My students read about the selling of the Iraq War last week, and I spent some time looking for old polling data so I could describe the public opinion context in which all this stuff was happening. In so doing, I found that the context of 2003 -- pretty strong support for the invasion, but only if the UN comes along for the ride -- was itself made more interesting by the context of 1998. Check this out:
FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. Nov. 11-12, 1998. N=904 registered voters nationwide.
"Do you think the United States should use prolonged military force in response to Iraq's refusal to allow weapons inspections?"
Yes 61
No 24
Not sure 15
CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll. Nov. 13-15, 1998. N=1,039 adults nationwide.
"Which one of the following possible goals do you think should be the specific goal of any U.S. attack on Iraq at this time: to pressure Iraq into complying with United Nations weapons inspections, OR, to remove Saddam Hussein from power?"
Pressure Iraq 25
Remove Saddam 70
Other (vol.) 3
No opinion 2
Gallup/CNN/USA Today Poll. Dec. 16, 1998, 6-9 PM EST. N=543 adults nationwide.
"Do you think this attack will or will not achieve significant goals for the United States?"
Will 48
Will not 32
No opinion 20
CBS News Poll. Dec. 16, 1998. N=413 adults nationwide.
"Do you think getting Saddam Hussein to comply with United Nations weapons inspectors is worth the potential loss of American life and the other costs of attacking Iraq, or not?"
Worth costs 62
Not worth it 25
Don't know/No answer 13
It's also worth noting that there was a lot of polling relating this matter to the Clinton impeachment, and that majorities consistently did not buy the "Wag the Dog" line -- that Clinton was just trying to distract us -- and did want the impeachment put on hold. Shockingly, many of the same Republicans who are in power today had no problem with impeaching Bill Clinton while our troops were in the field.
Anyway, while the rhetoric of the crazy days of 2002 was certainly different from that of 1998, I do find it interesting that public opinion wasn't really all that different.
Posted by Aaron S. Veenstra ::: 2007:11:06:21:17