Poll show most Americans DO feel the anti-war Dems are hurting the troops morale

As the FreedomFighter has frequently written, most Americans understand why we are in Iraq and support our efforts there, in spite of serious reservations about the way the Bush Administration is fighting this war, and the hypocritical way the label `War on Terror' is selectively applied.

They also can see that much of the outrageous nonsense peddled by certain segments of the Democratic party is in fact aid and comfort to our enemies. It's truly a pity our president doesn't think enough of the common sense of the American people to level with them, adopt a consistent approach to fighting this war and provide leadership to rally them to victory. Let's hope he changes direction and does exactly that...and soon.


Sympathetic Vibrations

By Chris Cillizza and Peter Slevin
Washington Post-Sunday, November 27, 2005; A04

Democrats fumed last week at Vice President Cheney's suggestion that criticism of the administration's war policies was itself becoming a hindrance to the war effort. But a new poll indicates most Americans are sympathetic to Cheney's point.

Seventy percent of people surveyed said that criticism of the war by Democratic senators hurts troop morale -- with 44 percent saying morale is hurt "a lot," according to a poll taken by RT Strategies. Even self-identified Democrats agree: 55 percent believe criticism hurts morale, while 21 percent say it helps morale.

The results surely will rankle many Democrats, who argue that it is patriotic and supportive of the troops to call attention to what they believe are deep flaws in President Bush's Iraq strategy. But the survey itself cannot be dismissed as a partisan attack. The RTs in RT Strategies are Thomas Riehle, a Democrat, and Lance Tarrance, a veteran GOP pollster.

Their poll also indicates many Americans are skeptical of Democratic complaints about the war. Just three of 10 adults accept that Democrats are leveling criticism because they believe this will help U.S. efforts in Iraq. A majority believes the motive is really to "gain a partisan political advantage."

This poll is one of the few pieces of supportive news the administration has had lately on Iraq. Most surveys have shown significant majorities believe it was a mistake to go to war, as well as rising sentiment that Bush misled Americans in making the case for it.

Even so, there is still support for Bush's policy going forward. A plurality, 49 percent, believe that troops should come home only when the Iraqi government can provide for its own security, while 16 percent support immediate withdrawal, regardless of the circumstances.