Harris Pollsters Surprised at Poll Results: Half of Americans Believe Iraq had WMDs when U.S. Invaded

Jennifer Harper/TN : Jul 26, 2006
The Washington Times

A recent Harris Poll has found that half of Americans now say Iraq had weapons of mass destruction when the United States invaded the country in 2003 -- up from 36 percent last year. According to reporter Jennifer Harper, pollsters deemed the increase both "substantial" and "surprising," in light of persistent press reports to the contrary in recent years.

As reported in The Washington Times, other results offered positive feedback on Iraq: "Seventy-two percent of respondents said the Iraqi people are better off now than under Saddam Hussein's regime, and in addition, 64 percent say Saddam had "strong links" with al Qaeda, up from 62 percent in October 2004. Fifty-five percent said that "history will give the U.S. credit for bringing freedom and democracy to Iraq."

Also, notes Harper, "41 percent say the war has reduced the threat of another major terrorist attack in the United States, a sentiment also unchanged in the past two years."