The New Rules of Engagement

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That's still a long way off. The willingness of moderate Sunnis to pursue a political solution could easily crumble if the next government in Baghdad fails to improve conditions in Sunni areas and clamp down on sectarian excesses by Shi'ite militias. And even if the U.S. can lure some guerrillas to the negotiating table, it still faces a seemingly inescapable quandary: so long as U.S. troops are involved in combat in Iraq, there's every reason to believe the insurgency will be able to recruit sufficient numbers of motivated new fighters to do battle with them. Rhode Island Democratic Senator Jack Reed, a former Army paratrooper who was briefed privately by military officials during a visit to Iraq in October, says U.S. commanders are striving for what some describe as "minimal compliance": establishing just enough stability so that "the country is not going to collapse [and] you're not going to have areas that are havens for terrorists" if U.S. troops begin to leave in large numbers. But merely getting to that point may require the sacrifice of more U.S. lives than most Americans are willing to bear. Says Reed: "One of the problems with an insurgency is that every time you turn a corner, there's another corner." The U.S. will have to turn a whole lot more enemies into friends before it begins to see the way out. TIME POLL DOUBTS ABOUT IRAQ ... As the chaos in Iraq continues, Americans are split over what course to take. Nearly half want the troops home in a year, and a small majority says the war has made the U.S. less safe

Which comes closest to your view on U.S. troops in Iraq?

47% - Withdraw most troops in the next 12 months or so, regardless of conditions in Iraq

40% - Keep most of the troops in Iraq until the new Iraqi government is stable, even if it means keeping troops in Iraq for a number of years

8% - Increase the number of troops in Iraq

How likely is it that the new Iraqi government will be able to build a stable and reasonably democratic society?

Likely: 56%

Not likely: 37%

Have U.S. actions in Iraq made the U.S. safer from terrorist attacks or more vulnerable?

Safer: 41%

More vulnerable: 51%

Was the U.S. right or wrong in going to war in Iraq?

Wrong: 50%

Right: 44%

... BRING DOUBTS ABOUT BUSH Concern over the war is also dragging down President Bush's approval rating, and the country is divided over whether the Administration was truthful in making the case to attack Iraq

In general, do you approve of the way George W. Bush is handling ... ... his job as President?

Disapprove: 53%

Approve: 41%

... the situation in Iraq?

Disapprove: 60%

Approve: 38%

Have President Bush's policies in Iraq had a negative impact on how you rate his job performance?

45% - Very negative impact

18% - Somewhat negative impact

33% - No negative impact

Do you think President Bush was truthful and honest, based on the intelligence he was given, when he presented the case for war in Iraq, or do you think he deliberately misled Americans to build his case for war?

45% - Was truthful

48% - Deliberately misled