Despite being widely reported in the mainstream news media that the US and other countries have not found any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, as well as Democrat talking points that Bush lied about WMD, more Americans (50 percent) think that Iraq had such weapons when the U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq.
This is a 14 percent increase from February 2005, when only 36 percent thought Iraq had WMD. This may be attributed to the recent discovery of an intelligence report describing over 500 shells containing WMD being found by US military forces in Iraq.
However, some attitudes toward the war in Iraq are negative and some positive. For instance, less than half of Americans polled believe that the threat of terrorism has been reduced. Also, U.S. adults are not confident that Iraq’s government will eventually become stable, and many think the war in Iraq is continuing to hurt respect for the U.S. around the world. Most people do not think that U.S. troops will be out of Iraq in the next two years.
U.S. adults believe that the following are true about the war in Iraq:
*Seventy-two percent (72 percent) believe that the Iraqis are better off now than they were under Saddam Hussein (slightly down from February 2005 when 76 percent said this was true).
*Just over half (55 percent) think history will give the U.S. credit for bringing freedom and democracy to Iraq (down substantially from 64 percent in February 2005).
*Sixty-four percent(64 percent) say it is true that Saddam Hussein had strong links to Al Qaeda (the same as 64 percent in February 2005).
The public’s views on Iraq have not changed substantially in the past
year:
*A majority (56 percent) thinks that spending huge sums of money to invade and occupy Iraq has meant that a lot less money has been available to protect the United States against another terrorist attack. This has decreased from April 2005 when 62 percent agreed with this sentiment.
*Still, six in 10 (61 percent) adults agree (59 percent in April 2005) that invading and occupying Iraq has motivated more Islamic terrorists to attack the United States.
*By 58 percent to 41 percent, a clear majority does not think that invading Iraq has helped to reduce the threat of another terrorist attack against the United States. This is similar to the 61 percent to 39 percent majority that felt this way in April 2005.
”’Jim Kouri, CPP, is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he’s a staff writer for the New Media Alliance (thenma.org). He’s former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed “Crack City” by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He’s also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He’s a news writer for TheConservativeVoice.Com. He’s also a columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he’s syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. He’s appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com. Kouri’s own Web site is located at”’ https://jimkouri.us
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