Uk Poll: 60% Say War Was Wrong
Angus Reid
March 22, 2007

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in Britain remain upset with the decision to initiate the coalition effort, according to a poll by ICM Research released by BBC Newsnight. 60 per cent of respondents think the United States and Britain were wrong to take military action against Iraq.

The conflict against Saddam Hussein's regime was launched in March 2003. Britain committed troops to both the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and the United States-led coalition effort in Iraq. At least 3,481 soldiers have died during the military operation in Iraq, including 134 Britons.

Labour leader Tony Blair has served as prime minister since 1997. In September 2006, Blair announced his eventual retirement from politics. Current chancellor of the exchequer Gordon Brown has been mentioned as his possible replacement.

Last month, Blair announced his government's plan to withdraw troops from Iraq, saying, "The next chapter in Basra's history will be written by Iraqis. The speed at which this happens depends, of course, in part on what we do, what the Iraqi authorities themselves do, but also on the attitude of those we are together fighting." 52 per cent of respondents think Britain is now a less safe place because of the war in Iraq.

On Mar. 20, British general Jonathan Shaw described the current state of affairs, saying, "I am not talking about withdrawal, but about repositioning the British forces. I see success in the performance of the Iraqi security forces and in their self-reliance."

Polling Data

Do you think the United States and Britain were right or wrong to take military action against Iraq in 2003?

Polling Data

Do you think the United States and Britain were right or wrong to take military action against Iraq in 2003?

Mar. 2007

Mar. 2006

Right thing

29%

31%

Wrong thing

60%

60%

Don't know

9%

9%

Do you think the result of the war in Iraq is that Britain is now a safer place, less safe or is there no real difference one way or the other?

Safer place

3%

No real difference

43%

Less safe

52%

Don't know

2%

Source: ICM Research / BBC Newsnight
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,019 British adults, conducted from Mar. 2 to Mar. 4, 2006. No margin of error was provided.

Original Text