Six in 10 American voters say the war in Iraq was the wrong thing to do and a majority think President Obama’s decision to pull U.S. troops out in 2011 was the right thing to do, said a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday.
Yet voters disapprove 55-37 percent of how Mr. Obama is handling the current situation in Iraq and disapprove 52-42 percent of how he has handled Afghanistan.
Voters differ on the pace of withdrawal from the latter country, with 46 percent saying it is “about right,” 26 percent saying Mr. Obama is moving “too quickly” and 20 percent saying “not quickly enough.”
American voters are more likely to blame former President George W. Bush for the situation in Iraq than Mr. Obama, by 51 percent to 27 percent.
Still, only 35 percent think Mr. Obama is better at conducting foreign policy than his predecessor, while 39 percent say he is worse.
“By 2-1, American voters believe the Iraq War was a mistake and most say it was the fault of President George W. Bush, but President Barack Obama isn’t exactly getting high marks for the way he has handled the two conflicts he inherited,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
Voters oppose sending U.S. ground troops back into Iraq, 63-29 percent, but 30 percent support using both piloted aircraft and drones or cruise missiles in the country.
Thirty percent say there should be no U.S. airstrikes.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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