When President Bush held a public meeting with troops by satellite last fall, they were miraculously upbeat. And all along, unrepentant hawks, most of whom have never been to Iraq, have insisted that journalists are misreporting Iraq and that most soldiers are gung-ho about their mission.
A Zogby poll released today shows otherwise. The poll is the first of U.S. troops currently serving in Iraq. Conducted by Zogby International and LeMoyne College, it asked 944 service members, "How long should U.S. troops stay in Iraq?"
Only 23 percent backed Mr. Bush's position that they should stay as long as necessary. In contrast, 72 percent said that U.S. troops should be pulled out within one year. Of those, 29 percent said they should withdraw "immediately."
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