[Peace-discuss] 3 out of 5 say bring troops home

[C. G. Estabrook]

[The US population is more in favor of bringing the troops home than ever
before, according to the Harris poll.  --CGE]

The Harris Poll. Feb. 8-13, 2005. N=1,012 adults nationwide.  MoE +/-3.

"Do you favor keeping a large number of U.S. troops in Iraq until there is
a stable government there OR bringing most of our troops home in the next
year?"

                    Bring
        Wait for    Home In
       Stable Govt. Next Year  Unsure
              %         %         %
2/8-13/05    39       59         1
11/9-14/04   50       47         2
10/14-17/04  47       50         3
9/9-13/04    38       54         7
8/10-15/04   40       54         5
6/8-15/04    39       56         6
4/8-15/04    42       51         8
2/9-16/04    45       51         4
10/03        46       47         7

<http://www.pollingreport.com/iraq.htm>

[Yoshie Furuhasi of Critical Montages explains these numbers as follows.]

The changes in proportions of those who say "Wait for Stable Govt."  and
"Bring Home in Next Year" show the negative impacts of electoral campaigns
(in which both the Democratic and Republican Parties' presidential
candidates favored continuing the occupation of Iraq) on sentiments
against the war on and occupation of Iraq.

Last year, after climbing up to the high point of 56% on June 8-15, the
voices that said "Bring Home in Next Year" decreased significantly,
*reaching the low point of 47% on November 9-14 and getting reduced to a
minority for the first time since Harris began to poll on this question in
October 2003*.

The latest numbers show a recovery of sentiments against the war and
occupation -- despite the ruling class propaganda about the successful
Iraqi elections -- probably because the negative effects of electoral
politics have worn off.  We'll see if we can capitalize on the change
through actions against the occupation on March 19-20, 2005. -- Yoshie

	* Critical Montages: <http://montages.blogspot.com/>
	* Greens for Nader: <http://greensfornader.net/>
	* Bring Them Home Now! <http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/>