28% of the public is aware that nearly 4,000 troops have been killed in Iraq over the past five years. Nearly 50% think the number of U. S. deaths is 3,000 or fewer. 23% of the public think the number of U. S. deaths is higher than 4,000. In earlier surveys nearly half of the respondents recalled the correct number of deaths. In 2007 the median of Iraq-associated news stories was 15% of all news stories. During the last week in January, 36% of those surveyed said they were most closely following campaign news; 14% the stock market; 12% the death of Heath Ledger; and 6% the war in Iraq. And, as the Associated Press quotes the survey director: “All education levels in the recent survey were similarly uninformed. "
The LA Times posts a photo slide show from the 2003 invasion next to their summary of the Pew survey. Whether they were trying to be ironic or not, you might want to take a short trip back to that time; a time when you couldn’t get the war off of the TV.
