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Poll: U.N. proof needed for war

Cougar News Services

Americans and Texans in general want the United Nations to fashion the proof that Iraq has been harboring weapons of mass destruction before going to war, a Texas Public Policy Survey released by the University of Houstonis Center for Public Policy reported Thursday.

Richard Murray, director of the CPP, said that most Americans are ready to support "sweeping measures to oust Saddam Hussein, even if it means using military force."

However, Murray said, Americans and Texans both only support such measures under certain conditions.

The actual poll numbers concluded that 45 percent of Texans are waiting for the results of the U.N. inspection effort before agreeing with a war on Iraq. Fewer than 25 percent of Texans are ready to support a ground war against Iraq given only the evidence that President Bush has presented.

The poll question asked participants to choose a favorable condition under which the United States could invade Iraq: Either based on U.S. evidence presented by the Bush administration, results of U.N. weapons inspections or not to invade regardless of evidence.

Only 21 percent of Texan respondents called for no invasion, a similar response to 19 percent of Americans.

In a racial breakdown of the Iraq question, Hispanics and blacks in Texas are more likely to call for a diplomatic solution rather than an invasion. Only four percent of blacks and 16 percent of Hispanics were ready to go to war with the Bush administrationis evidence.

Nonetheless, Texanis 62 percent approval of President Bush remains slightly higher than the national rating of 58 percent. In a racial breakdown, blacks are overwhelmingly displeased with Bushis performance, with 73 percent voicing against the president.

The presidentis approval ratings are also less secure where polling breaks up approval into several key areas including the economy, foreign affairs, the federal budget and tax policy.

The economy, still shaky from a near-collapse after 9/11, hasnit improved much in two years. Moreover, Bush sees meager support in his home state for his control of the economic situation -- only 51 percent voting their approval. 

Bushis foreign policies won considerable favor, with 55 percent of Texans agreeing with the presidentis way of handling world politics. This is despite an apparent rift when the topic of Iraq led those polled to side with the United Nations. 

With a projected $300 billion deficit this year, numbers in favor of Bushis handling of the federal budget arenit exactly on the rise. Those polled in Texas and the nation were split, however, with 42 percent voicing approval and 42 percent disapproval. In the nation, 47 percent disapproved, while 43 percent approved.

Despite a push for tax cuts across the board and a $600 billion, 10-year plan to cut taxes, barely more than half of Texans approve of Bushis tax policies. Fewer than half of nationwide respondents voiced support of Bushis policy. 
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