UPI Poll: Watching the Iraq debate

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- UPI-Zogby International poll participants who said they planned to watch the U.S. Congress hearings on Iraq believe it wouldn't change their minds on the issue.

Before U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker appeared before congressional committees, a Zogby interactive poll asked 7,081 U.S. residents about their interest in the appearances.

Nearly half -- 49.3 percent -- of the respondents said they planned to watch "very closely" and another 35 percent said they would be following the hearings "somewhat closely." Some 11 percent said they would follow the appearances "not very closely" and 3.7 percent said they wouldn't follow them at all.

Even with that level of interest, participants said it wasn't likely they would change their minds on the war. Some 47.5 percent said it wasn't very likely the report by Petraeus and Crocker would change their opinion and 34.1 percent said it wasn't at all likely to change their mind. Just 1.3 percent said the testimony was very likely to change their opinion and 9.9 percent said it was somewhat likely.

Petraeus said the troop level in Iraq could be reduced by next June, a position reportedly endorsed by U.S. President George Bush. Before that announcement ,while 42.5 percent of those asked said the "surge" should be given more time to work, 35.2 percent said Bush should be required to begin a phased withdrawal of troops and 16.9 percent said the president should be required to begin an immediate and full withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

The poll was conducted Sept. 7-10 and has a margin of error of 1.2 percentage points.