Polls About the War in Iraq
Recent polling by various organizations shows differing levels of support for the decision to go to war in Iraq. In a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll, 58% of Americans said the war has not been worth fighting, while in a Pew Research Center poll, just 45% said that the United States made the wrong decision in using military force against Iraq.
Some of these variations in opinions occur partly because of what is emphasized in the question wording. The ABC News/Washington Post poll question asks: "All in all, considering the costs to the United States versus the benefits to the United States, do you think the war with Iraq was worth fighting, or not?" The emphasis on "costs" probably serves the function of reminding respondents of problems associated with the war. The Pew Research Center question asked: "Do you think the U.S. made the right decision or the wrong decision in using military force against Iraq?" This wording serves to remind respondents of the initial decision to go to war, which apparently engenders more positive reactions than asking about the war's current costs.
The question Gallup asked about Iraq asked this weekend is very straightforward: "Do you favor or oppose the U.S. war with Iraq?" Response to this question is negative: 59% oppose the war, compared with only 39% who favor it. These results are much more negative than they were the other two times Gallup asked this question over the last hear and a half, in November 2004 (48% favor, 46% oppose) and March 2005 (47% favor, 47% oppose).