- The full extent of the low regard Britons have for George
Bush was tonight revealed in a poll.
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- The US President was branded a threat to world peace
by a clear majority, 60%, of those questioned by YouGov.
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- More than one in three, 37%, said Mr Bush was "stupid"
while 33% called him "incoherent".
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- Only a minority saw positive characteristics in Mr Bush,
with just 7% regarding him as a good world leader, 6% as articulate and
10% as intelligent.
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- The findings are published in The Sunday Times ahead
of his state visit to Britain next week, the first by a US leader.
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- A slim majority of those questioned opposed the visit
by 26% to 21% although half did not care.
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- There was sympathy with anti-war campaigners who plan
a series of protests to mark the visit with a majority of 53% to 41% supporting
the demonstrations.
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- The antipathy toward Mr Bush is matched by an increasingly
gloomy view of Iraq.
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- For the first time a majority said Britain and America
were wrong to go to war with Iraq by 45% to 43%.
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- The question has been asked repeatedly since March and
when US troops entered Baghdad in April voters were in favour of the war
by 66% to 29%.
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- Now almost three-quarters, 73%, expected the security
situation to get worse over the next few months.
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- Only 15% believed that things would get better in Iraq
with just 18% saying the country's future would be as a peaceful democracy.
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- An overwhelming 70% thought there was little hope for
the people of Iraq and that it would be a permanently unstable country.
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- Despite this, there is not a clamour to bring Britain's
troops home.
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- One in five, 20%, said UK forces in Iraq should be withdrawn
immediately and 26% said they should return home within six months whatever
the security situation.
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- However, 47% believed Britain had a duty to retain forces
there.
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- There was little faith in the President's ability to
handle the continuing problems in Iraq.
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- Fewer than a quarter, 24%, had confidence in Mr Bush
on Iraq, while 74% did not.
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- Prime Minister Tony Blair fares only slightly better
with 38% expressing confidence in him compared with 59% who did not.
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- There was also scepticism about the "special relationship"
between Britain and the US.
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- Only a third, 34%, thought the relationship should continue
as at present with Britain remaining America's closest ally.
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- A larger proportion, 47%, said that Britain should continue
as one of America's allies but be ready to pursue a more independent line.
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- Some went further, with 14% saying Britain should no
longer regard America as a close ally and should pursue its own interests
irrespective of what Washington thinks.
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- YouGov surveyed a representative sample of 1,934 adults,
online, on Thursday and Friday, November 13-14.
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