A few interesting results of a recent survey in England, again courtesy of Matt Drudge. My only problem with this is that it was an online survey. I don't have the link to the surveyors site and thus don't know how it was conducted, but, despite claims that it is representative, it may not be the most accurate sample. I guess it will be (or was?) printed in a Murdoch paper though, and he's pretty pro-war and conservative as a news leader.
Here we go:
The US President was branded a threat to world peace by a clear majority [of Britons], 60%, of those questioned by YouGov. More than one in three, 37%, said Mr Bush was "stupid" while 33% called him "incoherent". Only a minority saw positive characteristics in Mr Bush, with just 7% regarding him as a good world leader, 6% as articulate and 10% as intelligent.
A slim majority of those questioned opposed the visit by 26% to 21% although half did not care. There was sympathy with anti-war campaigners who plan a series of protests to mark the visit with a majority of 53% to 41% supporting the demonstrations.
For the first time a majority said Britain and America were wrong to go to war with Iraq by 45% to 43%. The question has been asked repeatedly since March and when US troops entered Baghdad in April voters were in favour of the war by 66% to 29%.
Now almost three-quarters, 73%, expected the security situation to get worse over the next few months. Only 15% believed that things would get better in Iraq with just 18% saying the country's future would be as a peaceful democracy. An overwhelming 70% thought there was little hope for the people of Iraq and that it would be a permanently unstable country.
There was little faith in the President's ability to handle the continuing problems in Iraq. Fewer than a quarter, 24%, had confidence in Mr Bush on Iraq, while 74% did not. Prime Minister Tony Blair fares only slightly better with 38% expressing confidence in him compared with 59% who did not. There was also scepticism about the "special relationship" between Britain and the US. Only a third, 34%, thought the relationship should continue as at present with Britain remaining America's closest ally. A larger proportion, 47%, said that Britain should continue as one of America's allies but be ready to pursue a more independent line. Some went further, with 14% saying Britain should no longer regard America as a close ally and should pursue its own interests irrespective of what Washington thinks.