US doubts increase over Bush's handling of Iraq

Public doubts are growing about Iraq and President George Bush’s handling of the war nearly a year after he declared an end to major combat, according to a new poll.

Americans are evenly split on whether taking military action in Iraq was the right thing to do, according to the CBS News-New York Times poll.

Less than half, 47%, said taking military action in Iraq was the right thing to do, and about the same number, 46%, said the United States should have stayed out of the country.

Only a month ago, 58% said the military action was right, and 37% said it was not. The increase in doubts comes as US troops have been involved in deadly fighting against insurgents in two Iraqi cities.

Four in 10 in the poll, 41%, say they approve of Bush’s handling of the war, and about the same number, 40% approve of his handling of foreign policy. The president still gets relatively strong support for his handling of the campaign against terrorism, 60%.

Only a third, 32%, say Iraq was a threat that required immediate military action, down from 42% who said that a month ago.

Six in 10 say the US efforts in Iraq are going badly.

The poll found Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry running close in the presidential race – with Bush at 43%, Kerry at 41% and independent Ralph Nader at 5% among registered voters.