Tuesday, May 13, 2003
Poll: Bush Overestimated Iraq Weapons
From: spliffslips
Military Care Packages War Blog Updates
--------------------
Poll: Bush Overestimated Iraq Weapons
--------------------
By Associated Press
May 13, 2003, 9:49 PM EDT
WASHINGTON -- About half the country believes the Bush administration overestimated the number of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, according to a poll released Tuesday, but most people feel the war was worth it anyway.
The CBS News-New York Times poll found 64 percent of Americans are aware that no weapons of mass destruction have yet been found in Iraq.
Some 49 percent said the administration overestimated the amount of mass destruction weapons in Iraq, while 29 percent said its estimates were accurate and 12 percent said they were low.
Two-thirds of those who believe the weapons count was overestimated also believe it was a deliberate exaggeration to build support for the war.
Still, 56 percent said the war will have been worth it if weapons of mass destruction are never found, while 38 percent said it would not have been worth it.
Similarly, 56 percent said the war would have been worth it even if Saddam Hussein is never captured or killed, while 37 percent say it would not have been worth it.
Asked who should take the lead in setting up a new Iraqi government, 45 percent preferred the United Nations; 34 percent say the United States should manage things entirely on its own for now; and 13 percent want the United States to lead but also want a U.N. role.
A question about the new round of tax cuts suggested good news for the Bush administration: 41 percent of respondents think the cuts would help rather than hurt the economy; 19 percent think they would be bad for the economy; and 33 percent think they would have no effect.
President Bush's job approval rating is 67 percent.
The poll also found that jobs and the economy continue to dominate Americans' list of priorities, named by 40 percent as the top issue they want addressed; war and terrorism are mentioned by 15 percent; education by 4 percent; family values by 3 percent; health care by 3 percent; and poverty by 3 percent.
The poll sampled 910 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone May 9-12. The error due to sampling could be plus or minus 3 percentage points for results based on the entire sample.
Copyright (c) 2003, The Associated Press
--------------------
This article originally appeared at:
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-iraq-poll,0,3055289.story
Visit Newsday online at http://www.newsday.com
|
Military Care Packages War Blog Updates
--------------------
Poll: Bush Overestimated Iraq Weapons
--------------------
By Associated Press
May 13, 2003, 9:49 PM EDT
WASHINGTON -- About half the country believes the Bush administration overestimated the number of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, according to a poll released Tuesday, but most people feel the war was worth it anyway.
The CBS News-New York Times poll found 64 percent of Americans are aware that no weapons of mass destruction have yet been found in Iraq.
Some 49 percent said the administration overestimated the amount of mass destruction weapons in Iraq, while 29 percent said its estimates were accurate and 12 percent said they were low.
Two-thirds of those who believe the weapons count was overestimated also believe it was a deliberate exaggeration to build support for the war.
Still, 56 percent said the war will have been worth it if weapons of mass destruction are never found, while 38 percent said it would not have been worth it.
Similarly, 56 percent said the war would have been worth it even if Saddam Hussein is never captured or killed, while 37 percent say it would not have been worth it.
Asked who should take the lead in setting up a new Iraqi government, 45 percent preferred the United Nations; 34 percent say the United States should manage things entirely on its own for now; and 13 percent want the United States to lead but also want a U.N. role.
A question about the new round of tax cuts suggested good news for the Bush administration: 41 percent of respondents think the cuts would help rather than hurt the economy; 19 percent think they would be bad for the economy; and 33 percent think they would have no effect.
President Bush's job approval rating is 67 percent.
The poll also found that jobs and the economy continue to dominate Americans' list of priorities, named by 40 percent as the top issue they want addressed; war and terrorism are mentioned by 15 percent; education by 4 percent; family values by 3 percent; health care by 3 percent; and poverty by 3 percent.
The poll sampled 910 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone May 9-12. The error due to sampling could be plus or minus 3 percentage points for results based on the entire sample.
Copyright (c) 2003, The Associated Press
--------------------
This article originally appeared at:
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-iraq-poll,0,3055289.story
Visit Newsday online at http://www.newsday.com
