Since 9/11, demagogues have frequently tried to silence dissent on the grounds that it demoralizes the troops. I’ve never understood this. Soldiers are also citizens who have their own political views. Some of them oppose the wars in which they are fighting, and all of them are part of our democracy.

So it shouldn’t be surprising that a new poll suggests that many soldiers in Iraq disagree with President Bush, as Nick Kristof reports in the New York Times (Times Select subscription required):

A new poll to be released today shows that U.S. soldiers overwhelmingly want out of Iraq — and soon.

The poll is the first of U.S. troops currently serving in Iraq, according to John Zogby, the pollster. Conducted by Zogby International and LeMoyne College, it asked 944 service members, “How long should U.S. troops stay in Iraq?”

Only 23 percent backed Mr. Bush’s position that they should stay as long as necessary. In contrast, 72 percent said that U.S. troops should be pulled out within one year. Of those, 29 percent said they should withdraw “immediately.”

Our troops are adults. They can handle dissent. So why can’t our leaders?

(Caveat: Polling soldiers in a combat zone is an inexact business, so these results should be regarded as preliminary and inexact.)