More US citizens think Iraq war 'unwinnable'

By correspondents in Washington
March 07, 2007 04:00am
Agence France-Presse

A NEW poll published in the US shows growing pessimism among Americans about the Iraq war with only 28 per cent saying the US will probably or definitely win the conflict.

The USA Today/Gallup Poll result was the lowest since the question was first asked in September 2005 and down from 35 per cent in December.

Some 46 per cent said they did not think the war could be won.

Moreover, 59 per cent now say the war was a mistake, the same as September 2005 and the highest level in the 58 times the question has been asked since the war started in March 2003.

Six in 10 supported funding additional US troops to Iraq, while 52 per cent were against revoking the war authority given to Mr Bush by Congress in 2002.

But 60 per cent said Congress should set a timetable for withdrawing all US troops by the end of next year, while 77 per cent said they supported requiring soldiers to come home if Iraq's leaders fail to meet promises to reduce violence.

Another 76 per cent support requiring that US troops returning from Iraq to stay in the US for at least a year before being re-deployed to the war-torn country.

A measure to cap troop levels in Iraq won support of 54 per cent of those surveyed.

Mr Bush's popularity remained low, with only 33 per cent approving of his performance while 63 per cent disapproved.