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| 5/23 |
| 2007/3/18-20 [Politics/Foreign/MiddleEast/Iraq] UID:46007 Activity:high |
3/18 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1530762.ece MOST Iraqis believe life is better for them now than it was under Saddam Hussein, according to a British opinion poll published today. Only 27% think there is a civil war in Iraq, compared with 61% who do not, according to the survey carried out last month. \_ 49% is not a majority, no matter how hard you warmongers spin it: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1530526.ece Find those WMD yet? \_ The same article says majority (in fact says 2-1) and also says 49%. Bad writing or bad numbers? -op \_ Bad writing. They're adding together the 49% who say it's better now with the 16% who say they're equal. -tom \_ No, it is not bad writing, it is called "lying with statistics." \_ Funny, the poll done by a non-biased set of news agencies pants the exact opposite picture: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070319/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_poll_2 |
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| www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1530762.ece Sitemap From The Sunday Times March 18, 2007 Iraqis: life is getting better Marie Colvin MOST Iraqis believe life is better for them now than it was under Saddam Hussein, according to a British opinion poll published today. The survey of more than 5,000 Iraqis found the majority optimistic despite their suffering in sectarian violence since the American-led invasion four years ago this week. One in four Iraqis has had a family member murdered, says the poll by Opinion Research Business. In Baghdad, the capital, one in four has had a relative kidnapped and one in three said members of their family had fled abroad. But when asked whether they preferred life under Saddam, the dictator who was executed last December, or under Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, most replied that things were better for them today. Only 27% think there is a civil war in Iraq, compared with 61% who do not, according to the survey carried out last month. Violence slashed as troop surge hits Baghdad By a majority of two to one, Iraqis believe military operations now under way will disarm all militias. More than half say security will improve after a withdrawal of multinational forces. Margaret Beckett, the foreign secretary, said the findings pointed to progress. "There is no widespread violence in the four southern provinces and the fact that the picture is more complex than the stereotype usually portrayed is reflected in today's poll," she said. Have your say The US and Great Britain are doing a great job of improving life for multi-millions of our fellow human beings who happen to be living in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hundreds of thousand of YOUR fellow countrymen of a previous generation were gladly willing to give up THEIR lives for your freedom. Why complain about the ones of thousands who have voluntarily given their lives for your fellow human beings who happen to be living in Irag instead of London? Glenn, Houston, USA/Texas Don: Re: you saying the poll was "purportedly taken ONLY IN IRAQ'S FOUR SOUTHERN PROVINCES" Proof of that comment, please? Man Seeing you guys just refuse to believe any remotely positive news was funny at first. Dave Schroeder, Madison, WI, USA Everything is all-right then? Amazing news, and quite different from what I have heard before. Harry, Amstenrade , The full article says: "Yet 49% of those questioned preferred life under Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, to living under Saddam. Only 26% said things had been better in Saddam's era, while 16% said the two leaders were as bad as each other and the rest did not know or refused to answer." Hence 49% of people say the government (not life) is better. They desperaely want to be the saviors on white horses riding in the save us poor miserable positive-thinking wretches by telling us the world is going end but they will save us, if we'll just listen. Alex, Niagara Falls, Canada What is really disturbing is the fact as seen from all responders how both sides view the article: if you're pro Iragi war, it is great news that is seldom heard from major news media; if you're on the opposite side, it is bad polling techniques and pro-war spin. We receive information and interpret it only in the way we want the truth to be, and it simply reflects the unchanging mindset of both sides. It is regrettable that the majority of us simply are uncertain that we can truly count on knowing that a media source is actually giving us the facts free from the author's personal spin. When do facts not represent the real racts: when they are screened to only represent an author's views. We can not think that "only time will tell" because it should be clear to anyone with sufficient intellect how media coverage can leverage their opinion into the outcome of any major event. W Geer, Clemson, South Carolina I guess I just have a hard time envisioning a pollster either going door-to-door (certainly not in Baghdad they wouldn't) or phoning people at random in a country whose phone