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The Harris Poll® #74, October 6, 2004
47 to 38 Percent of Public Believes War in Iraq Not Worth
Fighting and Loss of Life Involved, According to Latest Harris Poll
Majorities believe American Civil War, two World Wars, first
Gulf War, and war in Afghanistan were worth fighting, but that Vietnam War was
not.
A new Harris Poll finds that most U.S. adults believe that with the exception
of the wars in Vietnam, Korea and Bosnia, most of the biggest wars in the
history of the United States were worth fighting and the loss of life involved.
However, a 47 to 38 percent plurality now believes that the war in Iraq is not
worth fighting.
The belief that a war was worth fighting is closely linked to its perceived
success, the survey shows. Large majorities believe that that Civil War and the
two World Wars were successful and were worth fighting. A plurality (46% to 22%)
believes that the first Gulf War was successful and a modest majority (53% to
27%) believes it was worth fighting. Opinion is more divided on the Korean War
and the war in Bosnia, which modest pluralities think were successful and worth
fighting.
A clear 55 to 27 percent majority believes the war in Afghanistan was worth
fighting but only a 31 to 27 percent plurality thinks it was successful.
Currently a 43 to 24 percent plurality does not believe that the war in Iraq is
a success, but 33 percent are not able to decide if it is, perhaps because it is
too early to say.
These are the results of a nationwide survey of 2,555 U.S. adults conducted
online between September 20 and 26, 2004.
TABLE 1
WARS WORTH FIGHTING AND LOSS OF LIFE INVOLVED
"And now a question about the wars the United States has
fought. Do you think that each of the following was worth fighting and the loss
of life involved, or not?"
Base: All Adults
| |
|
Worth Fighting and Loss of Life Involved |
Not Worth Fighting and Loss of Life Involved |
Not Sure |
|
The Civil War (1861-1865) |
% |
70 |
14 |
16 |
|
World War I (1917-1918) |
% |
67 |
12 |
21 |
|
World War II (1941-1945) |
% |
80 |
6 |
14 |
|
Korean War (1950-1953) |
% |
37 |
32 |
31 |
|
Vietnam War (1955-1975) |
% |
17 |
62 |
20 |
|
First Gulf War (1990-1991) |
% |
53 |
27 |
19 |
|
War in Bosnia (1992-1995) |
% |
36 |
31 |
32 |
|
War in Afghanistan (2001-2002) |
% |
55 |
27 |
18 |
|
War in Iraq (2003-present) |
% |
38 |
47 |
14 |
Note:
Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
Dates for World War I and World War II are for U.S. participation in these
wars.
TABLE 2
SUCCESS OF U.S. WARS
"And do you think that each of the following wars was
successful for the United States, or not successful?"
Base: All Adults
| |
|
Successful |
Not Successful |
Neither |
Not Sure |
|
The Civil War (1861-1865) |
% |
72 |
4 |
11 |
13 |
|
World War I (1917-1918) |
% |
74 |
4 |
6 |
16 |
|
World War II (1941-1945) |
% |
82 |
2 |
4 |
12 |
|
Korean War (1950-1953) |
% |
33 |
24 |
19 |
25 |
|
Vietnam War (1955-1975) |
% |
6 |
65 |
14 |
14 |
|
First Gulf War (1990-1991) |
% |
46 |
22 |
14 |
18 |
|
War in Bosnia (1992-1995) |
% |
29 |
21 |
18 |
32 |
|
War in Afghanistan (2001-2002) |
% |
31 |
27 |
19 |
22 |
|
War in Iraq (2003-present) |
% |
24 |
43 |
15 |
18 |
Note:
Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
Dates for World War I and World War II are for U.S. participation in these wars.
Methodology
The Harris Poll® was conducted online within the United States between
September 20 and 26, 2004 among a nationwide cross section of 2,555 adults (aged
18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and household income
were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual
proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to
adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.
In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say with 95
percent certainty that the results have a sampling error of plus or minus 2
percentage points of what they would be if the entire U.S. adult population had
been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other
possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious
than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be
interviewed (non-response), question wording and question order, and weighting.
It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors. This
online sample was not a probability sample.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National
Council on Public Polls.
W22091
Q750, Q755
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