WP poll: Americans Increasingly Divided Over Iraq; fewer oppose withdrawal

[DeepModem Mom]

Americans Increasingly Divided Over Iraq
Margin Opposing Withdrawal of Troops Is Dwindling
By Richard Morin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, June 26, 2006

The American public is sharply divided over whether to set a deadline for withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, as military casualties mount and the insurgency shows little sign of ending its bloody terror campaign, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll.

There are still more Americans who oppose withdrawal than support it, but the margin is dwindling. And the latest Post-ABC poll continues to show little backing for an immediate exit from Iraq: Nearly eight in 10 say the United States should keep troops in Iraq for at least six months.

The survey found that 47 percent of the country now favors setting a deadline for troops to exit from Iraq, up eight percentage points since December. Opposition to a firm timetable for withdrawal stands at 51 points, down from 60 percent seven months ago.

Among the 47 percent who favor a deadline, nearly half say U.S. troops should be out of Iraq within six months, while a third favor giving the military a year to leave. Those results are virtually identical to findings from the December poll.

The deadline issue continues to split the country along partisan lines. Two thirds of all Democrats currently favor setting a deadline, double the proportion of Republicans who favor a strict timetable for exiting. Among independents, fewer than half -- 44 percent -- support a deadline for withdrawing troops....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/26/AR2006062600250.html

[Bill McBlueState]

1. even the Republicans are coming around

The fact that one third of the Republicans support a "strict timetable" is important. Convincing even 15% of Republicans to cross over in an election will get us a victory.

[annabanana]

2. This is either very badly written, or very craftily...

"There are still more Americans who oppose withdrawal than support it, but the margin is dwindling."

(no numbers for this assertion)

"The survey found that 47 percent of the country now favors setting a deadline for troops to exit from Iraq, up eight percentage points since December."

(confusion, due to lack of numbers for previous assertion)

"The deadline issue continues to split the country along partisan lines"

(Does this mean that there is no longer any question that Americans WANT OUT!!?)


Shame on WaPo, yet again.

[bdamomma]

3. very poorly written

[bullimiami]

5. not poorly. deceptively. when you dont have facts to support

the assertion, you build the story with what you have and leave the contrary information out.

they know what they are doing. its the dirty WP.

[Lochloosa]

6. Agreed...but notice the last name of the reporter

Morin
Moron
Moran

Hummmm:tinfoilhat:

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Agreed! nt

[w4rma]

8. "Opposition to a firm timetable for withdrawal stands at 51 points" (nt)

[mike_c]

7. utter BS posing as journalism....

This isn't even good propaganda-- it's just BS.