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Poll: Tired of warfare, LIers want troops brought home
BY DAVE MARCUS
October 14, 2008
Long Islanders are tired of seeing America wage two wars and want troops to come home from Iraq and Afghanistan, a Newsday poll found.
Nearly two-thirds want a timetable for pulling troops out of Iraq. That overwhelming sentiment echoes the opinions of other Americans, and puts Long Islanders in line with Barack Obama's position on Iraq.
At the same time, about half of Long Islanders say the United States should decrease troops in Afghanistan or even pull out. That's a sharp disagreement with both Obama and his Republican challenger, John McCain.
The poll surveyed 761 likely Long Island voters from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.
The strong feeling about troops in Afghanistan surprised some local analysts, who expected Long Islanders would be supportive of the candidates' constant calls to send more troops to Afghanistan. Only 28 percent of those polled want an increase in troops and about 10 percent want them kept at current levels.
Richard Himelfarb, a history professor at Hofstra University, called the anti-Afghanistan poll numbers "remarkable."
"The Afghanistan finding is surprising in that the public mood is directly against the two candidates," said Himelfarb, a McCain supporter who advocates the war in Afghanistan as well as in Iraq.
But Patrick Kelly, a history professor at Adelphi University, said he's noticed public support eroding for the Afghanistan war in the last few weeks as the American economy has imploded.
"The voters aren't thinking much about Afghanistan," Kelly said. "People are now worried about their retirement, about sending their kids to college, and all of this warfare seems like a luxury we can't afford."
Kelly, who has been critical of the Bush administration's wars, noted that many Americans think the United States doesn't have the money or the patience for prolonged battles in Afghanistan, with its tribal feuds, drug trafficking and corruption.
Other experts said whatever support existed here for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has eroded as people have questioned the honesty of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
"Many Long Islanders I've spoken with believe that the Iraq war is based upon a lie, increases support for terrorism and has needlessly squandered many lives," said Gregory Maney, a sociology professor at Hofstra, who has been critical of U.S. incursions in other countries. "They also feel that spending more and more on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan takes away tax dollars that should be spent on meeting important domestic needs during a time of economic hardship and crisis."
By far, Long Islanders are most critical of the war in Iraq. Not only do nearly 65 percent of them want a timetable, but it is favored by all demographic groups, including Republicans.
"I don't want Americans to die in Iraq anymore - no more dead Americans," said Janet Stone, a retired bookkeeper in Wantagh, offering a typical view. "It's enough, and for no cause. What did we gain from this war?"
Ivana Reimer of Baldwin, who trains teachers in the New York City school system, said the United States "is constantly overextending itself into other countries." She added, "I'd rather see our country get our own act together."
Only McCain voters oppose a timetable, with 31 percent favoring it and 59 percent against. The rest were undecided.
Some of those polled said that McCain's unflinching stance for the fighting in Iraq has given them confidence that Obama would be a better president. McCain seems less interested in ending the War in Iraq than Obama does, said Judith Raff of Jericho.
"I just get the feeling that McCain would like us to stay there and stay there and stay there," said Raff, who would rather see more troops in Afghanistan.
"His support of the war in Iraq, no matter how long it is, is a great influence on me," said Pat Glass, a retired teacher in North Massapequa, of McCain. "He frightens me, he truly does."
At Hofstra, Himelfarb questioned such views. "What if we leave Iraq and it falls into chaos? ... What if there's ethnic warfare and it turns into genocide?"
But he acknowledged that "people are tired of the conflicts, they're fatigued and they just want to leave."
And that's not the direction America should be headed, Raff said. She said she believes the United States needs more troops in Afghanistan, where more focus should have been immediately following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Some voters said the constant charges and countercharges have left them torn about the necessity of war in far-off places. "The war, it's a sin, but I do understand there is a cost to freedom," said Camille Pikowsky, a retired bookkeeper in North Massapequa. "It's a very gray area. I could see the pros and the cons to it either way."
Staff writers Michael Amon and Juliann Vachon contributed to this story.
Question
Do you favor or oppose having a timetable for a pullout of troops from Iraq?
64% Favor
27% Oppose
9% Not sure/refused to answer
PERCENT FAVOR HAVING A TIMETABLE FOR A PULLOUT FROM IRAQ
BY AGE
18-49 72%
50-64 58%
65 and older 56%
BY VOTERS
McCain Voters 31%
Obama voters 86%
Question
Should the U.S. troop level in Afghanistan
32% Decrease
28% Increase
15% Not sure / refused to answer
15% Or should the U.S. pull out
10% Remain the same as it is
ABOUT THE POLL:
Blum & Weprin Associates surveyed for Newsday 761 Long Island likely voters from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points. Some questions may not add up to 100 percent because of rounding or the exclusion of don't know/refused to answer categories.
