A Better Life
Poll: Most Iraqis Ambivalent About the War, But Not Its Results

Analysis
By Gary Langer


March 15— A year after the bombs began to fall, Iraqis express ambivalence about the U.S.-led invasion of their country, but not about its effect: Most say their lives are going well and have improved since before the war, and expectations for the future are very high.


Worries exist — locally about joblessness, nationally about security — boosting desires for a "single strong leader," at least in the short term. Yet the first media-sponsored national public opinion poll in Iraq also finds a strikingly optimistic people, expressing growing interest in politics, broad rejection of political violence, rising trust in the Iraqi police and army and preference for an inclusive and democratic government.

More Iraqis say the United States was right than say it was wrong to lead the invasion, but by just 48 percent to 39 percent, with 13 percent expressing no opinion — hardly the unreserved welcome some U.S. policymakers had anticipated.

As many Iraqis say the war "humiliated" Iraq as say it "liberated" the country; more oppose than support the presence of coalition forces there now (although most also say they should stay for the time being); and relatively few express confidence in those forces, in the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority, or in the Iraqi Governing Council.

These results are from an ABCNEWS poll conducted among a random, representative sample of 2,737 Iraqis in face-to-face interviews across the country from Feb. 9-28. Part of ABC's weeklong series, Iraq: Where Things Stand, marking the first anniversary of the war, the poll was co-sponsored with ABC by the German broadcasting network ARD, the BBC and the NHK in Japan, with sampling and field work by Oxford Research International of Oxford, England.

The poll finds that 78 percent of Iraqis reject violence against coalition forces, although 17 percent — a sixth of the population — call such attacks "acceptable." One percent, for comparison, call it acceptable to attack members of the new Iraqi police.

There are huge differences in these and many other questions between Arab Iraqis, who account for 79 percent of the population, and the Kurdish minority (17 percent). Forty percent of Arabs say it was right for the United States to invade; that soars to 87 percent of Kurds. Just one-third of Arabs say the war liberated rather than humiliated Iraq; it's 82 percent of Kurds. Thirty percent of Arabs support the presence of coalition forces, again compared with 82 percent of Kurds. Positive views of the invasion also are held disproportionately in the south of the country, as well as in the Kurdish north.

See the rest, and the full poll results here:

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/GoodMorningAmerica/Iraq_anniversary_poll_040314.html?INTERNATIONALad=true





The American Marine Division has the highest combat effectiveness in the American armed forces. It seems not enough for our four divisions to surround and annihilate its two regiments.

---Mao Tse Sung to General Song, prior to Chosin Reservoir

Excellent article, Steven posted the same thing except from the BBC... the poll results are encouraging and certaintly discredit the argument of many on the left who erroneously claim that we are "not wanted" in Iraq or that the Iraqi people aren't greatful.

We have done a good thing in Iraq... and its time that the critics start recognizing this.

United We Stand.

the poll results are encouraging and certaintly discredit the argument of many on the left who erroneously claim that we are "not wanted" in Iraq or that the Iraqi people aren't greatful.

I agree, though no doubt most will simply dismiss the poll results as not being accurate or 'biased' despite it not being all positive.



The American Marine Division has the highest combat effectiveness in the American armed forces. It seems not enough for our four divisions to surround and annihilate its two regiments.

---Mao Tse Sung to General Song, prior to Chosin Reservoir

I wish we westerners had the luxury of dismissing information as "eastern propoganda" everytime someone post an article or information that we didn't like. hehe

United We Stand.

"Most say their lives are going well and have improved since before the war"

Interesting, how did you calculate this MOST?

U surely trust this POLL

What I hear form Iraqis here it is much worse, why?

Joking hugh?

If Bush can lie about WMD in Iraq, those American newspapers can lie much much more, WE know you from bottom to top, don't we? lol

Interesting, how did you calculate this MOST?

U surely trust this POLL

What I hear form Iraqis here it is much worse, why?

Joking hugh?

See what I mean Anglo? Like clockwork. LOL

@HBN

Polls like this one interview a relatively small number of people, but if done at random and span various demographics, they do form an accurate picture of the views held by the population as a whole.

The truth is there. You just don't want to hear it.



The American Marine Division has the highest combat effectiveness in the American armed forces. It seems not enough for our four divisions to surround and annihilate its two regiments.

