Thirty-three percent (33%) of American voters believe that history will ultimately judge the U.S. mission in Iraq a success. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 50% of Likely Voters believe the mission will be deemed a failure.

Those figures, while bleak, offer a slightly less pessimistic assessment of the situation in Iraq than has been measured in any month since November. Last month, 54% said the mission would be deemed a failure (see history).

Republicans, by a 61% to 23% margin believe the Iraq mission will eventually be viewed as a success. Democrats, by a 73% to 11% margin, believe it will be seen as a failure. Among those not affiliated with either major party, 49% believe the U.S. role in Iraq will be considered a failure while 30% believe it will be considered a success.

In the short-term, only 30% expect the situation in Iraq to improve. Forty-five percent (45%) think it will deteriorate over the next six months. That too is a slight improvement from a month ago and is the least pessimistic assessment since the mid-term elections. While there has been news of improved security in some areas of Iraq as a result of new security measures and the U.S. "surge" in troops being rolled out, reports of suicide bombings and other violence in Iraq continue to dominate headlines.

Forty-night percent (49%) say President Bush's handling of the situation in Iraq is Poor. Only 33% say it's Good or Excellent; 16% are willing to characterize it as Fair.

The current poll was conducted April 11-12. The suicide bombing of the Iraqi parliament, cited by many critics as proof the surge is failing, took place April 12.

As to the War on Terror generally, 37% believe the United States and its allies are winning. Thirty-three percent (33%) say the terrorists are winning, 26% say neither side is winning. Those figures have changed little in recent months but represent a significant decline since the last Presidential election. During Election 2004, a majority of Americans believed the U.S. was winning.

Likely voters are evenly split on whether the United States is safer now than before the 9/11 attacks. Forty-three percent (43%) say yes, 43% say no.

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