From Deseret News archives:
News poll: Iraq support slipping
Despite drop, majority of Utahns still backing war
And Bush himself ranks slightly lower in the poll, with 51 percent of Utahns approving of his war performance. Forty-seven percent said they disapproved of the president's actions in Iraq.
The poll of 410 Utahns was conducted June 26-28 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent.
Pollster Dan Jones said support for the war is slipping in Utah, just as it already had in the rest of the country. Now, even some of the president's fellow Republicans in the Senate have broken ranks and are questioning his decision to send some 30,000 troops into Iraq.
"Utah has been one of the states that's backed the president most," Jones said, noting he had measured Bush's war performance in statewide polls conducted earlier in the war at as high as 65 percent.
Why are Utahns less supportive? "One, casualties," Jones said. "Two, they don't see the bombings and the brutal behavior of the enemy being curtailed. It doesn't seem to be that we're making great headway in winning the war."
The latest Utah war casualty was killed in Iraq on Tuesday by small-arms fire. Sgt. Nathan L. Winder, 32, grew up in Blanding after being adopted at age 2 from his native Korea. He was a U.S. Special Forces medic assigned to an airborne unit.
Since the start of the "war on terror" that followed the deadly Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, at least 42 members of the military and others with Utah ties have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
As of Friday, 99 American troops had died in Iraq during the month of June, according to The Associated Press, raising the death toll for the past three months to 329, the highest since the war began in March 2003.
Bush suffered a political setback on June 25, when Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., spoke out against the war in Iraq from the Senate floor. Lugar, who had been a supporter of Bush's war effort, said, "we have overestimated what the military can achieve."
Although Democrats in Congress have spoken out about the president's strategy, calling for a deadline for withdrawing troops, most Republicans have been willing to wait until September to judge the success of the recent buildup.
Jones said he expects to see the administration make some policy changes this fall. But unless there's improvement in the situation in Iraq, Jones said support for the war will slide even more among Utahns.
"If it doesn't get better, yes, it will continue to drop," he said. "The more the casualties go up, the more the probability is that the support will go down."
E-mail: lisa@desnews.com
Comments
- Hockey HOF class gets its rings 3:03 p.m.
- Phelps to test old suits at World Cup 3:03 p.m.
- Flyers get QB back for semifinal tilt 3:02 p.m.
- Former DPS head pleads guilty 2:46 p.m.
- Hasan's lawyer to meet with him 2:45 p.m.
- Hatch empathizes with Muslims 2:42 p.m.
- Two arrested in $3 robbery 2:41 p.m.
- Dow hits highest level in a year 2:33 p.m.
- 2 more in GOP may challenge Bennett 2:31 p.m.
- Life sentences for juveniles examined 2:20 p.m.
- TCU showdown has big implications
- Seniors helped BYU regroup
- Hope for single moms
- Lambert surprisingly tops news
- Bystanders framed for child porn
- Korver and Miles to be evaluated
- TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
- Utah Jazz Extra: Whose hot/not
- Newhouse Hotel, an explosive end
- TCU moves into 4th place in BCS
- Gay advocates trek to LDS office
251 - House passes health care bill
214 - Lobo suspended
176 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
153 - TCU showdown has big implications
149 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
130 - Thousands protest health bill
108 - Provo company innovating engines
107 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
104 - RSL rallies to advance
103
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
NASA's Stardust probe continues to bring new knowledge about the nature...
Im sure she will be named Ms. Soccer of Utah.
I came to a better understanding of this and related matters by litening to...
I think Fred would be an awesome candidate to run against Bennett. Eagar is a...
Does anyone have a lot of confidence in the Jazz drafting ability if we do...
All i have to say is Utah state is getting there GO look at choach andersons...
Bennett is the real conservative in this race and will school both of them.
Poor PG fans can't handle the truth, now that they are done. Thanks for...
Mike Lee is an amazing Constitutional Scholar with Supreme Court experience....
Just another sign that the Second Coming is on its way.
Nothing like job security for the legal defenders, they don't care as long as...



You can be the first to comment on this story.