A majority of Americans feel that President George W Bush's policy on Iraq has failed and the US is losing the war.
WASHINGTON: A majority of Americans feel that President George W Bush's policy on Iraq has failed and the US is losing the war.
The majority also endorse the recent bipartisan policy panel report that made major recommendations for a policy change, including engaging Iran and Syria, according to the latest polls.
Nearly eight in ten Americans believe that the mission in Iraq must change from direct combat to training Iraqi troops, the latest poll by Washington Post and ABC News has revealed.
Americans also agreed that the administration's goals must be one of pulling out nearly all combat troops by 2008, pushing for talks with Iran and Syria and reducing American financial backing to Iraq if not enough progress has been made.
The poll findings come at a time when there are deep divisions in Congress over the report of the Iraq Study Group; and the White House for its part has less than enthusiastically welcomed some of the key findings of the bipartisan panel led by James Baker and Lee Hamilton.
About the only point of agreement in the country is the Panel's observations that things in Iraq are grave and getting worse.
"Part of the problem is the expectation was so high. The expectation was proportionate to the seriousness of the issue and how greatly people were concerned about it. The problem is there is no absolute correct answer," panel member Vernon Jordan has said.
There was more bad news for the White House with the poll showing the approval rating for the President standing at 36 per cent, down four points from before the elections and the second-worst of his presidency.
The poll showed the lowest-ever approval for his handling of Iraq -- at 28 per cent.
Another survey by The Post/ABC News says 52 per cent feel the US is losing the war in Iraq, up from 34 per cent last year, while 41 per cent say Iraq is now in a civil war, up from 34 per cent in August; 45 per cent describe the situation as close to a civil war.
The survey also showed that only 25 per cent still think the Bush administration has any clear solution, down 13 points since September. Worse, even Republicans are no longer convinced, with only 49 per cent saying the president has a clear plan, down 22 points since September.
And in contrast to the political apprehensions of the Iraq Study Group recommendations the American public appears to be more supportive of it with 46 per cent backing the report and its findings and only 22 per cent against it.
On specific recommendations of the panel, the survey showed that 79 per cent favour shifting US troops from combat to support; 69 per cent support withdrawing most combat forces by early 2008; 74 per cent support reducing aid if Iraq fails to make progress toward national unity and civil order; and about six in 10 support talking with Syria and Iran to try to resolve the conflict.
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