Pentagon dismisses US troop poll

Daily Telegraph
Mar. 01, 2006

THE Pentagon has dismissed a poll's finding that 72 per cent of United States troops in Iraq believe the US should pull out within a year or less.

"It shouldn't surprise anybody that a deployed soldier would rather be at home than deployed, even when they believe what they are doing is important and vital work," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.

The poll by Le Moyne College and Zogby International found that only 23 per cent believed US troops should stay in Iraq "as long as it takes", as US President George W. Bush has insisted.

Nearly one in three troops said US forces should withdraw immediately.

Another 22 per cent said US forces should be out within six months, and 21 per cent thought they should exit within a year.

"I don't think anybody is getting alarmed over any one poll, if that's what you're asking me," Mr Whitman said.

He said some of the military's highest retention rates had been among frontline units in Iraq and Afghanistan, indicating morale remained strong.

Military recruiters had also met all their goals so far this year, he said.

The survey was conducted among 944 US military personnel at several locations in Iraq. It had a margin of error of 3.3 per cent.

Mr Whitman said the poll was conducted without US Defence Department involvement.