Interesting Polling Results from Iraq

[Seagoon]

We all hear the oft quoted Murtha line that "80% of Iraqis want Americans to leave now" but actual ABC/BBC poll numbers indicate that a majority of Iraqis want Americans to stay, and that only 26% want the Americans to "leave now".

Interestingly enough the poll indicates that Iraqis are actually more optimistic about their future than Americans in many respects. Possibly this is because the Iraqis don't have to endure the American media. In Iraq, a country where access to Prozac is extremely limited, this can only be viewed as a major blessing.

Poll: Broad Optimism in Iraq

[Ripsnort]

eh, I'll throw this in here with yours rather than a new thread.

http://thepoliticalteen.net/2005/12/13/gotohell/

Download the Iraqi Citizen movie. Pretty funny!

[Dowding]

The BBC is a government-run liberal propaganda outlet.

Or certain people around here would have you believe. Expect to receive a deluge of posts discrediting the poll on this basis.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Dowding
The BBC is a government-run liberal propaganda outlet.

Or certain people around here would have you believe. Expect to receive a deluge of posts discrediting the poll on this basis.

News is news, unfortunately this is not news they could create since too many facts were clouding up their editorialized news.

Incidently, someone else will come up with a poll in a week that will show most Iraqis fear for their lives, or something similiar.  You can get any results you want from a poll...

[Dowding]

As if on cue... that hook looks like it stings a bit?

[fartwinkle]

Fine they want us to stay! pay up then.
Oh and the 26% that want us out I would say are the ones blowing up everything.

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by Seagoon
We all hear the oft quoted Murtha line that "80% of Iraqis want Americans to leave now" but actual ABC/BBC poll numbers indicate that a majority of Iraqis want Americans to stay, and that only 26% want the Americans to "leave now".


Poll: Broad Optimism in Iraq

with all due respect.

It is no small secret that I was and am in favor of us being there.
but where did you get that number from?

In positng here on the boards I do try to be as fair and honest as possible And I am NOT saying you arent. Perhaps you misread it. or saw it in part of it I missed.
Because in that article I found this.

"There's other evidence of the United States' increasing unpopularity: Two-thirds now oppose the presence of U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq, 14 points higher than in February 2004. Nearly six in 10 disapprove of how the United States has operated in Iraq since the war, and most of them disapprove strongly. And nearly half of Iraqis would like to see U.S. forces leave soon."


Doesnt change my view in the slightest.
but I thought I'd point it out.

sorry

[Gunslinger]

Originally posted by DREDIOCK
with all due respect.

It is no small secret that I was and am in favor of us being there.
but where did you get that number from?

In positng here on the boards I do try to be as fair and honest as possible And I am NOT saying you arent. Perhaps you misread it. or saw it in part of it I missed.
Because in that article I found this.

"There's other evidence of the United States' increasing unpopularity: Two-thirds now oppose the presence of U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq, 14 points higher than in February 2004. Nearly six in 10 disapprove of how the United States has operated in Iraq since the war, and most of them disapprove strongly. And nearly half of Iraqis would like to see U.S. forces leave soon."


Doesnt change my view in the slightest.
but I thought I'd point it out.

sorry

I think he's referring to this:

Specifically, 26 percent of Iraqis say U.S. and other coalition forces should "leave now" and another 19 percent say they should go after the government chosen in this week's election takes office; that adds to 45 percent. Roughly the other half says coalition forces should remain until security is restored (31 percent), until Iraqi security forces can operate independently (16 percent), or longer (5 percent).

Were as Congressman Murtha is saying that 80% want us out.  

It doesn't make much sense to mince numbers here.  The majority of the Iraqis know that the Americans should stay put until the job is done.  They see real progress even if half the democrat party doesn't.  Finish the job then bring them home is what I say.

[Seagoon]

Drediock,

Yes, the number is based on the number of Iraqis who want us to stay until the country is stabilized. To quote Murtha directly "The Iraqis don't want us there. Eighty percent want us out of there, and 45 percent say it's OK to attack Americans. And the whole periphery say there's more chance of democracy if we get out of there."

Murtha's flat numbers aren't even close to being reflected in the poll:

"Specifically, 26 percent of Iraqis say U.S. and other coalition forces should "leave now" and another 19 percent say they should go after the government chosen in this week's election takes office; that adds to 45 percent. Roughly the other half says coalition forces should remain until security is restored (31 percent), until Iraqi security forces can operate independently (16 percent), or longer (5 percent)."

So basically, both the Iraqis and the USA are agreed that we don't want to be there, but that we are obligated to stay until the country is stabilized. That is usually the sentiment expressed in any occupied country following a war that results in regime change. You aren't happy about having foriegn troops tromping around, but the alternative is far worse. In this case of course, negative sentiments run a little higher than normal for most wars, because an alarmingly large proportion of the resident population views the occupying army as made up of infidels who desecrate the land by their very presence.

- SEAGOON