[RawAlex]

Colin:

Poll: Give inspectors more time
Patrick E. Tyler and Janet Elder - New York Times
Friday, February 14, 2003


Even after the Bush administration's aggressive case for going to war soon in Iraq, a majority of Americans favor giving U.N. weapons inspectors more time to complete their work so that any military operation wins the support of the Security Council, the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll shows.

The public supports a war to remove Saddam Hussein. But Americans are split over whether the administration and Secretary of State Colin Powell have made a convincing case for going to war now, even though much of the public is inclined to believe that Iraq and al-Qaida are connected in terrorism.

The poll found that although the economy still commands the greatest concern among Americans, the prospect of combat in Iraq, fear of terrorism and the North Korean nuclear standoff are stirring additional anxieties.

These worries may be taking a toll on President Bush's support. His overall job approval rating is down to 54 percent from 64 percent a month ago, the lowest level since the summer before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Three-quarters of Americans see war as inevitable, and two-thirds approve of war as an option. But many people continue to be deeply ambivalent about war if faced with the prospect of high casualties or a lengthy occupation of Iraq that further damages the U.S. economy.

Twenty-nine percent of respondents in the poll, which was conducted Monday through Wednesday, disapprove of taking military action against Iraq. The random telephone poll of 747 adults throughout the United States had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

With major decisions of war and peace still pending, 59 percent of Americans said they believed the president should give the United Nations more time. Sixty-three percent said Washington should not act without the support of its allies and 56 percent said Bush should wait for U.N. approval.

Bush's job approval ratings have lost ground across the board. Fifty-three percent of Americans disapproved of the way he is handling the economy, and 44 percent disapproved of his overall management of foreign policy.

Though 53 percent of Americans said they approved of the way Bush is handling Iraq, only 47 percent approved of his foreign policy management overall.

A year and a half after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist assault, only a third of Americans said they think the United States and its allies are winning the anti-terror campaign, while 38 percent think that neither side is winning and 20 percent regard the terrorists as still having the upper hand.

Only 49 percent of Americans think Bush has a coherent plan for dealing with terrorism, the poll indicates.