Voters Undecided on How to Leave Iraq

A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll indicated an equal national divide over how to approach the problem of pulling out of Iraq. Sen. Barack Obama has a 16-month timeline for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. Sen. John McCain wants to measure withdrawal by events, rather than set a timetable. Statistics on Voters Leaving Iraq In terms of overall Iraq policy, 47 percent of the public believes that Republican nominee McCain can better handle the war, while 45 percent trust Obama. Despite attacks from the Obama camp, 72 percent of those polled think that McCain would be a first-rate commander in chief. Additionally, the country divides regarding whether the presumptive Democratic nominee would be an effective military leader, with 48 percent saying he would and the other 48 percent in disagreement. Part of Obama’s image issue has been to convince voters that he would indeed be a great commander in chief. Criticism Over Iraq Withdrawal Recently, Obama wrote an opinion piece in the New York Times supporting Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his desire to see a withdrawal timetable. Obama wrote that he would not waver from a withdrawal plan, bringing home one to two combat bridges per month. According to Obama, “Only by redeploying out troops can we…achieve a successful transition to Iraqis taking responsibility for the stability of their country.” McCain’s camp responded by saying the article is a political strategy, based on losing the war. Although there has been a decrease in the number of attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq, 63 percent of Americans in the poll feel the war has not been worth the fight. However, 46 percent said the U.S. has made progress. A slight majority of 51 percent believes that fighting in Afghanistan has been more effective, while 51 percent believe the U.S. needs to win in Afghanistan in the fight against terrorism. As al-Qaeda and Taliban forces grow stronger in Afghanistan and as U.S. military commanders state the need for Iraq’s military to assume control of their country by next year, whether military withdrawal will occur remains to be seen. So far, it’s too early to tell what this indicates for military personnel. However, at least half the nation supports leaving Iraq. Comments (0) Show/Hide comments Write comment Show/Hide comment form Name Email Website Title Comment Add Comment