Public: British Exit From Iraq Shows War Is Going Badly

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- The recent announcement by British Prime Minister Tony Blair that Britain would begin to remove a portion of its fighting forces in Iraq prompted a battle of interpretation on this side of the ocean. 

Vice President Dick Cheney fairly quickly put a positive spin on the British move, telling ABC News' Jonathan Karl: "Well, I look at it and see it is actually an affirmation that there are parts of Iraq where things are going pretty well." 

That sentiment was picked up by White House Press Secretary Tony Snow. When a reporter asked this question: "The Iraq withdrawal plan announced by Tony Blair, do you see that as a negative sign?" Snow responded: "No, it indicates that there's been some progress in Basra ... the fact that they [the British] have made some progress on the ground is going to enable them to move some of the forces out."  

Only about a third of the American public agrees with this positive interpretation, however. When asked for their views on the British troop withdrawal, 65% of Americans interviewed in a Feb. 22-25, 2007 Gallup Poll Panel study say it is a sign things are going poorly, rather than well. Just 3 in 10 agree with the more positive interpretation.

As you may know, the British government has announced it is withdrawing up to 1,600 of its troops from Iraq in the next several months. Based on what you have heard or read, do you view this more as -- [ROTATED: a sign that things are going well in Iraq, (or) a sign that things are going poorly in Iraq]?

There is support among the party faithful for the positive spin on the British actions, however. Fifty-eight percent of Republicans agree that the British withdrawal of troops is a sign that things are going well in Iraq. Among independents that number drops to 27%. Among Democrats, only 10% agree.

Survey Methods

Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,006 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Feb. 22-25, 2007. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.