Poll: Most Don't Want Rumsfeld To Quit
 

Poll: Most Don't Want Rumsfeld To Quit
Associated Press
May 8, 2004

WASHINGTON - A majority of Americans say they are upset about reports of abuse of Iraqi prisoners, though more than two-thirds say Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld should not resign, according to a new poll.

During congressional testimony Friday, Rumsfeld apologized to the Iraqi prisoners and warned members of Congress that the abuse scandal is "going to get a good deal more terrible, I'm afraid."

Photos of naked Iraqi prisoners being humiliated have angered many in this country and outraged people in the Mideast and elsewhere around the world.

The ABC News-Washington Post poll released Friday found that 66 percent believe the soldiers involved should be charged with a crime, and just over half, 54 percent, said high-level officers should be punished for allowing the problems that led to the abuse.

People were evenly split on whether the Bush administration acted quickly enough in investigating the reports and on whether the administration was trying to investigate the abuse reports or was trying to cover it up.

Just over half, 51 percent, said they were upset about the reports, including a quarter of those polled who said they were angry.

Most people, [b]69 percent, said Rumsfeld should not resign. Only 20 percent said he should resign[/b[, even though some Democratic lawmakers have been demanding the secretary's resignation. [b]Democrats in the poll said by a 2-1 margin that Rumsfeld should not resign.[/b[

Six in 10 said the abuse of Iraqi soldiers represents a few isolated incidents, while half that number, 31 percent, said they think the abuse was more widespread.

Asked whether they approve or disapprove of President Bush, 48 percent approved and 35 percent disapproved.

People were evenly split on whether the war in Iraq was worth fighting or not.

The poll of 802 adults was taken Wednesday and Thursday and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

interesting. I still think he might.

he isnt going anywhere... the soldiers will take the fall... a hard fall

Harry Truman, he ain't.


:rasta

It is not progress when resignations are dependent on public opinion instead of an individual recognizing that he has failed his office.

He should be drug around on a leash naked by some Iraqi women...then we'll call it even and he can keep his job

oh the repubs would never let him resign..he is 0wn3d

He is actually had more qualifications to be president than J. Kerry.

I havn't seen it lately, but I once saw his bio, and it was unbelieveable.

Rasta

Correct.:thumbsup

Agreed.

A nation that works that hard to exempt itself from war crimes trials is planning war crimes. Rumsfeld has obviously been chosen to be the cutout to save Congress and Bush from the effects of the torture scandal. But the claim that Rumsfeld did not inform Congress or Bush is a total lie, because prior to the war it was official US policy to exempt itself from possible war crimes prosecutions. This means that the US Government KNEW it would be committing war crimes and was already taking steps to minimize the repercussions. A policy requiring such wide-ranging legal and political efforts could not exist without the full knowledge of the US Congress and the President. Rumsfeld's scapegoating is just election-year cowering.

It is clear! How dumb do they think we are? Rumsfeld is clearly trying to fall on that sword for Bush. If required, his head will roll to protect Bush from impeachment or bad poll numbrs before the election.

It is the Administration on a number of polices that made this worse than even the Pentegon had in mind. Like decisions at git-mo and beating the shit out of the constitution.

Why do you expect him to have an opinion different than most Americans as to whether he has failed his office or not?

Of course, Bush and others will try to punish the woman in charge of the prison and some of the others who smiled in their evil behavior in the photos?but the penalties must go up the line and the heads that must roll are those that allowed this, who want to get away with this, and to continue the brutality in Guantanamo?namely, General Abizaid, General Myers, General Kimmit, Wolfowitz, Condi Rice and finally, Rumsfeld himself. Rumsfeld?s and Myers? excuses that ?they hadn?t read the report? that had been sitting on their desks since February is clearly fraudulent?downright lies.