Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=6/29/05

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

TITLE=IRAQ / US / POL

NUMBER=5-57033

BYLINE=JIM MALONE

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

HEADLINE: President Bush Seeks to Turn US Opinion on Iraq

INTRO: President Bush is urging Americans to be patient and to persevere in Iraq despite opinion polls that suggest public support for the effort there is slipping. Political analysts and historians say turning around public opinion is often difficult. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington.

TEXT: In his Tuesday speech, the president sought to reassure Americans who appear to be increasingly concerned about the violent images from Iraq they see daily on their television screens.

/// BUSH ACT ///

"Amid all this violence, I know Americans ask the question, is the sacrifice worth it? It is worth it and it is vital to the future security of our country."

/// END ACT ///

The president said Iraq is the central battlefield in the war on terrorism and says the terrorists will succeed there only if Americans forget the lessons of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Many opposition Democrats say they remain committed to the mission in Iraq but want the president to send in more troops to fight the insurgents and speed up the timetable for training Iraqi security forces.

Democratic Senator Joe Biden of Delaware spoke on ABC's "Good Morning America" program.

/// BIDEN ACT ///

"We must succeed. He has to change the course. He has to get more folks involved. He has to stand up that (Iraqi) army much quicker and he has to train an officer corps. All of this is only now beginning to be done and we are way behind the curve."

/// END ACT ///

Some members of the president's own Republican Party have expressed recent concerns about Iraq and the opinion polls that show decreasing support at home.

Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas is hopeful that the president made some headway with his speech in reassuring Americans.

/// HUTCHISON ACT ///

"We are on the cusp of beginning to show people in the Middle East, throughout the Middle East, that self-governance is something that all people can achieve."

/// END ACT ///

Political analysts and historians say U.S. presidents traditionally have had a difficult task in moving public opinion, especially during wartime.

Larry Sabato is a political expert at the University of Virginia.

/// SABATO ACT ///

"The president has a tough task. He has got to try to turn around this ocean liner of public opinion in a very, very small pond."

/// END ACT ///

Another expert, Ohio State political science professor John Mueller, says it is difficult for the administration's message of patience on Iraq to compete with the daily news images of violence there.

/// MUELLER ACT ///

"Presidents have often not been very successful at moving public opinion one way or the other. Actions frequently do it, but not rhetoric. And there is a reality in Iraq that people are becoming increasingly aware of and increasingly concerned about."

/// END ACT ///

Given the daunting task of turning around public opinion, some historians say the president may have to persevere in Iraq without the luxury of overwhelming public support for sometime to come.

Presidential historian and author Michael Beschloss spoke on NBC's "Today" program.

/// BESCHLOSS ACT ///

"I would say in the near term, see if you can get Americans to feel better about Iraq and basically console yourself with the fact that 30 years from now historians often times look at a presidency very differently. Bush often says what I care about is 30 years from now whether Americans say Iraq was the right thing to do."

/// END ACT ///

While several recent polls show declining support for the president's handling of Iraq, most indicate that a majority of Americans still back Mr. Bush's overall handling of the war on terror. (Signed)

NEB/JBM/RH/FC