Survey: Troops Believe in Iraq Mission, Morale Generally High

American Forces Press Service ^

[SandRat]

WASHINGTON, July 21, 2006 – Two-thirds of U.S. troops serving in Iraq say they believe the cause they're fighting for is worthwhile, according to a new Stars and Stripes survey. The survey results, reported in the July 19 Mideast edition of Stars and Stripes newspaper, revealed that 46 percent of readers in Iraq who responded to a survey called fighting the war for America "very worthwhile." Another 30 percent rated it "somewhat worthwhile."

Fourteen percent of respondents called the mission "not very worthwhile," and just 8 percent referred to it as "not worthwhile at all," the July 20 paper reported.

The survey explored readers' views on a variety of other issues. Among them were how clearly their mission is defined, their unit's as well as their personal morale, support for troops in the Middle East, and how informed they are about that support.

Respondents overwhelmingly agreed that their mission is clearly defined, the survey noted. Fifty-five percent called it "very clear" and 27 percent called it "somewhat clear." Nine percent said it's "somewhat unclear," and 7 percent said it's "not at all clear."

Unit morale is high, and personal morale even higher, most respondents said. Forty-four percent called unit morale "very high," and 43 percent gave the same ranking for their personal morale. Eighteen percent called their unit morale "somewhat high," and 30 percent ranked their personal morale at that level.

Twenty-six percent of respondents called unit morale "somewhat low," and 19 percent gave that rating for their personal morale. Ten percent reported "very low" unit morale, and 6 percent rated their personal morale at rock bottom.

The vast majority of deployed troops agreed that public support for troops in the Middle East is strong. Forty-four percent rated it "very strong," and 26 percent called it "somewhat strong." Twenty-two percent of respondents called it "not very strong," and 6 percent "weak."

Two-thirds of respondents believe they're well informed about what the public is doing to support troops serving in the Middle East, the survey showed. Forty-four percent called themselves "very well informed," 20 percent "somewhat informed," 28 percent "not very well informed," and 6 percent rated themselves "not well (informed) at all."

Responses appeared to track with military rank. Eight-eight percent of senior officers, for example, ranked both unit and personal morale as high or very high. Among junior enlisted servicemembers, 49 percent rated unit morale as high or very high and 66 percent gave that same rating to their own personal morale.

Almost across the board, respondents said conditions in Iraq had improved since they arrived there. Sixty-nine percent of senior officers, 66 percent of senior enlisted members and 64 percent of junior enlisted troops said conditions were very or somewhat improved. Forty-eight percent of junior officers assigned that rating to conditions.

Nearly 600 Stars and Stripes readers in Iraq responded to the survey, and the results were compiled by media experts from MORI Research, the newspaper reported.

[SandRat]

Stars and Stripes

[SandRat]

Survey Says --- We Beleive in the Mission!

[pissant]

Thank you Rat for posting the real story, time and time again.

[no-to-illegals]

Win one for the Gipper!

[SW6906]

Ping!

[Pine Mtn. Maverick]

I thank God daily for our troops. They are doing a fantastic job. Hezbollah has just proven to the world that radical islam and it's terrorism cannot be tolerated. Period.

[TheDon]

Two-thirds of U.S. troops serving in Iraq say they believe the cause they're fighting for is worthwhile, according to a new Stars and Stripes survey.

... revealed that 46 percent of readers in Iraq who responded to a survey called fighting the war for America "very worthwhile."

Another 30 percent rated it "somewhat worthwhile."

46% + 30% = 76% is over three quarters....what gives?

[SandRat]

Even the S&S has the typical MSM Presstitutes in it.

More and more the S&S makes the old OverSeas Weekly (OverSexed Weekly to some FR Vets) look like a good paper.

[spinestein]

I noticed the discrepancy, too, and I don't get it either.

[TheDon]

Bad math and editor? :^)

[silverleaf]

The latest Iraq index report shows that we are winning. Just check the progress.
http://www.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/indexarchive.htm

[spinestein]

Right now I'm printing out about 100 copies of this story and every time some pacifist goober tells me that we're screwing up Iraq or that supporting the troops means bringing them home now I'm going to shove this up... I mean show him this.

[kromike]

...and every time some pacifist goober tells me that we're screwing up Iraq...

Good Luck. They'll just point to the 8% and act as though THAT'S the percentage of opinion that's truly valid.

[Enchante]

Survey Says...... "MSM and Demagogues are full of sheep feces!!"

[Chicos_Bail_Bonds]

Shouldn't that be 3/4's support it? 76%?

[SandRat]

Lot of other Freepers think so too, but then see reply # 8 for perhaps the reason it's not reported as such.

[Enchante]

"Two-thirds of U.S. troops" = 46% + 30%

BIAS or mere arithmetical INCOMPETENCE??

either way, sounds like the usual media idiocy.

[jan in Colorado]

High Morale ping!

This can't be true. Murtha says we must retreat!

