NY Times poll found majority favors withdrawal plan resembling Democrats' -- but Vieira didn't report that

Written by Kathleen Henehan

Published

NBC's Meredith Vieira told viewers that a New York Times/CBS News poll found that “76 percent of Americans say they'd only withdraw some troops, keeping enough to train Iraqis and fight Al Qaeda or they would keep the same number of troops in Iraq until the country is stabilized.” But Vieira did not report that the same poll question found that 78 percent of respondents favor either withdrawing all troops from Iraq (22 percent) or leaving troops “to train Iraqi forces, conduct raids against terrorist groups and protect American diplomats” (56 percent), a position resembling proposals by leading Democrats.


Discussing recent polls on U.S. troop levels in Iraq, during the September 11 edition of NBC's Today, co-anchor Meredith Vieira told viewers that “a New York Times/CBS News poll found that the public may have more patience than many assumed." Vieira reported that the poll found that “76 percent of Americans say they'd only withdraw some troops, keeping enough to train Iraqis and fight Al Qaeda or they would keep the same number of troops in Iraq until the country is stabilized.” But Vieira did not report that the same poll question found that 78 percent of respondents favor either withdrawing all troops from Iraq (22 percent) or leaving troops “to train Iraqi forces, conduct raids against terrorist groups and protect American diplomats” (56 percent), a position resembling proposals by leading Democrats.

From the New York Times/CBS News poll:

81. Looking ahead in Iraq, if you had to choose, which of these comes closest to your position: 1. The United States should withdraw all of its troops within the next year regardless of what happens in Iraq after the troops leave. OR 2. The United States should withdraw some troops but leave some troops to train Iraqi forces, conduct raids against terrorist groups and protect American diplomats. OR 3. The United States should keep the same number of troops in Iraq as are there now and continue to fight until there is a stable democracy in Iraq?

Withdraw all troops

Withdraw some troops

Keep same number

DK/NA

9/4-8/07

22

56

20

2

By combining the respondents who favor withdrawing some or keeping the same number of troops in order to reach a figure of 76 percent and support her statement that “the public may have more patience than many assumed,” Vieira ignored the Times/CBS poll's finding that a majority of respondents -- 56 percent -- favor a troop withdrawal plan that calls for the retention of some troops for particular functions, resembling several Democratic proposals.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) introduced legislation in February that would call for a gradual redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq, cap the number of troops in Iraq at January 2007 levels and provide for de-authorizing the war unless the president certifies that:

a phased redeployment of United States military forces from Iraq has begun ... including the transition of United States forces in Iraq to the limited presence and mission of -- (A) training Iraqi security forces; (B) providing logistic support of Iraqi security forces; (C) protecting United States personnel and infrastructure; and (D) participating in targeted counter-terrorism activities.

Similarly, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) introduced legislation in January that would require the redeployment of U.S. troops in Iraq to begin “not later than May 1, 2007.” According to Obama's bill, redeployment of U.S. forces would be “subject to the exceptions for retention of forces for force protection, counter-terrorism operations, training of Iraqi forces, and other purposes.” Moreover, on July 18, Clinton and Obama also voted in support of an amendment proposed by Democratic Sens. Carl Levin (MI) and Jack Reed (RI) that called for a “reduction” of U.S. forces in Iraq to begin within 120 days and also stipulated that the United States maintain a “limited presence” of troops there to protect U.S. and coalition infrastructure, train Iraqi security forces, and conduct counterterrorism operations.

From the September 11 edition of NBC's Today:

VIEIRA: As a debate rages in Washington over what's next in Iraq, both Congress and the president will be taking a hard look at where the American people stand. Now according to the most recent USA Today/Gallup Poll, 60 percent of Americans now say the United States should set a timetable to withdraw forces and, quote, “stick to that timetable regardless of what is going on in Iraq,” end quote.

Fifty-seven percent say the Iraq government is not capable of reaching political benchmarks, but only one in five want all U.S. troops removed as rapidly as possible. In fact, a New York Times/CBS News poll found the public may have more patience than many assumed. Seventy-six percent of Americans say they'd only withdraw some troops, keeping enough to train Iraqis and fight Al Qaeda or they would keep the same number of troops in Iraq until the country is stabilized.

And over the last two months, the percentage of Americans who believe the surge is working has nearly doubled from 19 to 35 percent.