37% Now Say Iraq War Is Winnable, Up From 32%

And that poll was mostly taken before Petraeus' and Crocker's two days of testimony, and before the testimony is picked at rehashed over the next week of news.

37% is not, of course, a majority. But it is an overwhelming majority of Republicans and moderates in swing districts and states, so these numbers, while hardly glittering, should be enough. For a while, at least.

The proportion of Americans who say the war remains winnable has edged up to 37% from 32% in July, while the majority who say it isn't has diminished to 56% from 62%. The proportion saying the troop surge is helping the situation on the ground has risen to 33% from 29% in July and 24% in April.

The proportion saying the Iraq war has been worth the financial and human costs ticked up to 35% from 33% in July. Mr. Bush's approval rating on Iraq is still paltry at 30%. But that's up from 22% in July.

The poll shows that American sentiment about the war is complex. Asked about possible outcomes, just 24% say U.S. troops should leave only after Iraq becomes a stable democracy. Yet just 26% say troops should start leaving now regardless of conditions on the ground. A 37% plurality says some troops should remain in the region even after leaving Iraq to prevent violence from spreading.

Glenn Greenwald should probably modify his cutesy catchphrase about the "24% dead-enders" up the "37% not-quite-dead-enders," but perhaps word travels slowly down to the most patriotic city in America, the site of the Bunker Hill stand, Rio de Janiero.

posted by Ace at 09:28 PM

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