For the first time since the war in Iraq began, less than half of Americans say they approve of the way President George Bush is handling the situation, according to a poll published on Monday.
The Newsweek poll, which also shows a 14-point fall in Bush’s overall approval ratings, comes at a critical point for the White House as it girds for United Nations talks to win a new resolution followed, the president hopes, by offers of troops and money.
In a week, the number of those supporting Bush’s Iraq policies fell five points to 46%, with 56% saying they believe too much money is being spent on the country. At home, meanwhile, those who disapprove of his economic policies has risen six points, to 57%.
The two issues became further entwined last week after Senator Joseph Biden, a prominent pro-war Democrat, introduced a bill to force Bush to fund his $87-billion request for Iraq by scaling back tax cuts for the top 1% of United States taxpayers.
And there is worse, as the former Nato commander General Wesley Clark — who declared his candidacy last week — went to the top of the Democratic contenders, with 14% of the party’s registered voters saying they would vote for him.
Supporters of Clark, a vocal critic of the Iraq war, believe his military credentials would panic the Bush administration in next year’s race far more than Howard Dean, the previous frontrunner, or the uncharismatic Joe Lieberman. The duo came joint second in the poll, with 12% support.
Clark lacks any electoral experience — but 52% of Americans do not believe that matters, says the poll. Bush would still win the race against Clark if it were held now — by 48% to 43% — but much more narrowly than if he were running against Dean (52% to 38%), the opinion poll found.
Compounding the White House’s domestic problems, there were doubts last night that the US can win support this week at the UN for its new resolution on Iraq.
Both France and Germany indicated they want Iraq to be returned to domestic rule as soon as possible, and for the UN to get a far larger role.
Speaking on Saturday after meeting British Prime Minister Tony Blair and German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, President Jacques Chirac of France insisted that the US should hand back sovereignty in Iraq in a ”few months”. The UN should play a ”significant and operational role”, he added.
Blair’s attempts to mediate met with little success.
Both Britain and the US believe the French demand is unrealistic. But after months of hostility, there are signs that Bush would like to mend ties with France and Germany, his biggest critics in the war.
Bush will meet Chirac tomorrow at the UN in New York, and will breakfast with Schröder on Wednesday. — Guardian Unlimited Â