Americans favour giving UN weapons inspectors more time to complete their work in Iraq to ensure full support of the UN Security Council if military action becomes necessary, according to a CBS News/New York Times opinion poll.
But the nationwide survey of 747 adults, conducted between Monday and Wednesday, also showed the American public supported a war to remove President Saddam Hussein from power.
Americans are split over whether the administration of President George W. Bush, including the Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell, have made a convincing case for going to war right now, the newspaper pointed out.
Three-quarters of Americans see the war with Iraq as inevitable, and two-thirds approve of it as an option, the poll showed.
But many people continue to be deeply ambivalent about war if faced with the prospect of high casualties or a lengthy occupation of Iraq.
Twenty-nine per cent of respondents disapproved of military action against Iraq.
Fifty-nine per cent said they believed the President should give the United Nations more time while 63 per cent that argued Washington should not act without the support of its allies.
Meanwhile, 56 per cent said Bush should wait for UN approval.
The survey indicated that President Bush's job approval ratings had lost ground across the board. Fifty-three per cent disapproved of the way he is handling the economy, and 44 per cent disapproved of his overall management of foreign policy.
At the same time, 53 per cent of respondents said they approved of the way Bush is handling Iraq.