Page 2 of 3 A Sober Response After Saddam's Capture, Most Say Difficult Challenges Remain Continued 
Bush's approval rating on handling Iraq remains below its levels last spring and early summer. And his overall job approval rating didn't show a significant gain — it's 57 percent in this poll, compared with 53 percent in an ABC/Post poll Dec. 7.
Still, the number who "strongly" approve of Bush's work, 37 percent, is now its highest since August, up seven points from its post-Sept. 11, 2001, low in late October.
Views of War Get No Bounce
The capture produced no significant gain overall in the number of Americans who say the war against terrorism is going well — 65 percent, compared with 62 percent in late October. (More, however, say it's going "very well" — 17 percent, up nine points.)
As noted, 53 percent say that considering the cost versus the benefits, the war was worth fighting — essentially unchanged since mid-October, and down from 70 percent as the main fighting ended last spring. (There's a difference between the sexes: Men say the war was worth fighting, by 57-38 percent; women divide more narrowly, 49-45 percent.)
Some of these views are highly partisan. Three-quarters of Republicans say the war was worth fighting; this slides to half of independents and a third of Democrats. More than eight in 10 Republicans say the campaign against terrorism is going well; that drops to six in 10 independents and about half of Democrats. And Bush's job approval is 44 points higher among Republicans than it is among Democrats.
Despite those differences, more than seven in 10 Republicans, Democrats and independents alike agree that U.S. forces need to stay in Iraq until a stable government is in place. And nine in 10 agree, across partisan lines, that big challenges remain for the United States in Iraq.
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