[lbo-talk] who supports/opposes war on Iraq?

[Marvin Gandall]

But the Americans are not such assholes, it would seem - not on this
evidence. Who are the "US'ers" anyhow? The poll shows that, as elsewhere,
American values and behaviour vary in accordance with class, race, gender,
age, and geography. Considering that widespread popular jingoism has been
characteristic of dominant empires everywhere - Carrol alluded to the mass
culture of British imperialism in its heyday - Americans, on the whole, seem
to be responding to their own imperialism not too badly. The jingoes and
racists are mostly concentrated in and around the Republican party, driven
there since the WTC attack by an hysterical fear of foreigners and terrorism
which the Bush administration has eagerly expolited. But they're not the
majority, and even in that camp things are beginning to change. The tone of
some of the postings on the "asshole" thread suggests we need to contend
with our own forms of hysteria.
-------------------------
Doug posted:


> <http://poll.gallup.com/content/default.aspx?ci=10024>
>
> Support for the War by Subgroups
>
> To more closely examine the nature of support and opposition to the war in
> Iraq, Gallup combined the results of its past six surveys, from August
> through the end of October, to provide a large sample of more than 5,000
> respondents. Across these six polls, 54% say the war was a mistake, while
> 45% say that it was not.
>
> One of the most striking, albeit predictable, differences follows partisan
> lines. Only one in five Republicans (20%) say it was a mistake to send
> troops to Iraq. This compares with 6 in 10 independents (59%) and 8 in 10
> Democrats (80%) who share this point of view.
>
> Another major difference in support appears between whites and blacks.
> Whites are divided in their views of the war, with 50% saying it was a
> mistake and 49% saying it was not. Among blacks, 79% view it as a mistake,
> while just 21% say it was not a mistake.
>
> Americans residing in the eastern parts of the country are more likely
> than those living elsewhere to say it was a mistake to send troops to
> Iraq. Sixty percent of Easterners say it was a mistake to send troops,
> while 54% of Midwesterners, 48% of Southerners, and 53% of Westerners say
> it was a mistake.
>
> A majority of younger Americans (55% of 18- to 29-year-olds) and older
> Americans (54% of 50- to 64-year-olds and 59% of those aged 65 and older)
> feel it was a mistake to send troops to Iraq. Americans in the 30- to
> 49-year-old age group are divided in their views of the war, with 50%
> saying it was a mistake and 49% saying it was not.
>
> The data also show a slight gender difference, with women (56%) modestly
> more inclined to say it was a mistake than men (51%).
>
> Americans living in higher-income households ($75,000 or more per year)
> are slightly more positive than negative in their assessments of the war,
> with 48% saying it was a mistake and 51% saying it was not. These results
> are more negative among lower-income households, with the "mistake"
> percentage at 52% for those earning between $30,000 and $75,000 per year,
> and at 62% for those earning less than $30,000 per year.
> ___________________________________
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>