Bush's war numbers waning

Everyone knew Bush's war-time poll numbers would drop, and the latest Newsweek poll is no exception (from 71 percent approval to 65 percent).

However, his Iraq numbers are starting to fall as well, despite a lack of high-profile news to drive the drops. Approval for Bush's handling of Iraq has dropped from 79 percent to 74 -- still high, obviously, but eroding.

Why the drop? It could be a general disatisfaction with Bush as people turn their eyes to the economy. Or, it could be a growing sense that our men and women should "come home".

And people also seem more anxious for troops to leave Iraq than in weeks past. Twelve percent think the U.S. military should remain in Iraq only for another week or two—up 6 percent from mid-April, when Saddam Hussein’s regime was first toppled. Those who think troops should remain for between one and two years is down 7 points, to 26 percent. And there is increasing uncertainty: the number of Americans who say they don’t know how long a military presence should remain is up 4 points since mid-April, to 12 percent.

US troops need to remain in Iraq if Bush has any hope of staving off a fundamentalist regime and building the pro-Israel "democracy" the Neocons assume will flourish in the country (thus providing added impetus for the democratizing of other strongman regimes in the region blah blah blah).

That people are starting to feel nervous about the occupation does not bode well for Bush. These numbers will bear watching over the coming months.

Posted May 05, 2003 07:02 AM | Comments (96)