Demagogue

Let's just let average Americans start making our national security decisions - from a USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll

9. Just your best guess, how much longer do you think the US will have a significant number of troops in Iraq – less than a year, one to two years, three to five years, six to ten years, or longer than ten years?

Less than a year: 4%
One-two years: 29%
Three-five years: 42%
Six-ten years: 13%
Longer than that: 9%

10. How much longer do you think the US should have a significant number of troops in Iraq – less than a year, one to two years, three to five years, six to ten years, or longer than ten years?

Less than a year: 44%
One-two years: 31%
Three-five years: 13%
Six-ten years: 5%
Longer than that: 3%

So most people think that the US will have troops in Iraq for 3 to 5 years, but also think those troops should be pulled out in less than a year.

Do average Americans know something about the stability of Iraq that the US military doesn't?

Of course, 5% of those polled had never heard of Condoleezza Rice, 2% had never heard of Pope John Paul II, and 1% had never heard of the Republican or Democratic parties so maybe pollsters shouldn't be asking these people for their opinions on anything.