The Bush Administration is apparently failing to persuade Americans that conditions in Iraq are going to improve thanks to the presence of US and coalition troops there. A majority—51 percent—of Americans is saying they believe the US will definitely or probably fail in establishing a stable democratic government in Iraq, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. The poll also found that 59 percent say they are in favor of a bill calling for a US troop withdrawal by August 2008, and that 54 percent are hard over on establishing a timeline; they want no compromise with the Administration. The survey also shows that at least 49 percent of Republicans want to see a Presidential candidate with a different approach to Iraq.
Members of the House Armed Services Committee say the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has been set back three months due to the ongoing government shutdown. The comment is noteworthy because the JATM's status has been kept tightly under wraps.
