[Vision2020] 10-16-04 CNN: Poll: Troops, families question Iraq strategy

[Art Deco aka W. Fox]

Poll: Troops, families question Iraq strategy
Most surveyed say Bush sent too few troops; relied too much on Guard
Saturday, October 16, 2004 Posted: 1:49 PM EDT (1749 GMT)


WASHINGTON (AP) -- Members of the military and their families say the Bush 
administration underestimated the number of troops needed in Iraq and put too 
much pressure on inadequately trained National Guard and reserve forces, 
according to a poll released Saturday.

The National Annenberg Election Survey questioned active duty troops in the 
regular military and the National Guard and Reserves, as well as family members 
of active duty members.

Family members were more critical of the administration's Iraq policy than those 
on active duty.

The poll found that 62 percent in the military sample -- 58 percent of troops 
and 66 percent of family members -- said the administration underestimated the 
number of troops that would be needed to establish peace in Iraq. (Part 1 of the 
Annenberg survey results)

And 59 percent -- 56 percent of troops and 64 percent of family members -- said 
too much of a burden has been put on the National Guard and the reserves when 
regular forces should have been expanded instead.

This critical view comes from a military group that has a more favorable view of 
President Bush, Iraq, the economy and the nation's direction than Americans in 
general.

A slight majority of the military and families, 51 percent, said showing photos 
of flag-draped coffins being returned to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware would 
increase respect for the troops.

That broke down to 47 percent of troops and 56 percent of family members. Less 
than 10 percent of the sample said it would decrease respect for the troops.

The Pentagon has refused to release government photos of the coffins, saying it 
has begun enforcing a policy installed in 1991 intended to respect the privacy 
of the families of the dead soldiers.

Other military matters

a.. Four in 10 respondents -- 42 percent -- said gays and lesbians should be 
allowed to serve openly in the military and 50 percent said no.

Family members narrowly supported the idea by a 51 to 41 percent margin, while 
57 percent of those in the active military opposed it.


a.. One-fourth said the military draft should be reinstated, three-fourths said 
no.

That is about the same level of opposition to the draft in the general 
population.


a.. Six in 10 of the regular military in the sample said they were properly 
trained and equipped.


a.. Only four in 10 of the Guard members and reservists questioned said they 
were properly trained and equipped.


a.. The military sample overwhelmingly approved of the work of women in the 
armed forces. Three-fourths said they performed as well as the men they work 
with.


a.. Eight in 10 said soldiers responsible for the Abu Ghraib prison abuse and 
their immediate commanders should be punished. Half said higher-level commanders 
should be punished and three in 10 said civilians in the Pentagon should be 
punished.

The poll of 655 in the active military (both regulars and reserves) and their 
families was taken September 22 through October 5 and has a margin of sampling 
error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Their answers were compared with those of 2,436 adults surveyed September 7 --  
October 3 with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
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