42 percent: U.S. safer without Saddam

WASHINGTON, July 7 (UPI) -- Fewer than half of U.S. voters say the country is safer because Saddam Hussein was toppled, a poll released Wednesday indicated.

While only 42 percent say ousting Saddam improved security for the United States, 55 percent say life in Iraq is better without him, Rasmussen Reports said. Almost one-quarter, 22 percent, say the United States is less secure with Saddam no longer in power.

One-third, 33 percent, say the seven-year war in Iraq has been a success, 36 percent say it is a failure and 31 percent are unsure.

Rasmussen found a pronounced partisan divide on Iraq. While 78 percent of Republicans believe the invasion and the downfall of Saddam improved life in Iraq, Democrats and independents are split.

Analysts say there has only been a small shift in polling on the war since mid-2004, about a year after the invasion. At that time, 17 percent said the United States had become less secure and 47 percent more secure.

Pulse Opinion Research LLC surveyed 1,000 likely voters on July 5 for Rasmussen Reports. The margin of error is 3 percentage points.