mean everybody does.
March 7th, 2006 at 10:25 am#39–far from rejoicing, I’m steamed as hell that the lives of our troops are being wasted for this colossal failure wrought by the neocons. As the old saying goes, if it’s such a noble cause, why aren’t the neocons and their relatives signed up to do the fighting?
March 7th, 2006 at 11:04 am#33 american eagle, and ALL – “Wednesday, March 8:
March 7th, 2006 at 11:15 amBob (Edwards) talks to former Senator Gary Hart about his new book, The Shield and the Cloak: The Security of the Commons. As a member of the U.S. Commission on National Security for the 21st Century, Hart delivered a stern warning to the newly-inaugurated President Bush about the imminent threat of international terrorism on American soil. That was in January of 2001. The warning was largely ignored…”
8,9,&10am,8pm eastern – 5,6,7am,5pm pacific (later times are re-air)
If Bush is suffering in the polls, I guess it’s time for one of those terrorist alerts, eh?
Like, “be on the lookout for O’Séamas McLadden, notorious Éire Qaeda mastermind, last seen swerving near the Blind Pig after closing time.”
March 7th, 2006 at 11:23 am.
The so-called “National Strategy for Victory in Iraq” discusses three “mutually reinforcing tracks” to achieve victory and includes, admittedly vague, measures for the progress of these tracks.
One way of keeping the debate going would be to take a whack at measuring the success of the three tracks the administration so eagerly publicized. Track 1 is training Iraqi military and police; track 2 is reconstruction; and track 3 is building democratic institutions.
I would imagine the administration would get low marks by their own prescription for measuring progress. They’ve recently decided to stop funding reconstruction projects. What does that tell us about the three “mutually reinforcing” tracks?
March 7th, 2006 at 11:32 amYippee!! We’re losing the war and Americans are depressed about it! More death to America so Democrats can take back control on Congress!
The left is truly repugnant in their bloodthirst to see America fail. It is treason.
Comment by Tour De Farce — March 7, 2006 @ 8:27 am
This tells me that you view the republican party as being more important than America itself. Typical “party over country” republicanism. Get off your knees, royalist.
March 7th, 2006 at 11:45 amIt’s official name is “Strategery for Victimery.”
March 7th, 2006 at 11:51 amWASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House said on Tuesday it still opposes a proposed natural gas pipeline linking energy-rich Iran with India, clarifying remarks by President George W. Bush that seemed to soften U.S. opposition to the project.
Why cheney must have Iran .Halliburton has been in Iran for years ….bush not all of us buy your trash talking..
March 7th, 2006 at 1:29 pm# 41
Thanks for filling in the blanks, Katy.
March 7th, 2006 at 1:30 pmSharon & Marie, yes I too heard the comment about ‘educating’ the American people on the DP deal. Isn’t that what the Soviet Union used to do in their gulogs? Educate the people? And the Vietnamese, in their POW camps. Only wasn’t it called ‘indoctrination’ back then?
March 7th, 2006 at 5:31 pm#30, in re: your “The left is truly repugnant in their bloodthirst to see America fail.”
Sir, I do not wish to see America fail and yet I consider myself a person on the “left.” How do you account for this?
Could your false sentence be yet another example of a neo-con application of “logic”?
I will however confess to a certain level of delight at seeing the unfortunate vent figure known as George W. Bush failing and flailing and having nearly every one of his bone-headed, life-hating, money-worshipping decisions come back to bite him on his drug-addled behind. I mean, that’s just plain fun: seeing that sometimes what goes around does indeed come around.
March 8th, 2006 at 12:31 pmi don’t really have an opinion about it. i suppose i should, but bush is going to do what he thinks is best for our country no matter what we (mere civilians) say or think about it. it might make him consider another choice if we all stand together with one decision, but the problem is that everyone has different opinions and different reasons for their opinions. so let him do his job and we can keep doing ours.
March 8th, 2006 at 4:08 pm#50
Boo –
When sending this nation to war, it is his job is to tell the truth as to why we are going to war.
Linking Iraq to 9/11 was not truthful. It was an exploitation of the American thirst for vengance. I was 2 blocks away when the Towers were hit. I know that thirst for vengance – and the subsequent exploitation of it – very well.
It is also his job to take the best available information from the best available sources and make decisions that are best for this nation. It is not his job to listen to a handful of people who have his ear because he deems them to be his “loyal insiders.”
When General Norman Schwarzkopf says that he is very troubled by Rumsfeld – it is the President’s job to listen.
When the #1 man in the Army ( Gen’l Shenseki ) says that 450,000 troops will be needed to control the post (conventional) combat phase – it is the President’s job to listen.
When the Army War College says that insurgent type warfare is very likely – given the nature of Iraq ( a high level of men w/combat experience – given that veterans of the Iraq/Iran war are between 35 and 45, a high level of arms and munitions in the area, nationalistic pride, religious pride, tribal/ethnic pride and no illusion that they could ever win a conventional war against the U.S. after the thrashing dealt to them in Gulf War 1 – in other words, insurgent warfare was their only choice), it is the President’s job to listen.
You mention “doing our job.” Our #1 job, as American citizens, is to never forget that the President works for us. In order to do this job well, we must ask questions and challene our president. It is his job to respond to these challenges and prove – through moral suasion – that what he proposes is right.
This President has not done his job – and shows no interest in doing his job properly.
With all due respect, Boo – you aren’t really doing your job, either. Never say to any President – Republican, Democrat or Independent ” Just do whatever you feel is best … ”
That is unAmerican.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:14 am