Public opinion in the United States on the invasion of Iraq

The United States public's opinion on the invasion of Iraq has changed significantly since the years preceding the incursion. For various reasons, mostly related to the unexpected consequences of the invasion, as well as misinformation provided by US authorities, the US public's perspective on its government's choice to initiate an offensive is increasingly negative. Before the invasion in March 2003, polls showed 47–60% of the US public supported an invasion, dependent on U.N. approval. According to the same poll retaken in April 2007, 58% of the participants stated that the initial attack was a mistake. In May 2007, the New York Times and CBS News released similar results of a poll in which 61% of participants believed the U.S. "should have stayed out" of Iraq.

Timeline

March 1992

In March 1992, 55% of Americans said they would support sending American troops back to the Persian Gulf to remove Saddam Hussein from power.

2001

Seven months prior to the September 11 attacks a Gallup poll showed that 52% would favor an invasion of Iraq while 42% would oppose it. Additionally, 64% said that the U.S. should have removed Hussein at the end of the Gulf War. Prior to the September 11 attacks, many Americans viewed Iraq as a threat to world peace and expressed support for the U.S. using military force to remove Hussein from power.

Surveys conducted after the attacks but before 2002 showed that many Americans were fearful of future acts of terrorism, favored military action against Saddam Hussein and other terroristic actors, and expressed a high level of trust in the federal government that has since declined.