U.S. Public Opposes Permanent Military Bases in Iraq but Majority Thinks U.S. Plans to Keep Them: If New Iraqi Government Sets Timeline for U.S. Withdrawal, Public Thinks U.S. Should Comply

Abstract

A large bipartisan majority of Americans oppose permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq and believe that most Iraqis are opposed as well, but a modest majority believes that the United States nonetheless plans to have permanent bases, according to a new poll by WorldPublicOpinion.org. A large majority thinks that the United States should be willing to accept a new Iraqi government setting a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops, and thinks that most Iraqis want such a timeline, but an overwhelming majority thinks that the United States would refuse to agree to such a timeline. At this point, a large bipartisan majority favors reducing—though not completely withdrawing—U.S. troops.