---Mao Tse Sung to General Song, prior to Chosin Reservoir

If Bush can lie about WMD in Iraq, those American newspapers can lie much much more, WE know you from bottom to top, don't we? lol

From the site:

This poll was conducted for ABCNEWS, ARD, the BBC and NHK by Oxford Research International of Oxford, England.




The American Marine Division has the highest combat effectiveness in the American armed forces. It seems not enough for our four divisions to surround and annihilate its two regiments.

---Mao Tse Sung to General Song, prior to Chosin Reservoir

@Gyrene:

I know what POLL is how is conducted.

The problem here is:
A Poll conducted by Americans whose President is a liar about the MWD issue which was the reason of war.

It is about credibility.

Except the poll was conducted by Brits and not Americans HBN. Some of those news organizations were also decidely anti-war in their coverage. Reporters from the BBC for example were kicked off British ships because of their anti-war slant.

The American Marine Division has the highest combat effectiveness in the American armed forces. It seems not enough for our four divisions to surround and annihilate its two regiments.

---Mao Tse Sung to General Song, prior to Chosin Reservoir

I personally have seen many TV reports from CBC interviewing Iraqis from both the "Triangle" and elsewhere and they say life now is worse than under Hussein. They say crime is dramatically up and electricity and clean water are extremely limited.

Pity we don't have Iraqis here only they know the truth.

"These results are from an ABCNEWS poll "

So, it is American, not British BBC.

"the poll was co-sponsored with ABC by the German broadcasting network ARD, the BBC and the NHK in Japan,"

BUT:

So, ABC is the Leading Media.

"Pity we don't have Iraqis here only they know the truth."

You really ARE an imbecile aren't you? In the west, our governments exert NO control whatsoever on the media. They are TOTALLY independent. Several media organizations, many of which were decidedly anti-war, conducted this poll in an objective and scientific manner. the sample size was 2,500, easily large enough to be representative of the population.

The results are nothing but solid, golden truth. Many similar polls have been conducted, by Gallup and Pew, and they ALL show the same results.

More Iraqi's supported the removal of Hussein than didn't. More Iraqi's believe their lives are better as a result of the war. And the Iraqi's are thankful for our efforts.

This is a fact. Take your mongoloid head out of your ass, and face the facts.

United We Stand.

"In the west, our governments exert NO control whatsoever on the media. They are TOTALLY independent"

Please do NOT make World People Laugh at your stupidity lol

We all know who the Bosses of the Media's are, haha.

And you really believe it is TOTALLY independent, I guess you TOTALLY lost your mind (well, at least IF you have one) lol

"In the west, our governments exert NO control whatsoever on the media. They are TOTALLY independent"

Please do NOT make World People Laugh at your stupidity lol

We all know who the Bosses of the Media's are, haha.

And you really believe it is TOTALLY independent, I guess you TOTALLY lost your mind (well, at least IF you have one) lol"


Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, OR OF THE PRESS; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

This isn't china you ignorant *******. THe press in the united states regularly criticizes the president, and the president exercises no control whatsoever.





United We Stand.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, OR OF THE PRESS; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

This is ALSO exactly what is written in Chinese Constitution. So what's the difference?

This isn't china you ignorant *******. THe press in the united states regularly criticizes the president, and the president exercises no control whatsoever.

Yes USA is better (or much better) than China in the Freedom of Press, but not that GOOD as you claim.

American Media's are MOSTLY controlled by the Big Bosses Jews, you know don't you?

Why American newspaper seldom criticize Irsrael? Jews, they control the papers.

Face the reality, you maybe rich than many people in Communist Countries, but you are still NO MORE than a SLAVE of Capitalists. You are at most a Richer Slave, Got it?

While the US media might be free on paper, in reality it is just as subjective as any other media. For example, CNN's chief international correspondant Christiane Amanpour is married to James Rubin of the White House, who in turn is closely linked to the US government.

If you look closer at the heads of the media organisations you should be able to explain many "angles" taken.

wow I never knew that about amanpour that is very interesting. andrea mitchell of nbc is quite the promiscuous fem fatale. she was involved romantically with robert mcfarland who was involved in iran contra and was reagans national security advisor and she is now married to alan greenspan who basically controls the economy.

Thank you

HBN,

A couple pictures don't prove anything. For example I could post pictures of Americans protesting the Iraq War. Does that prove that all or even most Americans are against the war? Of course not.

The American Marine Division has the highest combat effectiveness in the American armed forces. It seems not enough for our four divisions to surround and annihilate its two regiments.

---Mao Tse Sung to General Song, prior to Chosin Reservoir