While most Americans still support the decision to take military action in Iraq (search), they have growing doubts about how the United States is handling the aftermath of the war, says a poll released Tuesday.
Six in 10, or 58 percent, say they do not think that President Bush (search) has a clear plan for bringing the situation in Iraq to a successful conclusion, according to the poll by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press (search).
Slightly more, 63 percent, say that Bush has not explained clearly his plans for resolving the situation in Iraq. The president went before the United Nations (search) Tuesday to ask for more international cooperation in stabilizing Iraq.
Seven in 10 in the poll say the United Nations should play a significant role in establishing a stable government in Iraq, up from 62 percent who felt that way in April.
Just over half, 51 percent, say the United States should give up some control of military decisions in Iraq to the United Nations in order to get other countries to provide more troops.
Bush's announcement that he will request another $87 billion for the efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq is not getting a warm reception from the public.
Just over a third, 36 percent, favor spending the additional $87 billion, while 57 percent oppose it.
Despite all the questions about how the Bush administration is handling Iraq now, almost two-thirds, 63 percent, say the United States made the right decision in using military force against Iraq. That's about the level of support for that decision all summer, though down slightly from 74 percent who felt that way in mid April.
Just over half, 54 percent, think the Iraq war helped in the fight against terrorism, down from 65 percent in May.
The Pew poll of 1,500 adults was taken Sept. 17-22 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
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