MORE ON THE ANTIWAR MOVEMENT’S FAILURE:
A new poll shows support for the war in Iraq has slightly risen in the past two weeks, with 56 percent of Americans now saying the situation there was worth going to war over. Fifty-four percent of Americans said that at the beginning of the month.
Similarly, the Gallup poll shows a majority of Americans say the decision to go to war was the right thing to do, compared with 31 percent who disagree. Seventeen percent say it’s too soon to tell.
What’s more, 48 percent of Americans now say the war in Iraq has made the U.S. safer from terrorism, up from 45 percent last month.
On the other hand, right after it we hear this:
All this as polls show the President’s current approval rating — 50 percent — is tied for the lowest of his presidency.
Hmm. So Bush isn’t that popular, but support for the war is up, despite protests, “Bush lied,” quagmire-talk, etc. I think it’s because the antiwar protesters have turned people off. And there’s evidence for that in the same story:
American and British Journalists in London have infiltrated the groups preparing to protest against the President there.
They report that the London Action Resource Center — describing itself as non-violent — has taught demonstrators how to charge police lines and has discussed whether or not the hurling of petrol bombs constitutes an act of violence.
This sort of thing doesn’t sell.
UPDATE: Bryan Preston has more. And don’t miss this piece by Amir Taheri, either.
ANOTHER UPDATE: A reader sends this link to a story about tens of thousands at the Toys ‘R’ Us parade and adds:
The protesters in London (and their leftist supporters in the media) are just pathetic. I was in New York a couple of weeks ago, and saw a much bigger crowd for the Toys `R’ Us Holiday Parade in Times Square, early on a cold Saturday morning. My wife and I could barely push through the crowd to get to the subway as we set out for a day of sightseeing. It says something when a crowd of five-year-olds with their mommies is more intimidating than your crowd of protesters.
As someone who’s spent a lot of time with five-year-olds, I’m not so sure. . .
But Iain Murray is covering this and says that the turnout is looking bigger than he thought, though still nowhere near 100,000. And Kris Murray wonders: “Were there protests like this during the height of the IRA terrorist attacks in London against the British government’s military intervention in Northern Ireland?” I don’t think so.
MORE: Zach Barbera emails: “Forget the 100,000/30-40,000 question. I just want to know where are all the d@mn puppets?!? I thought we were promised puppets! Can’t these people do anything right?”
If there aren’t puppets, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.
STILL MORE: Background on the protesters here and here.
MORE STILL: This story from the Times says official numbers are 70,000. I gather that the Mirror is claiming 200,000 — but, then, they claim that John Pilger is a journalist. . . .