Americans see no link between Iraq, terror war – Poll

[sonz]

The majority of Americans no longer believe that there’s a link between the Iraq War and the U.S.’s so-called “war on terror”, despite President Bush’s insistence that the two are closely related, a New York Times/ CBS News poll shows.

51% of those polled said the war in Iraq wasn’t related to the “war on terrorism”, according to the survey.

The findings contradicted with polls taken in 2002 and early 2003, when a majority of Americans believed that the two wars were linked, The New York Times reported.

As recently as June, public opinion was even split, with 41% on both sides of the divide. Now only 32% consider Iraq to be a major part of the “war on terror”, the newspaper said.

The poll also showed that 45% believe that the Bush administration had focused too heavily on Iraq, instead of concentrating on the fight against terrorism.

It also found that 51% consider the U.S. invasion of Iraq a mistake, up from 48% in July, the Times said.

Bush’s approval ratings remained unchanged at 36%. Support for the American President has dwindled due to the unpopular war in Iraq, where more than 2,615 U.S. troops died.

As recently as Monday, Bush tried to defend the Iraq War as crucial to preventing more terror attacks on the U.S.

"If you believe that the job of the federal government is to secure this country, it's really important for you to understand that success in Iraq is part of securing the country," Bush said during a news conference.

The lack of support for the Iraq War adds to the pressure of the Republicans, who are worried over their party’s chances in the November midterm elections in which Democrats are seeking to seize control of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate.

* Iraq violence kills 16

Despite U.S. claims that progress was being made to improve security in Iraq, a series of attacks hit different parts of the war-country on Thursday, killing scores of people, including three U.S. soldiers, and wounding several others, according to the Associated Press news agency.

More than 13 Iraqis, including civilians, soldiers and police, have been killed in bombings and shootings across Iraq, officials said.

One of the three U.S. soldiers was hit by small-arms fire, another was killed by a roadside bombing, and the third died in an exchange of fire, the U.S. army said.

Thursday’s killings came despite claims by U.S. officials that a new security operation to curb violence in Iraq is producing results.

"I think that there's been great progress in the security front here recently in Baghdad," said Gen. John Abizaid, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East.

Communal bloodshed has gripped Iraq following the Feb. 22 bombing of a major Shia mosque in the town of Samarra, north of Baghdad.

Sectarian violence claimed the lives of more than 3,500 Iraqis last month alone, making it the deadliest month since the U.S. invasion and triggering fears of an all-out civil war.

[E'jaazi]

I knew from the very beginning that Iraq had nothing to do with the "war on terror." There is no "war on terror", but a plan to put terror into the people in order for them to do exactly what they are doing - destroying the civil liberties of the people in order to form a New World Order!

Besides, even after the 9/11 Commision came out with its findings, the American public did not blink at what had happend and didn't call for the impeachment of Bush. Go figure!

[Malaikah]

^how so?

you could also argue that the whole worlds population was related to terrorism becuase they are all humans and it was humans how did any acts of terrorism...

[Dahir]

I knew from the very beginning that Iraq had nothing to do with the "war on terror." There is no "war on terror", but a plan to put terror into the people in order for them to do exactly what they are doing - destroying the civil liberties of the people in order to form a New World Order!

Besides, even after the 9/11 Commision came out with its findings, the American public did not blink at what had happend and didn't call for the impeachment of Bush. Go figure!

I hear that's also how the world ends - one government, one world - it sounds peaceful, but scary.

[Ninth_Scribe]

I knew from the very beginning that Iraq had nothing to do with the "war on terror." There is no "war on terror", but a plan to put terror into the people in order for them to do exactly what they are doing - destroying the civil liberties of the people in order to form a New World Order!

Besides, even after the 9/11 Commision came out with its findings, the American public did not blink at what had happend and didn't call for the impeachment of Bush. Go figure!

Exactly! It's all about power and Bush has become the Father of all Terrorists! No one has worked harder to remove the very constitution we were supposed to be defending! I know there is no such thing as privacy on the internet, but when they start going through my mail and tapping my phone lines... that's just plain nuts! Heaven forbid anyone thinks they have a right to ask questions or learn about any other perception than that of Bush & Co!? We'll be back to burning books soon. It's disgusting!

Ninth Scribe

[Ninth_Scribe]

the whole middle east is related to terrorism in some capacity

Well, I wouldn't go that far. The Middle East is a tribal land, full of passion and rivalry. That's nothing new, but these are their lands and they have the right to run them as they see fit, without some high and mighty jig-head butting his nose into their business because he feels they need a baby-sitter. I believe they could have sorted all this out on their own.

Ninth Scribe

[Ninth_Scribe]

they have the right to run themselves as they see fit until they ask for US involvement or threaten the US both of which have been done by various middle eastern countries

Excellent point! I have been trying to work out what seems to be an identity crisis there and, with that, a conflict of interests. Some people (quite a number of them) want the lands to be just like America. They want music and cafes and night clubs... but since they can't all move to America, they'd like to see the Middle East come out of the Dark Ages, as they put it. Others, mostly the elders, pride themselves on their culture and heritage. They view the modern world as a threat to their interests.

Back in the day, Ezra (Uzayr) ordered them all to separate because he believed there were far too many differences that prevented them from being able to live together... but the population wasn't as enormous as it is today. Also, they didn't have TV, radio and internet to bring these worlds so close together.

I liked the idea of ancient Babylon. I like to see lots of different cultures co-exist and thrive and share their unique customs and languages. But where you have such passionate opposition, it's a problem. For serious Muslims, it must be an impossible scenario to live on a street that has an abortion center on one side and a porn shop on the other.

It a tough one!

[Samee]

Onlu 51% saw no link? That number should be at least in the eighties. But then again, half of Americans are fooled into thinking the war actually stopped more terrorism from happening to them and their families...

[therebbe]

Tell all the Kurdish gased and put into Mass graves by Saddam that Saddam was not a terrorist. That ought to be an interesting discussion.

[north_malaysian]

Tell all the Kurdish gased and put into Mass graves by Saddam that Saddam was not a terrorist. That ought to be an interesting discussion.

Saddam is not a terrorist, he's a dictator.

[Ninth_Scribe]

Saddam is not a terrorist, he's a dictator.

What's the difference? Not being sarcastic... it's a serious question.

Ninth Scribe