Two in Five U.S. Adults Believe that Torture of Prisoners by Americans Still Prevalent in Iraq and Afghanistan

Two in Five U.S. Adults Believe that Torture of Prisoners by Americans Still Prevalent in Iraq and Afghanistan

Majority of the public not optimistic that troops will be coming home soon

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ROCHESTER, N.Y., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- By a 66 to 32 percent majority the American public believes that torture of prisoners by Americans has taken place in Iraq and Afghanistan. Furthermore, 61 percent of those who believe that torture has taken place (or 41 percent of all U.S. adults) also believe that it is still happening in spite of the public disclosures of events that took place in Abu Ghraib prison.In addition, while six in 10 (60%) adults favor bringing most U.S. troops home in the next year, similar numbers (58%) do not expect that this will happen within two years, and a majority of people (55% ) are not confident that Iraq will be successful in developing a stable government.

These are some of the results of a Harris Poll of 1,010 U.S. adults surveyed by telephone by Harris Interactive(R) between April 5 and 10, 2005.

[code] Torture of Prisoners
Other findings about the torture of Iraqi and Afghan prisoners include:
-- Among the 66 percent of adults who believe that prisoners captured in
Iraq and Afghanistan were tortured, a 41 percent plurality feel that
those in command are most responsible followed by the soldiers (30%),
the Administration (13%) and the Pentagon (10%).

-- Six in ten (60%) of those who believe that prisoners have been tortured
believe that more than 20 prisoners were tortured. Another 14 percent
think that between 10 and 20 prisoners were tortured, and 20 percent
think that less than 10 prisoners were tortured.[/code]

Attitudes Toward the War

The public's views on Iraq haven't changed substantially in the past few months. A majority (60%) favors bringing U.S. troops home in the next year, virtually the same as findings from The Harris Poll(R) conducted in February (59%). About half (49%) feel that the war in Iraq has strengthened the war on terrorism, up slightly from 46 percent who felt this way in February. In addition this survey found:

[code] -- Only 43 percent of adults are confident that Iraq will be successful in
developing a stable and reasonably democratic government. Over half
(55%) are not confident that this will happen.
-- A majority (62%) thinks that "spending huge sums of money to invade and
occupy Iraq has meant that a lot less money has been available to
protect the United States against another terrorist attack." This has
increased substantially since a year ago when 51 percent agreed with
this sentiment.
-- Still about six in 10 (59%) adults agree (60% in April 2004) that
invading and occupying Iraq has motivated more Islamic terrorists to
attack the United States.[/code]

In spite of some recent reports suggesting that the situation in Iraq may be improving (or at least not getting any worse) the public is still not very optimistic that the situation will change for the better anytime soon. And when it comes to the issue of torture, many Americans still feel that this is part of the landscape in both Iraq and Afghanistan, contributing to further concern about the United States and its role there.

[code] TABLE 1
FAVOR KEEPING LARGE NUMBER OF U.S. TROOPS IN IRAQ OR BRINGING MOST HOME IN
NEXT YEAR

"Do you favor keeping a large number of U.S. troops in Iraq until there is a stable government there OR bringing most of our troops home in the next year?"

Base: All Adults
Oct. Feb. April June Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Feb. NOW
2003 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005
% % % % % % % % % %

Favor keeping a
large number of
U.S. troops in
Iraq until there
is a stable
government
there 46 45 42 39 40 38 47 50 39 40
Favor bringing
most of our
troops home
in the next
year 47 51 51 56 54 54 50 47 59 60
Not sure/
Refused 7 4 8 6 5 7 3 2 1 *

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 2
THINK INVASION OF IRAQ STRENGTHENED/WEAKENED WAR ON TERROR
"Do you think the invasion of Iraq strengthened or weakened the war on
terrorism?"
Base: All Adults

June Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Feb. NOW
2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005
% % % % % % %
Strengthened the war
on terrorism 52 50 43 52 48 46 49
Weakened the war on
terrorism 38 40 41 45 48 48 47
Not sure/Refused 10 10 16 3 4 6 4

