Student Publications
University of Houston
151C Communications Bldg
Houston, TX 77204-4015
713.743.5350

©1991-2007
Student Publications,
All rights reserved.

Last modified:

Contact:
ktruitt@uh.edu

News

Looking for the exit

Nearly four years after U.S. invasion of Iraq, public support for mission is on the decline

by BLAKE WHITAKER
The Daily Cougar

As President Bush calls for a troop increase in Iraq, popular support for the war is dwindling, evidenced by national polling data and an informal Daily Cougar poll that found only 10 of 100 students surveyed support the war.

The Daily Cougar poll, which was conducted over the course of the past week, asked students two primary questions: "When the United States first invaded Iraq, were you for or against the war?" and, "Now, are you for or against the war?"

Thirty-two of the students polled said they were in favor of the American invasion of Iraq when it began in March 2003. Only 10 of the students polled, however, said they currently support the war.

Seven students said they were neutral in their opinion of the war when it began, and six said they are neutral now.

Gallup polls conducted throughout the conflict show a similar trend.

A poll conducted this month found 58 percent of Americans feel "the United States made a mistake in sending troops to Iraq" in light of developments "since we first sent our troops to Iraq." Two percent of respondents said they had no opinion.

Those numbers are up from March 2003, when Gallup reported only 23 percent of Americans thought the invasion was a mistake. At that time, two percent of those surveyed said they had no opinion.

December 2005 was the last time at least half of the respondents to the Gallup poll said the war was not a mistake.

At the University, some students said they believe the U.S. has done all it can in Iraq.

Biology sophomore Kenneth Igbalode said he supported the war initially but now believes the burden of establishing a stable government lies with the Iraqis.

"I think it's time that they get (U.S. troops) out of there," he said. "They did the job to get Saddam (Hussein) out of power. I think now it's up to the Iraqi people to get the government in order. … We are just losing lives every month, so I think it's time to get (U.S. troops) out."

Close ties to soldiers affected some students' assessments of the conflict.

Public relations senior Tim Engel said he believes the war will make the world safer from terrorism and that he is reluctant to criticize a conflict in which some of his friends have fought.

"We started a mission to stop or severely dampen terrorism," he said. "I think that we are and will continue to do so with our presence overseas. I also have friends that are and have been overseas, and I will not discredit or argue (against) anything they fought so hard for."

Exercise science senior Jimmy DeMoss said that though he opposes the war, the U.S. must continue its push to bring democracy to Iraq so the sacrifices of American soldiers will not have been made in vain. 

"I am against the war now, but I am for the U.S. finishing what it started," he said. "I have had family and friends fight in this war, and I do not want what they and the other soldiers who have fought (have done), as well as those who gave their lives, (to) be all done for nothing."

Send comments to dcnews@mail.uh.edu