header_blog.jpg

Poll: 71 Percent Say Iraq Spending Hurting the Economy

Posted by Matt Ortega on March 19, 2008 at 10:47 AM

CNN reports:

More than 7 out of 10 Americans think government spending on the war in Iraq is partly responsible for the economic troubles in the United States, according to results of a recent poll.

In the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll conducted last weekend, 71 percent said they think U.S. spending in Iraq is a reason for the nation's poor economy. Twenty-eight percent said they didn't think so.

Five years into the war, the rosy estimates of the conflict's cost proved wrong. Through oil revenues, the war would pay for itself, argued Paul Wolfowitz. The administration claimed before the war that it would cost $60 billion.

In October 2002, Congressional budget experts estimated that war with Iraq could reach $9 billion a month. Five years into the war, the U.S. is spending more than $10 billion a month.

The Pentagon claims spending on the war has reached $600 billion, but the Congressional Budget Office says $1 trillion to $2 trillion is more realistic, reports the New York Times.

The poll also found that more than 2 to 1 oppose the war in Iraq, with 66 percent in opposition and only 32 percent in support.

A separate poll released this week shows that a majority of Americans believe that the war was not worth it.

Comments - 18 »

Comments are now closed for this entry.