Washington Post-ABC News Poll: U.S. Treatment of Iraqi Prisoners
Monday, April 19, 2004 | | | | This Washington Post-ABC News poll was conducted by telephone May 5-6, 2004, among a national sample of 802 randomly selected adults. The margin of sampling error for overall results is plus or minus 4 percentage points. Fieldwork by TNS of Horsham, Pa. *= less than 0.5 percent 1. All in all, considering the costs to the United States versus the benefits to the United States, do you think the war with Iraq was worth fighting, or not? Worth Not worth No
fighting fighting opinion
5/6/04 49 47 5
4/18/04 51 47 2
3/7/04 52 44 3
2/11/04 48 50 2
1/18/04 56 41 3
12/21/03 59 39 2
12/14/03 53 42 5
11/16/03 52 44 4
10/29/03 54 44 2
10/13/03 54 44 2
9/13/03 61 37 2
9/7/03 54 42 4
8/24/03 57 37 5
8/11/03 61 35 4
7/10/03 57 40 3
6/22/03 64 33 3
4/30/03 70 27 4 Gulf War:
2/2/92* 66 32 2
7/28/91 67 30 3
6/2/91 70 26 3
3/4/91 86 13 1
*2/2/92 and previous: "the Persian Gulf war"; 3/4/91: "this war 2. Do you think the Bush Administration does or does not have a clear plan for handling the situation in Iraq? Does Does not No opinion
5/6/04 38 57 5
4/18/04 45 53 2
3/7/04 43 53 3
12/21/03 48 47 5
10/13/03 42 53 5
9/13/03 42 55 2
8/26/03* 44 54 2
*Gallup. 3. Do you think the United States (has gotten bogged down in Iraq), or do you think the United States (is making good progress in Iraq)? Has gotten bogged down Is making good progress No opinion
5/6/04 60 35 5
4/18/04 59 41 0 4. How closely have you been following news reports about the apparent abuse of some Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers in Iraq - very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely, or not closely at all? -------Closely------- --------Not closely------- No
NET Very Somewhat NET Not too Not at all op.
5/6/04 75 36 39 25 16 8 1 5. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the issue of the apparent abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers? Approve Disapprove No opinion
5/6/04 48 35 17 6. Do you think Bush should or should not apologize to the Iraqi people for these incidents? Should apologize Should not apologize No opinion
5/6/04 59 33 8 7. Do you think the apparent abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers represents a few isolated incidents, or do you think it's more widespread than that? Represents a few Abuse is more No
isolated incidents widespread than that opinion
5/6/04 62 31 7 8. Do you think the soldiers involved should or should not be charged with a crime? Should Should not No opinion
5/6/04 66 25 8 9. (Do you think higher-level military officers should be punished for allowing a breakdown in training and discipline that let this happen), or (do you think these incidents are only the responsibility of the individual soldiers involved)? Officers should be Responsibility of Neither No
punished for breakdown individual soldiers (vol.) op.
5/6/04 54 31 8 6 10. Do you think the Bush administration (acted quickly enough) in investigating these reports when they first became known, or (moved too slowly)? Acted quickly enough Moved too slowly No opinion
5/6/04 42 42 16 11. Before this issue became public, do you think the Bush administration was mainly trying to (investigate it), or was mainly trying to (cover it up)? Investigate it Cover it up No opinion
5/6/04 44 43 13 12. Do you think the Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, should resign because of the prisoner abuse issue, or should he keep his job? Should resign Should keep his job No opinion
5/6/04 20 69 11 13. What's your own personal reaction to the apparent abuse of Iraqi prisoners - would you say you're (not concerned; concerned but not upset; upset but not angry; or angry)? Not Concerned Upset
concerned but not upset but not angry Angry No op.
5/6/04 7 39 27 24 2 14. Do you feel that these incidents are (not a big deal, because this kind of thing happens in a war situation), or do you think they are (a big deal, because this kind of abuse is unacceptable no matter what the situation)? Not a big deal A big deal No opinion
5/6/04 28 69 3
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