President George W. Bush Exits White House to Record Job Disapproval

Dec. 15, 2008— -- Iraqis aren't the only ones throwing shoes: Americans remain broadly critical of U.S. involvement in Iraq, a view unaltered by security gains. And Afghanistan presents its own challenges, with broad public worries about progress and prospects alike.

On Iraq, George W. Bush's surprise trip Sunday took him to the root of his own unpopularity: Sixty-four percent of Americans in this new ABC News/Washington Post poll say the war was not worth fighting, steady for two years. And in the dwindling days of his presidency, 68 percent disapprove of Bush's job performance overall.

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The two are inextricably linked.

Bush and the war have been unpopular for four years running, with an almost perfect correlation between the two views. While the economy's taken center stage, it's the Iraq war that's most damaged Bush over the long term.

The success of the "surge" of U.S. forces in improving security is almost an ironic twist.

Bush heralded it Sunday, and indeed 56 percent now say the United States is making "significant progress" restoring civil order in Iraq, up from 40 percent in April. (The rest may be reflecting on the ongoing, if less numerous, car-bomb attacks there.)

Even more, 65 percent, are now optimistic about Iraq's prospects in the year ahead, up 19 points from last year to a new high since 2004. Some of that stems from better ratings of security there; some, instead, from greater optimism among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents encouraged by Barack Obama's election.

In any case it's in the broader analysis, beyond the situation on the ground -- the cost in lives and dollars vs. perceived benefits -- that nearly two-thirds continue to call the war not worth fighting.

And as that view is unchanged, so is its intensity: Fifty percent feel "strongly" that the Iraq war was not worth it. Fewer than half as many, 21 percent, strongly feel the opposite -- tying the all-time low in strong support for the war.

Such views put some heat on Obama; not only do 70 percent say he should withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq, but, among many high expectations for the incoming president, 64 percent think in fact he will end the U.S. involvement there.