success of surge in iraq is now changing minds in america

U.S. Troop Surge in Iraq Receives a Bit More Credit http://www.gallup.com/poll/103057/US-Troop-Surge-Iraq-Receives-Bit-More-Credit.aspx?version=print December 5, 2007 by Lydia Saad Gallup Polls PRINCETON, NJ -- Public views of the U.S. troop surge in Iraq have improved over the past month, and Americans' outlook about winning the war is brighter than it was in September. At the same time, even this expanded number of Americans holding upbeat views about the troop surge and the war's progress remain in the minority. And none of this seems to have influenced Americans' more fundamental reaction to the war: The Surge Effect Forty percent of Americans now say the U.S. troop surge in Iraq that began earlier this year is making the situation there better. This is up from 34% four weeks ago and from 22% when Gallup first measured it in July. Since August, more Americans have tended to say the surge is making the situation in Iraq better rather than worse, but today's ratio -- 40% vs. 20% -- is the most positive yet recorded. Thirty-nine percent of Americans currently say the surge is not making any difference; this is down from 43% in September and 51% in July. The acknowledgment from some Democrats, such as Rep. John Murtha, that "the surge is working" might be expected to have at least softened criticism of the surge among rank-and-file Democrats.