Iraq war was right thing to do or a mistake trend. (Click image once or twice for full resolution)
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The question wording varies for this item. Here are some examples:
ABC/Washington Post: "Considering everything, do you think the United States did the right thing in going to war with Iraq, or do you think it was a mistake?"
Gallup: "In view of the developments since we first sent our troops to Iraq, do you think the United States made a mistake in sending troops to Iraq, or not?"
CBS/New York Times: "Looking back, do you think the United States did the right thing in taking military action against Iraq, or should the U.S. have stayed out?"
Pew: "Do you think the U.S. made the right decision or the wrong decision in using military force against Iraq?"
Fox: "Do you think going to war with Iraq was the right thing for the United States to do or the wrong thing?"
AP: "All in all, thinking about how things have gone in Iraq since the United States went to war there in March 2003, do you think the United States made the right decision in going to war in Iraq or made a mistake in going to war in Iraq?"
8 comments:
There's an inherent ambiguity in the word "right"-- one the one hand "rational", and on the other, "correct, with perfect knowledge/hindsight". Pew and Fox leave this ambiguity perfectly intact, while the other questions at least make an attempt to clarify that they're trying to get an answer to the latter meaning.
I wonder, does this ambiguity cause Pew and Fox to trend higher in your graph, as far as "support" for the war? Also, you've done excellent work on "house effects" for presidential approval within each of these polling organizations. Is it possible to apply that sort of filter to this question? Or would variations in question wording make this impossible?
brianh---
That's a good point about question wording. I might be able to look at it-- but not with house effects as well, since houses use only one form of the question, hence no variation within house. I'll take a look at the range of questions and see if there is a chance to do something on this.
Thanks for bringing it up.
Charles
I'm a sophmore at my high school and im writing a controversial essay on the war in iraq and i'm having problems finding out true opinions of the war and can i just get some help from you guys if you dont mind
Anonymous Sophomore--
Email me at
charles@politicalarithmetik.com
and I'll point you to the data that can help you out.
Charles
interesting plots - looks like they are heading for some kind of asymptote.
Over the first five quarters, the war lost support at a rate of about 5% per quarter.
Since then, it's been losing support at about 1% or less per quarter.
"""interesting plots - looks like they are heading for some kind of asymptote."""
Well, if you can sort out the "The Republicans can do no wrong." crowd, the "The President can do no wrong." crowd, the "The United States of America can do no wrong." crowd, the "I don't care how stupid or illegal what was done is - we have to stand behind the President or else we aren't **T*R*U*E** **A*M*E*R*I*C*A*N*S**." crowd and the (roughly) 10% of the population that will give ANY answer to a poll, you may well be right.
Unfortunately that asymptote appears to be approximating 0.
"""interesting plots - looks like they are heading for some kind of asymptote."""
Well, if you can sort out the "The Republicans can do no wrong." crowd, the "The President can do no wrong." crowd, the "The United States of America can do no wrong." crowd, the "I don't care how stupid or illegal what was done is - we have to stand behind the President or else we aren't **T*R*U*E** **A*M*E*R*I*C*A*N*S**." crowd and the (roughly) 10% of the population that will give ANY answer to a poll, you may well be right.
Unfortunately that asymptote appears to be approximating 0.
Exuberant Hubris
Exuberant Hubris moved the lot
To set in force the awesome plot:
It shocked, it awed--did all those things
From which so much of goodwill springs.
When Russia in Afghanistan
Made its invasion, to a man
We spoke together with one voice,
Condemning with vociferous noise.
(So greatly did it bother us
That we made more than just a fuss,
Making a stalwart of Osama
In our employ--student of trauma.)
Now years have fluttered down the pike,
It was our turn to learn "first strike"
May carry with it ramifications,
Consequence past all expectations--
Save of the several piquant voices
Denouncing wars as come by choices:
These by the mob were shouted down,
Traitors portrayed by scowl and frown.
Now tables turn: the erstwhile scowlers
Can yuck it up--sarcastic howlers
To come from this mismanaged hoax,
Were there but pleasure in such jokes.
Alas it is too golldarned sad,
The situation: we that had
Potential for prosperity
And peace but desolation see:
Frankenstein monster run amok
This war has run us out of luck,
Gomers and Goobers in the storm,
Snafu and fubar become our norm.
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