USA: majority of people oppose Bush, on eve of State of the Union speech

By Patrick Martin:

On the eve of State of the Union speech

US political crisis mounts over Iraq war escalation

23 January 2007

The Bush administration is pushing ahead with its plans to intensify the war in Iraq despite daily evidence of the overwhelming opposition to this escalation on the part of the American people.

A new opinion poll released Monday, the day before Bush’s State of the Union Speech, showed two-thirds of the public against the Iraq war, with more than 60 percent opposing Bush’s decision to send additional US troops into combat.

The poll, jointly commissioned by the Washington Post and ABC News, found that popular hostility to Bush and the policies of his administration had reached an all-time high.

Only 29 percent supported his handling of the war in Iraq, compared to 70 percent opposed.

Only 33 percent approved of Bush’s overall record, with 65 percent disapproving. An absolute majority, 51 percent, “strongly disapproved” of Bush’s record, while only 17 percent “strongly approved.”

The poll was conducted during the week following Bush’s January 10 nationally televised speech announcing the decision to increase US troop strength in Iraq by 21,500.

Opposition to the plan increased after Bush’s speech, from 61 percent to 65 percent.

Bush’s war turns 3.7 million Iraqis into refugees: here.

Iraqi blogger Raed against the war: here.