"Now that the war on Iraq is a fact many people resign themselves to it," Gothenburg University political science professor Ulf Bjereld said.

"The uncertainty is gone and war has broken out. Many of those who objected to the war have now dropped their opposition, and the future development of the war will now determine public opinion," Bjereld said.

Sixty-eight percent of Swedes said they now objected to the military strikes, compared to 81 percent in the days preceding the war, a Temo poll conducted March 18-26 and published in the daily Dagens Nyheter showed.

Meanwhile, 28 percent said they were now in favour of it, compared to 19 percent earlier.

"It is seldom that we see such speedy changes in public opinion," Temo analyst Arne Modig commented.

A second poll, conducted by the Sifo institute and published in the daily Aftonbladet, showed that 20 percent of Swedes said the United States was right to launch war on Iraq, compared to 14 percent a week ago.

Sixty-two percent said the United States was wrong to do so, compared to 68 percent a week ago.

WAR.WIRE