Most Americans support Obama's decision to pull troops out of Iraq, a survey says. Poll: Big support for Obama on Iraq

An overwhelming majority of Americans agree with President Barack Obama’s decision to end the war in Iraq and bring all U.S. combat troops home, according to a new poll out Wednesday.

Nearly eight in 10, or 78 percent, say they support the removal of combat troops from Iraq, a CNN/ORC International poll found.


But with the war officially over, just one in three Americans say they consider it a victory. Over half, or 54 percent, say they would describe the outcome for the United States in Iraq as a stalemate, while 11 percent say they would call it a defeat.

Two-thirds told pollsters they are now opposed the U.S. war in Iraq, and 53 percent say they think it was a mistake to send troops to the country in the first place. As for whether they agree with then-Sen. Barack Obama’s view that it was “dumb” to send troops to Iraq in 2003, the poll found that 51 percent do, while 45 percent say it was a smart decision.

Half of those polled say the United States’ action in Iraq was morally justified.

More than half — or 57 percent — say the Bush administration deliberately misled the American public about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction, while 41 percent disagree.

Meanwhile, 96 percent told pollsters they are proud of the troops who were stationed in Iraq. The impact of U.S. involvement in the war, however, had a negative effect on life in the U.S., 52 percent say. Only 16 percent say the war had a positive effect, while 31 percent think it did not have much effect on life in the U.S.

The poll surveyed 1,015 adults from Dec. 16-18. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.