Monday, April 02, 2007

Get Out Now?   [Cliff May]

I’ve been deluged by e-mails all day calling me a liar and other nasty names. That’s because Glenn Greenwald over at Salon decided to sic his readers on me. Why? Because of the item I posted here yesterday asking Corner readers if there is evidence to support the left’s talking point that a majority of Americans now want out of Iraq – whatever the consequences.

Greenwald cited a number of polls – by Pew, CNN, and the Washington Post in support of that talking point. To be fair, they do provide a basis – but it’s hardly dispositive as Glenn and his fans so adamantly insist.

For one, as I stated here earlier today, many of the polls frame their questions in a clearly slanted matter.

In addition, there are the polls that Greenwald leaves out – which other readers have now provided. These polls lead to a different interpretation of the public’s mood. A sampling of the results sent to me:

• A Bloomberg poll last month found that 61% of Americans believe withholding funding for the war is a bad idea, while only 28% believe it is a good idea.

• According to a March USA Today/Gallup poll, 61% of Americans oppose “denying the funding needed to send any additional troops to Iraq.”

• That poll also showed that only 20% of Americans want to withdraw the troops immediately.

• Public Opinion Strategies (POS) recently reported that a majority of voters (54%) oppose the Democrats imposing a reduction in troops below the level military commanders requested.

• A POS poll in February found that 59% of voters believe pulling out of Iraq immediately would do more to harm America’s reputation in the world than staying until order is restored.

• That POS poll also finds 57% of voters support staying in Iraq until the job is finished and “the Iraqi government can maintain control and provide security for its people.”

• According to a Time magazine poll also taken in March, only 32% want to withdraw the troops within the next year no matter what happens.

Let me add this: The question of whether most Americans want out of Iraq is not marginal. If members of Congress – in both parties – believe that is what their constituents are demanding, support for Gen. Petraeus and his mission will quickly disappear.

Finally, if I were playing tit-for-tat I'd ask Corner readers to deluge Glenn with e-mails (at GGreenwald@salon.com) demanding he apologize for not citing any polls that contradict his beliefs. But I'm too nice a person for that.

04/02 06:13 PMShare