On 10th Anniversary, 53% in U.S. See Iraq War as Mistake

Gallup ^ | 03/18/2013 | Andrew Dugan

[SeekAndFind]

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Ten years have passed since the United States and its allies invaded Iraq, and it appears the majority of Americans consider this a regrettable anniversary. Fifty-three percent of Americans believe their country "made a mistake sending troops to fight in Iraq" and 42% say it was not a mistake.

The March 7-10 results mark the first time Gallup has asked this question since the full withdrawal of American troops in December 2011. Although majorities or near-majorities have viewed the conflict as a mistake continuously since August 2005, the current 53% is down from the high point of 63% in April 2008.

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq war. Though the engagement has now come to an end, this seminal event in recent American history still looms large in the national political consciousness. In his second inaugural address, President Barack Obama highlighted the end of the war, stating "a decade of war is now ending" and, more recently, Sen. John McCain confronted now-Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel as to whether the 2007 Iraq war "surge" was successful.

Americans initially supported the war, with substantial majorities in 2003 saying the U.S. decision to get involved in Iraq was not a mistake. However, attitudes changed relatively quickly, and by the summer of 2004, a majority of Americans called the war a mistake.

Opinions fluctuated somewhat thereafter but, with one exception, since August 2005, a majority has said the war was a mistake each time Gallup has asked the question -- and at several points, more than 60% said so. The last time Gallup asked this question, in August 2010, 55% called the war a mistake.

[RFEngineer]

“Shah was not Arab, nor does Arab always equal Muslim.”

You’re full of obvious information.

The American Soldier does not fight for kings.

[jmacusa]

“Either war is obsolete or men are.’’— Historian J. F. C. Fuller. I see what you mean but once if ever God forbid, the nuclear genie is unleashed , again, no one will be able to contain it.

[KC_Lion]

I am a bit of Pessimist on Man's Stupidity.

Sadly I believe the Apocalypse would just be a prolong, to another bloody Chapter in Human History.

Because War, War Never Changes.

[CJ Wolf]

The point would be that we can go in take out the leader and destroy their infrastructure and ability to attack in 8 months and tell them not to f- with us again or we would screw them up even worse next time. There is no reason to hang out and waste our treasure and blood. They needed to be punished. We then could have marched into Iran and done the same thing and leave via Afghansitan. Scorched earth theory. Pakistan would have handed over Bin Laden when we came knocking on their border Looking at the below graph, Imagine leaving after the point of Saddam being captured, if we marched into Iran at that point, we would have finished them off by 2005. Instead, here we are.