TABLE 3
CONFIDENCE IN IRAQ DEVELOPING STABLE AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
"Are you confident that Iraq will be successful in developing a stable and
reasonably democratic government?"
Base: All Adults

NOW
%
Yes 43
No 55
Not sure/Refused 2

TABLE 4
STATEMENTS ABOUT IRAQ
"Please say whether you agree or disagree with the following statements?"
Base: All Adults

Agree Disagree Not
Sure/
Refused
Spending huge sums of
money to invade and
occupy Iraq has meant
that a lot less money has
been available to protect
the United States against
another terrorist attack
NOW % 62 37 1
April 2004 % 51 44 5

Invading and occupying
Iraq has motivated more
Islamic terrorists to
attack Americans and the
United States
NOW % 59 40 1
April 2004 % 60 33 7

Most U.S. troops will be
out of Iraq two years
from now
NOW % 40 58 2

Invading Iraq has helped
to reduce the threat of
another terrorist attack
against the United States
NOW % 39 61 *
April 2004 % 41 56 3

TABLE 5

PRISONERS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN TORTURED BY AMERICANS "Do you believe that ANY prisoners captured in Iraq and Afghanistan have been

tortured by Americans?"
Base: All Adults

NOW
%
Yes 66
No 32
Not sure/Refused 2

TABLE 6
PERCEIVED NUMBER OF PRISONERS WHO HAVE BEEN TORTURED
"About how many prisoners would you say have been tortured?"
Base: Adults Believing Prisoners Have Been Tortured or Not Sure

NOW
%
1-4 8
5-9 12
10-20 14
More than 20 60
Not sure/Refused 7

TABLE 7

RESPONSIBILITY FOR TORTURE TAKING PLACE "Who is most responsible for the torture taking place in Iraq or Afghanistan?"

Base: Adults Believing Prisoners Have Been Tortured or Not Sure

NOW
%
Those in command 41
The soldiers 30
The Administration 13
The Pentagon 10
No one - no torture has taken place (vol.) *
Other 3
Not sure/Refused 2

TABLE 8

PRISONERS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN STILL BEING TORTURED BY AMERICANS "Do you believe that any prisoners are still being tortured in either Iraq or

Afghanistan?"
Base: Adults Believing Prisoners Have Been Tortured or Not Sure

NOW
%
Yes 61*
No 34
Not sure/Refused 4
*Note: This translates into 41% of all adults.[/code]

Methodology

The Harris Poll(R) was conducted by telephone within the United States between April 5 and 10, 2005 among a nationwide cross section of 1,010 adults (aged 18 and over), of whom 683 believe that prisoners were tortured (or not sure). Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say with 95 percent certainty that the results for the overall sample have a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points of what they would be if the entire U.S. adult population had been polled with complete accuracy. Sampling error for the results of adults who believe that prisoners were tortured (or not sure) is plus or minus 4 percentage points. Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (nonresponse), question wording and question order, and weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

J23845
Q462, Q465, Q470, Q483, Q650, Q655, Q660, Q665

The Harris Poll(R) #30, April 20, 2005

By David Krane, SVP of Harris Interactive(R) Public Affairs and Government Research and an editor of The Harris Poll.

About Harris Interactive(R)

Harris Interactive Inc. (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/), the 15th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world, is a Rochester, N.Y.-based global research company that blends premier strategic consulting with innovative and efficient methods of investigation, analysis and application. Known for The Harris Poll(R) and for pioneering Internet-based research methods, Harris Interactive conducts proprietary and public research to help its clients achieve clear, material and enduring results.

Harris Interactive combines its intellectual capital, databases and technology to advance market leadership through U.S. offices and wholly owned subsidiaries: London-based HI Europe (http://www.hieurope.com/), Paris-based Novatris (http://www.novatris.com/), Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan, through newly acquired WirthlinWorldwide, a Reston, Virginia-based research and consultancy firm ranked 25th largest in the world, and through an independent global network of affiliate market research companies. EOE M/F/D/V.

Source: Harris Interactive Inc.