AP Poll Finds Majority Back War in Iraq
Friday December 19, 2003 7:01 AM
By WILL LESTER
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Americans think the war in Iraq was the right decision by a 2-1 margin and are more inclined to approve of the job done by President Bush in foreign policy and terrorism following the capture of Saddam Hussein, an Associated Press poll found.
They remain wary, however, of the continuing deadly conflict in Iraq.
Saddam's capture appears to have given Bush's re-election prospects a boost: The poll conducted for the AP by Ipsos-Public Affairs found that nearly half of respondents, 45 percent, said they would definitely support Bush's re-election, while 31 percent said they would definitely vote against him.
A month ago, people were evenly divided on that question, at 37 percent definitely for and 37 percent definitely against.
Two-thirds in the poll said they were confident the United States would capture or kill Osama bin Laden, who is believed to have orchestrated the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. That's up from about half who felt that way in a poll in September.
``I'm confident we'll capture Osama bin Laden,'' said Jill Chiccino, a surgical technician from Wilmington, Del. ``I still don't feel that will solve terrorism, but it may help.''
More than six in 10 registered voters, 63 percent, said they approved of Bush's handling of foreign policy and terrorism, up from 54 percent who felt that way in early December in an AP-Ipsos poll. Bush's overall job approval among voters was 59 percent, up from 53 percent in early December but still far below his mid-70s war ratings from earlier this year.
Asked whether they thought Saddam's capture last weekend would cause violence against U.S. troops to increase, decrease or stay about the same, the biggest group, 47 percent, said they expected no change. A third, 33 percent, said violence would decrease and 19 percent said it would increase.
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Friday December 19, 2003 7:01 AM
By WILL LESTER
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Americans think the war in Iraq was the right decision by a 2-1 margin and are more inclined to approve of the job done by President Bush in foreign policy and terrorism following the capture of Saddam Hussein, an Associated Press poll found.
They remain wary, however, of the continuing deadly conflict in Iraq.
Saddam's capture appears to have given Bush's re-election prospects a boost: The poll conducted for the AP by Ipsos-Public Affairs found that nearly half of respondents, 45 percent, said they would definitely support Bush's re-election, while 31 percent said they would definitely vote against him.
A month ago, people were evenly divided on that question, at 37 percent definitely for and 37 percent definitely against.
Two-thirds in the poll said they were confident the United States would capture or kill Osama bin Laden, who is believed to have orchestrated the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. That's up from about half who felt that way in a poll in September.
``I'm confident we'll capture Osama bin Laden,'' said Jill Chiccino, a surgical technician from Wilmington, Del. ``I still don't feel that will solve terrorism, but it may help.''
More than six in 10 registered voters, 63 percent, said they approved of Bush's handling of foreign policy and terrorism, up from 54 percent who felt that way in early December in an AP-Ipsos poll. Bush's overall job approval among voters was 59 percent, up from 53 percent in early December but still far below his mid-70s war ratings from earlier this year.
Asked whether they thought Saddam's capture last weekend would cause violence against U.S. troops to increase, decrease or stay about the same, the biggest group, 47 percent, said they expected no change. A third, 33 percent, said violence would decrease and 19 percent said it would increase.
READ MORE