Majority of Americans say we can win in Iraq

Washington Times:

A majority of Americans say the United States can win the war in Iraq, but the country is sharply divided along party lines about every aspect of the war, according to a United Press International/Zogby poll released today.

The poll shows 54 percent of Americans said the war is not lost. However, among Democrats, 66 percent said the mission has failed already, compared to 9 percent of Republicans who shared that view.

The survey also showed the country split on the success of the U.S. troop surge ordered earlier this year by President Bush and on the wartime performance of the Democrat-led Congress.

"This is a portrait of a divided nation that is not easily going to be placated on this [war] issue," said John Zogby, president of the polling firm. "It's one thing to have a majority; it's another when you look at how diametrically opposed Democrats and Republicans are."

About 49 percent of voters said the troop surge was not working, while 45 percent said it had produced results, according to the online nationwide survey of 6,711 adults, conducted over the weekend.

Most Democrats — 86 percent — said the surge was failing, a view echoed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat.

The pollsters noted that the skepticism of Democrats on the war was reflected by Mr. Reid's remark in April that "this war is lost and the surge is not accomplishing anything."

Just 11 percent of Republicans said the surge was not effective, according to the poll.

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The poll showed that 43 percent of voters said the Democrat-led Congress is doing a worse job handling the war than the last Congress, run by Republicans.

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What the poll demonstrates is that the Democrats are in the minority on the war and it is clear from the results that they are desperate to lose it regardless of the facts. This desperation for defeat should be a political liability for them in 2008 if we go on to sustain the effort in Iraq. Right now the Democrats are al Qaeda's last hope for success in Iraq. The people in Iraq have decisively turned against al Qaeda and the Democrats can no longer legitimately claim that it is an indigenous rebellion or a sectarian civil war. With Sadr standing down, it appears that the largest Shia militia is also quitting the war. The Democrats are in real trouble on the war issue and it will only get worse for them as the war gets better for the US and Iraq.