The dueling polls.

Smash doesn't think much of this new poll saying the troops want out of Iraq:

"I CAN'T SPEAK for anyone else, but I know that if a pollster came up to me while I was serving in uniform, and asked if I'd like to participate in an opinion poll, he'd get a two-word answer from me.

The second word would be "OFF."

But that's exactly what John Zogby's polling firm claims to have done with 944 soldiers serving in Iraq. Nothing like this has ever been attemted before. The results are interesting, but somewhat self-contradictory, and therefore difficult to analyze.

The poll, conducted in conjunction with Le Moyne College’s Center for Peace and Global Studies, showed that 29% of the respondents, serving in various branches of the armed forces, said the U.S. should leave Iraq “immediately,” while another 22% said they should leave in the next six months. Another 21% said troops should be out between six and 12 months, while 23% said they should stay “as long as they are needed.”

What I'd like to know, is what was the ratio of those refusing to take part in the poll to those agreeing to participate? Now that's a number from which I could draw some interesting analysis..."

Smash might be interested in this poll:

"Majority of US Troops Favor Increased Troop Levels in Iraq"

What???

As Blogs for Bush points out:

"Jason over at Generation Why ponied up the $19.99 to become a premium member of Zogby's site and found in that poll some interesting things that the New York Times didn't see fit to print. Things like this:

A majority of troops (53%) said the U.S. should double both the number of troops and bombing missions in order to control the insurgency.

Sounds to me like the troops want to win this thing - pull out, sure; but only after victory is secured. Addtionally, nearly 37% of the troops view calls here at home for a quick withdrawal as unpatriotic - so, it isn't just armchair warriors starting to question the patriotism of the war critics, but the front line warriors as well."

This is why I hate polls. One can always find a way to get the results they wish. Or...print the results they wish. Whichever.