WASHINGTON (AP) - About half the country believes the Bush administration overestimated the number of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, according to a poll released Tuesday, but most people feel the war was worth it anyway.
The CBS News-New York Times poll found 64 percent of Americans are aware that no weapons of mass destruction have yet been found in Iraq.
Some 49 percent said the administration overestimated the amount of mass destruction weapons in Iraq, while 29 percent said its estimates were accurate and 12 percent said they were low.
Two-thirds of those who believe the weapons count was overestimated also believe it was a deliberate exaggeration to build support for the war.
Still, 56 percent said the war will have been worth it if weapons of mass destruction are never found, while 38 percent said it would not have been worth it.
Similarly, 56 percent said the war would have been worth it even if Saddam Hussein is never captured or killed, while 37 percent say it would not have been worth it.
The poll also found that jobs and the economy continue to dominate Americans' list of priorities, named by 40 percent as the top issue they want addressed; war and terrorism are mentioned by 15 percent; education by 4 percent; family values by 3 percent; health care by 3 percent; and poverty by 3 percent.
The poll sampled 910 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone May 9-12. The error due to sampling could be plus or minus 3 percentage points for results based on the entire sample.
President Bush's job approval rating is 67 percent.
...*sigh*, only 15% are concerned about war and terrorism. Wow. Guess they think Saddam was the real threat, and since he's layin' low, everything is peachy. And if only 15% list the war as a priority, where the hell did all that flag waving patriotism go??? Maybe I'm in a time warp. Weren't we just at war a couple weeks ago? Don't we still have soldiers fighting and dying? Didn't we just castigate the Chicks and Michael Moore over what, a war nobody even gives a damn about as soon as the cool action is over?
If only 15% list the war and terrorism as a priority, then it stands to reason nobody cares that the war was waged under false pretenses, nor do they care what happens to, or in, Iraq. Apathy bodes well for Bush. Makes me want to get a stick...
I'm not saying the economy isn't right at the top of the list of priorities, it should be. But this was exactly what my side was afraid of, that all that so-called patriotism was a load of crap, and as soon as the action was over, I raq would be forgotten. Seems like it was just a good excuse to get out a little aggression against the other side, and pat yourself on the back at the same time. I don't think it really matters which side of this issue you were on, if only 15% of Americans think the war (NOT TO MENTION TERRORISM) is a priority, then both sides are guilty of entertain-me-itis.
This is pathetic, and I'm embarrassed these people are from my country.
