BOMB AS YOU NEED

March 28, 2003 -- A FOX News/Opinion Dynamics survey taken on March 25-26 indicates the American public is willing - by 65 percent to 18 percent - to see coalition forces bomb targets in Baghdad and other cities even if the attacks incur civilian casualties, as long as it's necessary to avoid U.S. combat deaths

The military should not be worried about calling the bluff of Iraqi soldiers using civilians as human shields

Asked if they approved of bombing and shelling Iraqi soldiers using civilians as human shields even if it led to civilian deaths, respondents approved by 51 percent to 32 percent. When the 32 percent who disapproved were asked if they would back the bombing and shelling if it saved U.S. lives by eliminating the need for street fighting in the capital city, half agreed that they would support it

Thus, two-thirds of the American people are willing to back attacks on targets in Baghdad if they would prevent American casualties

In general, the survey finds strong approval of the war effort: 78 percent support the war, 84 percent feel we are winning and 76 percent approve of the way the war is being conducted. A full 83 percent say it is going well (very or somewhat well

The public understands that the war will not be over in a few weeks. Only 17 percent are so foolishly optimistic; 53 percent say it will take "months," but only 21 percent say it will take longer

The military has so far been to carefully limit its bombing in Baghdad. But what if it sees a need for broader bombing down the line - say, to avoid bloody house-to-house fighting

The survey finds that if the military is able to make the case abundantly that Iraqi soldiers are using civilians as shields and that bombing is needed to avoid unnecessary loss of coalition soldiers, then the American people will support them

The "if" here is that the military make this case to the American people and to global public opinion. Pentagon spokespeople have focused on instances of Iraqi troops using civilian disguises and keeping tanks in hospitals, but need to do much more to publicize how Iraqi soldiers are hiding behind their populace to avoid coalition attacks.

Left unexplained, horrific scenes of civilian casualties would erode public support. But if the administration makes its case well and thoroughly that this action is necessary, public backing will not be hard to get.

Network anchors and generals may worry that the public will soon tire of this war. But the American public gives every sign of being in it for the long haul.

When President Bush is asked how long the war will last and replies, "as long as it takes," he might well have cited Abraham Lincoln's answer to the question of how long a man's legs should be: "Long enough to reach the ground."