Poll: Both Troop Withdrawal Plans Have the Support of a Majority of Americans

It has become evident in the past few months that the majority of Americans favor a pullout from Iraq, the only question being how many and how soon.

One of the latest polls from the Gallup organization shows that the American public is not exactly up to date on all the intricate details in the various proposals. The poll asked separate questions about two very different plans that have been put on the table for withdrawing the troops from Iraq

The first question contained a short description of the plan proposed by Gen. David Petraeus and President Bush. Their plan proposed to withdraw in the neighborhood of 40,000 by next summer, but it does not have any commitment to any withdraws before that time.

The other question contained a description of the plan that was introduced in the Senate by the Democrats. This plan calls for withdrawing most of the troops withing nine months and the troops that remain are only to serve support rolls. This proposal failed to pass the Senate.

The basic differences in the two plans are that the Administrations proposal would still have 130,000 troops in Iraq after next summer and the Democrats plan would have most of the troops out by that time.

But when it comes to the poll, it shows that a large percentage of Americans favor each plan.

When they asked the participants if they favored or opposed a plan that would reduce the troop level in Iraq from about 170,000 to about 130,000 by next summer, without any troops being withdrawn before then, 66% favored the proposal, 30% were opposed and 4% had no opinion.

And on the second question which asked if they favored or opposed a plan that would withdraw most of the troops from Iraq within nine months' time, with any of the remaining troops only being there in support rolls, 63% favored it, 345 were opposed and 3% had no opinion.

When they posed the questions, they did not say which plan was the Administrations and which one was the Democrats.

When they broke it down, 45% favored both plans, 20% favored only the administration's plan and 17% favored only the Democrats plan.