Poll: Iraq War Made U.S. Less Safe
Angus-Reid
August 15, 2007

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States believe the coalition effort did not bring security at home, according to a poll by Opinion Research Corporation released by CNN. 49 per cent of respondents think the war with Iraq has made the U.S. less safe from terrorism, while 42 per cent say it has made it safer.

In addition, 45 per cent of respondents think the chances of a terrorist attack in the U.S. would be higher if the U.S. withdraws its troops from Iraq as soon as possible, while 44 per cent disagree.

The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein's regime was launched in March 2003. At least 3,694 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and more than 27,200 troops have been wounded in action.

In December 2005, Iraqi voters renewed their National Assembly. In May 2006, Shiite United Iraqi Alliance member Nouri al-Maliki officially took over as prime minister.

On Jan. 10, U.S. president George W. Bush introduced his new course of action for the coalition effort, which includes an increase in U.S. troop levels. On Jul. 12, Bush discussed the Iraqi government's progress, declaring, "Of the 18 benchmarks Congress asked us to measure, we can report that satisfactory progress is being made in eight areas."

The U.S. Congress has asked commander of the Multi-National Force - Iraq David Petraeus and U.S. ambassador in Iraq Ryan Crocker to provide a comprehensive assessment of the situation in Iraq in September.

In his Aug. 11 radio address, Bush discussed the effectiveness of the increase in U.S. troop levels, saying, "The surge (...) is designed to help provide security for the Iraqi people, especially in Baghdad—and aid the rise of an Iraqi government that can protect its people, deliver basic services for all its citizens, and serve as an ally in the war on terror. Our new strategy is delivering good results, and our commanders recently reported more good news."

Polling Data

Half Sample - Do you think the war with Iraq has made the U.S. safer or less safe from terrorism?

Safer      42%
Less safe  49%
No change   6%
Unsure      2%

Half Sample - Do you think the chances of a terrorist attack in the U.S. would be higher if the U.S. withdraws its troops from Iraq as soon as possible or would be higher if the U.S. keeps its troops in Iraq?

Higher if it withdraws   45%
Higher if it stays       44%
Unsure                   12%

Source: Opinion Research Corporation / CNN
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,029 American adults, conducted from Aug. 6 to Aug. 8, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

Original Text