Ninety-four percent (94%) of Americans say it is likely that American soldiers will still be facing combat in Iraq when the next President is sworn into office on January 20, 2009. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 75% say it is Very Likely that the war will drag on into the next Administration. Another 19% say it is Somewhat Likely.

That pessimism stands in strong contrast to what American voters would like to see happen. Earlier surveys found that voters overwhelmingly support the recommendation of the Iraq Study Group to remove almost all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by early 2008. Less than one-in-three support the President’s plan for sending more troops to Iraq. Following his speech on Tuesday night, the President’s Job Approval fell to the lowest level ever recorded by Rasmussen Reports.

Ninety-five percent (95%) of Republicans expect the fighting to continue beyond George W. Bush’s term in office. That view is shared by 93% of Democrats and 93% of those not affiliated with either major party.

In recent months, pessimism about the situation in Iraq has grown dramatically. Just 26% now give the President good or excellent marks for his handling of that situation. A plurality of voters now believes that the terrorists are winning the War on Terror. Most believe that history will judge the U.S. mission in Iraq to be a failure.