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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Half Of Americans Wouldn't Vote For Bush Again

WASHINGTON, August 23 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - A growing
number of Americans don't want to see U.S. President George W. Bush
re-elected next year, and fear U.S. troops will be drawn into a long,
costly occupation of Iraq, according to a Newsweek poll released
Saturday, August 23.

For the first time the poll has found that more registered voters --
49 percent -- would not want Bush to return for a second term in
office if the elections were now, compared with 44 percent who would,
reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Only 23 percent said terrorism and homeland security would be the most
important issues for them in the November 2004 election, compared with
48 percent who said deciding factors for them now would be the economy
and jobs.

Meanwhile, 69 percent are now convinced the United States will become
bogged down in Iraq, without achieving ostensible goals in getting the
country back on its feet.

Some 40 percent of them are now "very concerned" U.S. troops will be
there for the long-haul.

A majority also fears that U.S. forces will be overextended in the
event of a security threat elsewhere, according to the poll in the
latest edition of Newsweek -- 29 percent very concerned and 30 percent
somewhat concerned.

The new deaths brought to at least 64 the number of U.S. soldiers
killed in resistance attacks in Iraq since Washington declared major
combat over on May 1.

Americans also think that reconstruction costs in Iraq are too high at
one billion dollars per week -- 66 percent said they do not support
such spending, compared with 34 percent who said they support current
spending levels.

And 53 percent said they would oppose an increase to the figure being
spent, with only seven percent not opposed to an increase.

Almost half of people polled -- 47 percent -- said they were very
concerned that maintaining troops in Iraq is too expensive and will
cause a higher budget deficit, seriously damaging the U.S. economy.

Despite some indications the U.S. president's popularity is on the
wane, a majority still approves of the way Bush is handling his job.
Some 53 percent supported him compared with 36 who did not, with 11
unsure.

In a Newsweek poll released a month ago, 49 percent said they would
like to see Bush re-elected compared with 43 percent who would not.

Voters said they preferred Republican President Bush's stance for
dealing with terrorists than what they have seen so far from leading
figures among the Democrats.

Some 57 percent said they preferred Bush's position on terrorism to 21
who preferred the Democrats. But 45 percent felt the Democrats had
more to offer on stimulating the economy, compared with 36 percent who
thought Bush had a better approach.

The survey was taken between August 21-22 on some 1,011 adults aged 18
and above. The poll has a plus or minus three percent error margin.

A U.S. soldier from the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment died of a
non-combat gunshot wound in Baghdad on Saturday, a military spokesman
said Sunday.

No further details were available.

The death takes to 79 the number of U.S. soldiers killed in non-combat
incidents since May 1, Specialist Anthony Reinoso told AFP, quoting
the latest Pentagon figures.

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