BY DAVE MARCUS
October 14, 2008
Long Islanders are tired of seeing America wage two wars and want troops to come home from Iraq and Afghanistan, a Newsday poll found.
Nearly two-thirds want a timetable for pulling troops out of Iraq. That overwhelming sentiment echoes the opinions of other Americans, and puts Long Islanders in line with Barack Obama's position on Iraq.
At the same time, about half of Long Islanders say the United States should decrease troops in Afghanistan or even pull out. That's a sharp disagreement with both Obama and his Republican challenger, John McCain.
The poll surveyed 761 likely Long Island voters from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.
The strong feeling about troops in Afghanistan surprised some local analysts, who expected Long Islanders would be supportive of the candidates' constant calls to send more troops to Afghanistan. Only 28 percent of those polled want an increase in troops and about 10 percent want them kept at current levels.
Richard Himelfarb, a history professor at Hofstra University, called the anti-Afghanistan poll numbers "remarkable."
"The Afghanistan finding is surprising in that the public mood is directly against the two candidates," said Himelfarb, a McCain supporter who advocates the war in Afghanistan as well as in Iraq.
But Patrick Kelly, a history professor at Adelphi University, said he's noticed public support eroding for the Afghanistan war in the last few weeks as the American economy has imploded.
"The voters aren't thinking much about Afghanistan," Kelly said. "People are now worried about their retirement, about sending their kids to college, and all of this warfare seems like a luxury we can't afford."
Kelly, who has been critical of the Bush administration's wars, noted that many Americans think the United States doesn't have the money or the patience for prolonged battles in Afghanistan, with its tribal feuds, drug trafficking and corruption.
Other experts said whatever support existed here for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has eroded as people have questioned the honesty of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
"Many Long Islanders I've spoken with believe that the Iraq war is based upon a lie, increases support for terrorism and has needlessly squandered many lives," said Gregory Maney, a sociology professor at Hofstra, who has been critical of U.S. incursions in other countries. "They also feel that spending more and more on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan takes away tax dollars that should be spent on meeting important domestic needs during a time of economic hardship and crisis."
By far, Long Islanders are most critical of the war in Iraq. Not only do nearly 65 percent of them want a timetable, but it is favored by all demographic groups, including Republicans.
"I don't want Americans to die in Iraq anymore - no more dead Americans," said Janet Stone, a retired bookkeeper in Wantagh, offering a typical view. "It's enough, and for no cause. What did we gain from this war?"
Ivana Reimer of Baldwin, who trains teachers in the New York City school system, said the United States "is constantly overextending itself into other countries." She added, "I'd rather see our country get our own act together."
Only McCain voters oppose a timetable, with 31 percent favoring it and 59 percent against. The rest were undecided.
Some of those polled said that McCain's unflinching stance for the fighting in Iraq has given them confidence that Obama would be a better president. McCain seems less interested in ending the War in Iraq than Obama does, said Judith Raff of Jericho.
"I just get the feeling that McCain would like us to stay there and stay there and stay there," said Raff, who would rather see more troops in Afghanistan.
"His support of the war in Iraq, no matter how long it is, is a great influence on me," said Pat Glass, a retired teacher in North Massapequa, of McCain. "He frightens me, he truly does."
At Hofstra, Himelfarb questioned such views. "What if we leave Iraq and it falls into chaos? ... What if there's ethnic warfare and it turns into genocide?"
But he acknowledged that "people are tired of the conflicts, they're fatigued and they just want to leave."
And that's not the direction America should be headed, Raff said. She said she believes the United States needs more troops in Afghanistan, where more focus should have been immediately following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Some voters said the constant charges and countercharges have left them torn about the necessity of war in far-off places. "The war, it's a sin, but I do understand there is a cost to freedom," said Camille Pikowsky, a retired bookkeeper in North Massapequa. "It's a very gray area. I could see the pros and the cons to it either way."
Staff writers Michael Amon and Juliann Vachon contributed to this story.
Question
Do you favor or oppose having a timetable for a pullout of troops from Iraq?
64% Favor
27% Oppose
9% Not sure/refused to answer
PERCENT FAVOR HAVING A TIMETABLE FOR A PULLOUT FROM IRAQ
BY AGE
18-49 72%
50-64 58%
65 and older 56%
BY VOTERS
McCain Voters 31%
Obama voters 86%
Question
Should the U.S. troop level in Afghanistan
32% Decrease
28% Increase
15% Not sure / refused to answer
15% Or should the U.S. pull out
10% Remain the same as it is
ABOUT THE POLL:
Blum & Weprin Associates surveyed for Newsday 761 Long Island likely voters from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points. Some questions may not add up to 100 percent because of rounding or the exclusion of don't know/refused to answer categories.
