Americans split on Iraq withdrawal if conditions for pullout aren’t right

Americans are virtually split over whether or not President Barack Obama should withdraw troops from Iraq in August as planned if that nation still suffers from violence and political instability.

51 percent of voters said they would favor the president pushing ahead with his plan to withdraw most troops from Iraq even if there is widespread violence and a lack of a stable government at that time, a CNN/Opinion Research poll released Monday found.

48 percent would oppose removing U.S. troops, well within the 4.5 percent margin of error for that question in the poll.

Obama announced in February of 2009 a staged drawdown of U.S. troops in Iraq set for August of this year, though his administration has left wiggle room in that timetable based on conditions on the ground. The current plan would withdraw all but 35,000 to 50,000 troops from Iraq in August, the remainder of which would steadily leave Iraq through the end of 2011.

Republicans had criticized such a timetable when it was first announced, arguing it would put terror and political groups in Iraq that oppose the United States on notice about the military’s intentions.

Also making the withdrawal more difficult were the controversial March elections, which were marked by violence and allegations of fraud.

More broadly, voters favor the current plan to withdraw U.S. troops in August if conditions on the ground are adequate.

64 percent of Americans say they favor the current plan, while 35 percent oppose.

The poll was conducted May 21-23.