survey says
The U.S. invaded Iraq 15 years ago today. Americans are still split on whether that was a good idea.
Tuesday, March 20, marks 15 years since the United States invaded Iraq to depose Saddam Hussein and find those elusive weapons of mass destruction.
At the time of the invasion, nearly 3 in 4 Americans said using military force was the right choice, but since 2006, public opinion has almost always shifted toward opposition. As of this year, Pew Research reports, 48 percent say the war was the wrong choice, and 43 percent still believe it was a good idea.
Among those who support the invasion, 61 percent are Republicans or independents who lean Republican. Republicans are also more likely to say the United States "succeeded in achieving its goals in Iraq." Overall, 53 percent of Americans say the U.S. failed to achieve those goals, a proportion that has held steady since 2014.
The Defense and State Departments said in February that the president has the authority to keep U.S. troops in Iraq indefinitely.