Most Americans think the Bush administration's upcoming

Iraq status report will exaggerate progress, and few expect it to result in a major shift in the administration's policy, a latest poll found.

 

The new Washington Post-ABC News poll released on Sunday, underscore the depth of public antipathy toward the Iraq war, the doubts about the administration's policies and the limited confidence in the Iraqi government to meet its commitments to restore civil order.

 

Most of the poll respondents expected David H. Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq, to express a rosier view when beginning to present the Iraq report to the Congress on Monday.

 

Only about four in 10 said they expect the general to give an accurate accounting of the situation in Iraq.

 

A majority, 53 percent, said they think his report will try to make the situation in Iraq look better than it really is.

 

Two-thirds of Americans said they believe Bush will hold to his current course no matter what.

 

Overall, the American public's baseline judgment on the war is little changed -- more than six in 10 said the war is not worth fighting, a sentiment that has been a majority view for nearly three years.

 

This poll was conducted by telephone Sept. 4 to 7 among a random national sample of 1,002 adults.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2007)