Fewer Australians believe Iraq war is worthy, opinion poll

The number of Australians who believe it was worth going to war in Iraq hit record low, according to a latest opinion poll.

Only 22 percent of Australians now feel it was worth going to war in Iraq, compared with 27 percent last December and 46 percent in February 2004, showed the Newspoll, which was conducted last weekend.

The figure for those who believe that it was not worth going to war in Iraq climbed from 45 percent in February 2004 to current 68 percent, The Australian, one of the leading newspapers, quoted the poll as saying Tuesday.

The poll of 1,200 respondents also showed that only 31 percent favored staying in Iraq "for as long as is necessary," down from 45 percent in December 2004.

A big majority - 65 percent - believes it is unlikely that a stable democratic government will be established in Iraq within the next few years.

Most Australians continue to agree Australia's involvement in the Iraq war has made a terrorist attack more likely.

The poll was conducted just before the U.S. military death toll in Iraq for October hit 100 Monday with the killing of a U.S. marine in Iraq, as a bomb ripped through a crowd of laborers waiting for work, killing at least 31 Iraqis.

The Australian government is facing more and more domestic pressure for a withdrawal from Iraq as the United States is allegedly considering an exit strategy.

Source: Xinhua