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Some two weeks into the war against Iraq, BusinessWeek Online readers
remained very optimistic that the U.S. will win, but they're unsure or
skeptical that it would achieve the key objectives set forth by President
George W. Bush at the outset of the conflict. Those are the primary findings from a Mar. 27 BusinessWeek Online Reader Survey.
Of the nearly 800 readers who participated, 14% of whom were from outside the U.S., some 81% said the U.S. is somewhat or very likely to win the war, vs. 13% who said it's somewhat unlikely or not likely at all.
Readers felt that way even though 65% thought that, to date, the war had
gone not as well as expected or not well at all. They seemed to place the
responsibility for that on the war's planners -- the President, Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and top generals: 62% said their performance had
been worse or much worse than expected, vs. the 18% who felt it was better
or much better than expected.
SPLIT ON WEAPONS. Generally, readers felt that soldiers on both sides are performing well: 46% said U.S. troops are doing only about as well as expected, vs. the 33% who thought they're doing better or much better than expected. But that's likely because those who participated in the survey had high expectations of U.S. troops. Asked simply how American soldiers are performing, 59% said
extremely well or very well.
Respondents are skeptical, however, over whether victory in Iraq will achieve the President's aims. They were evenly divided on the question of how likely it is that the U.S. will uncover weapons of mass destruction in Iraq: 41% think that's somewhat or very likely, vs. 41% who think it's somewhat or very unlikely.
Similarly, 58% think it's somewhat or very unlikely that the Iraqi people
ultimately will regard the U.S. as their liberator, vs. the 29% who think
that's somewhat or very likely.
DEMOCRACY? UNLIKELY. Some 61% of those who participated think it's somewhat or very unlikely that by toppling Saddam Hussein's regime the U.S. will head off terrorist attacks at home, vs. the 28% who think that's somewhat or very likely.
And 67% thought it not very likely or not likely at all that a U.S. victory
in Iraq will pave the way for the spread of democracy throughout the Middle
and Far East, vs. the 20% who view that as very or somewhat likely.
Asked how personally committed they are to the goals of the war as
articulated by the Bush Administration, 41% said they are somewhat or very
committed, vs. 50% who said they are not very committed, or not committed at all.
Here are the full results of the survey, which as usual isn't scientific
since anyone who wished to could participate:
How would you say the war has gone to date, from the U.S. perspective?
Option
Total
%
Much better than expected
34
4.39 %
Better than expected
88
11.35 %
Neither better nor worse than expected
152
19.61 %
Not as well as expected
269
34.71 %
Not well at all
226
29.16 %
Don't know
6
0.77 %
How would you describe the performance of U.S. troops in battle?
Option
Total
%
Much better than expected
105
13.58 %
Better than expected
148
19.15 %
Neither better nor worse than expected
356
46.05 %
Worse than expected
96
12.42 %
Much worse than expected
49
6.34 %
Don't know
19
2.46 %
Overall, how would you say U.S. troops are performing?
Option
Total
%
Extremely well
214
27.76 %
Very well
242
31.39 %
As well as not
157
20.36 %
Not very well
83
10.77 %
Not well at all
56
7.26 %
Don't know
19
2.46 %
How would you describe the performance of the Iraqi troops in battle?
Option
Total
%
Much better than expected
188
24.45 %
Better than expected
312
40.57 %
Neither better nor worse than expected
196
25.49 %
Worse than expected
29
3.77 %
Much worse than expected
24
3.12 %
Don't know
20
2.60 %
How would you describe the performance to date of the war's planners (President Bush, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, and the nation's top generals) in coming up with a good battle strategy?
Option
Total
%
Much better than expected
50
6.48 %
Better than expected
88
11.4 %
Neither better nor worse than expected
148
19.17 %
Worse than expected
178
23.06 %
Much worse than expected
299
38.73 %
Don't know
9
1.17 %
At this point, how likely do you think it is that U.S. forces will uncover or be exposed to Iraqi weapons of mass destruction?
Option
Total
%
Very likely
162
20.96 %
Somewhat likely
160
20.7 %
As likely as not
116
15.01 %
Somewhat unlikely
153
19.79 %
Very unlikely
161
20.83 %
Don't know
21
2.72 %
At this point, how likely do you think it is that the Iraqi people ultimately will regard the U.S. as their liberator?
Option
Total
%
Very likely
78
10.05 %
Somewhat likely
146
18.81 %
As likely as not
95
12.24 %
Somewhat unlikely
117
15.08 %
Very unlikely
333
42.91 %
Don't know
7
0.90 %
At this point, how likely do you think it is that by toppling Saddam Hussein's regime, the U.S. will head off terrorist attacks at home?
Option
Total
%
Very likely
122
15.78 %
Somewhat likely
98
12.68 %
As likely as not
73
9.44 %
Somewhat unlikely
82
10.61 %
Very unlikely
388
50.19 %
Don't know
10
1.29 %
According to some theories, a U.S. victory in Iraq will pave the way for the spread or imposition of democracy throughout the Middle and Far East. At the moment, would you say that this is:
Option
Total
%
Very likely
39
5.05 %
Somewhat likely
116
15.01 %
Neither more nor less likely
95
12.29 %
Not very likely
191
24.71 %
Not likely at all
326
42.17 %
Don't know
6
0.78 %
How likely do you think it is that the U.S. will win in Iraq?
Option
Total
%
Very likely
479
61.97 %
Somewhat likely
144
18.63 %
Neither more nor less likely
45
5.82 %
Somewhat unlikely
52
6.73 %
Not likely at all
45
5.82 %
Don't know
8
1.03 %
How committed would you say you are personally to the goals of the war as articulated by the Bush Administration?
Option
Total
%
Very committed
225
29.22 %
Somewhat committed
93
12.08 %
As committed as not
59
7.66 %
Not very committed
80
10.39 %
Not committed at all
305
39.61 %
Don't know
8
1.04 %
Where do you live?
Option
Total
%
Northeast
191
24.61 %
Midwest
128
16.49 %
South
120
15.46 %
Southwest
74
9.54 %
West
155
19.97 %
Outside the U.S.
108
13.92 %
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Copyright 2003, Bloomberg L.P.
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