Washington Post-ABC News poll (12/12/06)

Americans Say U.S. Is Losing War
Tuesday, December 12, 2006; Page A01
Washington Post
By Peter Baker and Jon Cohen

Article available at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/12/AR2006121200278.html

Poll details available at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_121206.htm

Washington Post-ABC News poll
Released December 12, 2006; conducted December 7-11, 2006
The results have a three-point error margin.

Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president? Do you approve/disapprove strongly or somewhat?
36% Approve
18% Strongly
18% Somewhat
62% Disapprove
13% Somewhat
49% Strongly

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bush is handling the situation in Iraq?28% Approve
12% Strongly
16% Somewhat
70% Disapprove
13% Somewhat
57% Strongly

What would you say is the one most important problem you would like to see Bush and the Congress deal with next year?
44% Iraq/War in Iraq
10% Economy
6% Health care
5% Immigration
4% Terrorism/War on terrorism/Homeland security
4% Education

Who do you trust to do a better job handling the situation in Iraq, (Bush) or (the Democrats in Congress)?
32% Bush
56% Democrats

Do you think Congress should or should not hold hearings on how the Bush administration handled pre-war intelligence, war planning, and related issues in the war in Iraq?
53% Should
44% Should not

All in all, considering the costs to the United States versus the benefits to the United States, do you think the war with Iraq was worth fighting, or not? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?
36% Worth fighting
25% Strongly
11% Somewhat
61% Not worth fighting
12% Somewhat
50% Strongly

Again thinking about the goals versus the costs of the war, so far in your opinion has there been an acceptable or unacceptable number of U.S. military casualties in Iraq?
21% Acceptable
77% Unacceptable

Do you think the war with Iraq has or has not contributed to the long-term security of the United States? IF YES: Has it contributed to the long-term security of the United States a great deal, or somewhat?
46% Has contributed
25% Great deal
21% Somewhat
51% Has not contributed

Do you think (the United States should keep its military forces in Iraq until civil order is restored there, even if that means U.S. military casualties); OR, do you think (the United States should withdraw its military forces from Iraq in order to avoid further U.S. military casualties, even if that means civil order is not restored there)?
48% Keep forces
48% Withdraw forces

Do you think the Bush Administration does or does not have a clear plan for handling the situation in Iraq?
25% Does
72% Does not

Do you think the Democrats in Congress do or do not have a clear plan for handling the situation in Iraq?
26% Do
65% Do not

Do you think the number of U.S. military forces in Iraq should be (increased), (decreased), or kept about the same?
17% Increased
52% Decreased
27% Kept about the same

(IF DECREASED) Should all U.S. forces in Iraq be withdrawn immediately, or should they be decreased, but not all withdrawn immediately?
28% Withdrawn immediately
70% Decreased but not immediately

Do you think the United States is or is not making significant progress toward restoring civil order in Iraq?
31% Is making significant progress
66% is not making significant progress

In making its case for war with Iraq, do you think the Bush administration (told the American public what it believed to be true), or (intentionally misled the American public)?
45% Told the American public what it believed to be true
52% Intentionally misled the American public

All told, do you think the United States is winning or losing the war in Iraq?
34% Winning
52% Losing

All told, do you think the United States will win or lose the war in Iraq?
34% Win
46% Lose

Would you describe Iraq as currently in a civil war, not in a civil war but close to one, or is the situation less severe than that?
41% Currently in a civil war
45% Not in civil war but close to one
11% Situation less severe than that

As you may know a government committee called the Iraq Study Group issued its report on Iraq this week. Given what you've heard and read, overall do you support or oppose the Iraq Study Group report?
46% Support
22% Oppose

Do you think the Iraq Study Group does or does not have a clear plan for handling the situation in Iraq?
32% Does
41% Does not

Please tell me if you support or oppose each of the following proposals. a. Changing the primary mission of U.S. forces in Iraq to supporting and training the Iraqi Army, rather than on directly fighting insurgents.
79% Support
18% Oppose

c. Withdrawing almost all U.S. combat forces from Iraq by early 2008, but keeping military training forces there.
69% Support
28% Oppose

d. Reducing U.S. military and financial support from the Iraqi government if the Iraqis fail to make progress toward national unity and restoring civil order.
74% Support
22% Oppose

(IF OPPOSE) Is that because you want U.S forces to (be withdrawn sooner), or to (stay longer)?
53% Withdrawn sooner
42% Stay longer

Do you think the United States is or is not making significant progress in training and equipping the Iraqi Army to be an effective force in Iraq?
41% Is making significant profess
53% Is not making significant progress

How confident are you that after U.S. training the Iraqi Army will be able to defeat the insurgents in Iraq - very confident, somewhat confident, not so confident or not confident at all?
51% Confident
8% Very
43% Somewhat
48% Not Confident
31% Not so
17% Not at all

Some people say (the United States should include direct talks with Syria as part of a regional dialogue about the situation in Iraq because Syria has influence in the region). Others say (the United States should not directly engage with Syria because the U.S. has identified Syria as a sponsor of terrorism.) What do you think? Do you think the United States should or should not hold direct talks with Syria about the situation in Iraq?
58% Should include Syria in talks
37% Should not include directly engage with Syria

Some people say (the United States should include direct talks with Iran as part of a regional dialogue about the situation in Iraq because Iran has influence in the region). Others say (the United States should not directly engage with Iran because the US has identified Iran as a sponsor of terrorism and because of Iran's nuclear program.) What do you think? Do you think the United States should or should not hold direct talks with Iran about the situation in Iraq?
57% Should include Iran in talks
41% Should not engage directly with Iran

Do you think Bush is or is not willing enough to change his administration's policies in Iraq?
30% Is
66% Is not

Thinking about the next 12 months, would you say you feel (optimistic) or (pessimistic) about the situation in Iraq?
40% Optimistic
57% Pessimistic