FORGET THE MAINE ALREADY

Poll: Majority Backs Use of Force in Iran: Survey Reflects Concern on Nuclear Effort (Richard Morin and Claudia Deane, June 24, 2003, The Washington Post)

Most Americans would support the United States taking military action to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons despite growing public concern about the mounting number of U.S. military casualties in the aftermath of the war with Iraq, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

President Bush last week said the rest of the world should join the United States in declaring that it "will not tolerate" nuclear weapons in Iran -- a vow that most Americans appear willing to back with force. By 56 percent to 38 percent, the public endorsed the use of the military to block Iran from developing nuclear arms. [...]

Two in three -- 67 percent -- of those interviewed said they approve of the way Bush is dealing with Iraq. That's still a strong majority but down from 75 percent in late April, at the end of the conflict. Nearly as many -- 64 percent -- said the benefits of the war outweighed its cost, a drop from 70 percent in the late April survey.

Seven in 10 said they were concerned that the United States would become involved in a long and costly peacekeeping mission in Iraq, a figure unchanged in recent months.

Here's what it means to be a Democrat in post-9/11 America: you're still questioning the wisdom of attacking Saddam Hussein while the American people are ready to leave Iraq behind and move on to the next target. Posted by Orrin Judd at June 24, 2003 2:26 PM