Cut and Run Murtha

[jazusamo]

This can't be true. Murtha says we must retreat!

LOL!...That's because Murtha doesn't base his positions on facts that can be verified, he only uses unnamed sources. This is just like his "our Army is broken" and "those Marines are guilty of cold blooded murder."

[smoothsailing]

Murtha? Please, not that backstabber of our troops.Didn't he just get the "highly acclaimed Fish Award"?

THE EDMUND S. MUSKIE CRY ME A RIVER AWARD

'OLE CUT AND RUN COULDN'T WAIT TO PUT THAT TROPHY ON HIS WALL

(Hat tip ti Sisku Hanne!)

[jan in Colorado]

THE EDMUND S. MUSKIE CRY ME A RIVER AWARD

LOL! Murtha's greatest accomplishment.

Nice trophy, smooth!

[smoothsailing]

HA! I'm predicting that the next award for Murtha, and you know they'll keep on coming, will be the "Jimmy Carter Peace In Our Time Award".

They've got it under wraps, but my spies are everywhere!

Stay tuned! :-)

[spinestein]

My experience is that they always claim that whatever I show them is from a biased source, no matter what the source is.

A few weeks ago I was at a neighborhood 4th of July barbecue and spent about an hour debating politics with a far left wacko who spent his turns regurgitating every kook conspiracy theory that exists about Bush: "Bush stole the election from Gore", "Bush stole the election from Kerry", "Bush caused thousands of blacks to die in Hurricane Katrina", "Bush is trying to exterminate all non-Christians and then steal their oil" and blah, blah, blah. I made sure to NOT contradict any of them but just ask him if he could support each of them with a credible source. I had close access to my computer so I volunteered to print out credible sources for all of MY claims which got passed around to about a dozen others who were watching and listening to our political argument and enjoying the brouhaha. He actually was foolish enough to claim that all of my sources were outright lying and he preferred to believe HIS sources which he named but couldn't produce, and none of them sounded very credible. My final comment that CNN, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the CBO, the UN and all of my other sources must be bogus but we're supposed to believe "Joe's House of Conspiracy Web Site" finished it off.

I knew going in that it would be impossible to convince this guy of anything, but his hatred for conservatives and for Bush caused him to make himself look like a gullible fool in front of a lot of people, a few of whom were political "moderates" and could be persuaded to listen to someone merely presenting a reasonable argument backed up by credible sources. In my opinion, finding a loudmouth at a party or get together like this is a golden opportunity to persuade other people to see your view by purposefully encouraging the kook to get worked up enough to demonstrate his own lack of reason. And it's fun.

[jan in Colorado]

They've got it under wraps, but my spies are everywhere!

Oh, you must be part of President Bush's NSA domestic wiretapping program! ;o)

Way to go keeping tabs on our enemy from within.

[Sisku Hanne]

It must be "muskie love" ;-)

[Coop]

I doubt this survey will stop despicable EX-Marine Murtha's lies, but at least it provides us some more ammunition with which to refute the moonbats.

If you'd like on or off the Irey/Murtha ping list, please FReepmail me.

Make a powerful stand for our troops, and support Murtha's worthy opponent - Diana Irey.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[Peach]

I'm so glad to read this, Coop. Thanks for posting it.

[Clintonfatigued]

This article is good news, particularly in view of what the troops have to face every day.

[Coop]

I'm so glad to read this, Coop. Thanks for posting it.

You're welcome, but I just pinged to it.

I don't know how our troops do it. It just shows the caliber of people we have defending our country. To daily face an amoral, soulless enemy on the streets, face an incredibly hostile and anti-American media, read the incessant negative crap posted on forums across the Web (including this one), to face maggot protesters outside the hospital gates while they're trying to recover from wounds.

And then, if they have paid the ultimate price, during funeral services their loved ones have to be exposed to the filth holding signs calling for the deceased to burn in Hell.

And most of America goes about its business like there's nothing wrong with this scenario.

[StarCMC]

I don't know how our troops do it. It just shows the caliber of people we have defending our country. To daily face an amoral, soulless enemy on the streets, face an incredibly hostile and anti-American media, read the incessant negative crap posted on forums across the Web (including this one), to face maggot protesters outside the hospital gates while they're trying to recover from wounds.

And then, if they have paid the ultimate price, during funeral services their loved ones have to be exposed to the filth holding signs calling for the deceased to burn in Hell.

And most of America goes about its business like there's nothing wrong with this scenario.

BTTT and pinging some friends....

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[laurenmarlowe]

Thanks for posting, and thanks for the ping.

[Just A Nobody]

High Morale ping!

Thank you for the awesome ping. Our Troops are the BEST! God bless them, one and all.

[TASMANIANRED]

Defeat is not an option.

They fight there so we don't have to at home.

Islamofascism know's no border.

God Bless them.

[blackie]

"And then, if they have paid the ultimate price, during funeral services their loved ones have to be exposed to the filth holding signs calling for the deceased to burn in Hell."

The Lord has special plans for these vermin!