book must be unbelievably out-of-date and totally inaccurate now. Yes, for those Iraqis left in their country who suffered under the Bathist party, namely Shiites, it holds the promiseof being much better but keep in mind that the majority of the educated middle class are now refugees in other countries, so the majority left in the country are the lower middle class and the lower class. I would like to hear just how they took this poll as it is next to impossible for anyone to move around freely in Baghdad, therefore I assume that this poll was nowhere near the capital city and was more of a rural representation. David, Canada, The March 2007 survey by Opinion Research Business 'Public Attitudes in Iraq - Four Years On' reports, on p34 that only 49% of Iraqis 'believe life is better for them now than it was under Saddam Hussein'. pdf) As a mathematician will tell you, that is not even half, let alone 'most'. The Times should be deeply ashamed of misleading the public in this manner. One story of some what good news and all the negative comments. I don't agree with the war but I am not going to rip apart some good that has become of it steve, New York, New York This is good news, plain and simple, and it's fun to watch the left try and grapple with it. So far I haven't seen any of the major networks pick this story up. They're all so biased they have no idea what to do with stuff like this. Jason, Seattle, I've talked with Marines who have come back from there. They tell me the news media does not present a true picture. GMA had a program a while back where a soldier asked the reporter why the news was not showing the true picture of what they were doing. Try doing some research yourself and see what you find Marv Nelson, Mpls, USA Like John Lennon said - "Just give peace a chance" Sounds good to me.... KEn, Brisbane, Australia The most significant finding of this poll is "More than half say security will improve after a withdrawal of multinational forces." So like every other poll of Iraqis it shows the majority of Iraqis want British and American troops to leave Iraq - and will feel safer when they do. Duncan McFarlane, Carluke, UK The article says - "More than half say security will improve after a withdrawal of multinational forces. More importantly, why isn't the headline - IRAQI'S SAY LIFE WILL BE BETTER WHEN US IS OUT! Oh, I know why - same reason no one reported the hundreds of people arrested at White House yesterday. Jason Smith, Girdwood, Alaska This bears repeating: the poll was purportedly taken ONLY IN IRAQ'S FOUR SOUTHERN PROVINCES, where the war has not really been nearly the factor it has in much of the rest of Iraq. Too bad this hasn't been made clear by the Times or the pollster, Opinon Research Business, who should make the poll accessible on the web. I suppose it's bad news as well that casualties are down since the troop surge and crack down on securty = change of tactics. the US is held to higher standards than other countries. It would be much easier to shoot from inside of Mosques, hide behind women and children, and seek cover in schools. We aren't perfect, and the US has commited some crimes, but unlike ANY other country, those individuals have been tried, convicted, and sent to prison. We are doing amazing given the difficult scrutiny that we are under. Jim, Phoenix, AZ Lynne, funny how the Iraqi situation apparently looks a little different from Iraq than it does from Idaho. Also funny how you let fly the dire characterizations of present-day Iraq, without bothering to characterize it under Saddam. Erik, Philadelphia, PA Only twisted minds would think this poll to be true. Charles Grove, Chula Vista, Wanting something to be true, doesn't make it so. Note that there are no questions/conclusions about what coalition forces should do. dan, New York, The US lead forces have not lost a single battle in Iraq , not one. The left often compares this war to Vietnam and I finally agree. Just like in Vietnam the US had countless military victories only to be portrayed by the media as failure. Christopher Campbell, Troy, New York Why don't people ask about the validity of a poll when it's negative news, but when it... |
| www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1530526.ece Sitemap From The Sunday Times March 18, 2007 Resilient Iraqis ask what civil war? Marie Colvin DESPITE sectarian slaughter, ethnic cleansing and suicide bombs, an opinion poll conducted on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq has found a striking resilience and optimism among the inhabitants. The poll, the biggest since coalition troops entered Iraq on March 20, 2003, shows that by a majority of two to one, Iraqis prefer the current leadership to Saddam Hussein's regime, regardless of the security crisis and a lack of public services. The survey, published today, also reveals that contrary to the views of many western analysts, most Iraqis do not believe they are embroiled in a civil war. Officials in Washington and London are likely to be buoyed by the poll conducted by Opinion Research Business (ORB), a respected British market research company that funded its own survey of 5,019 Iraqis over the age of 18. Violence slashed as troop surge hits Baghdad The 400 interviewers who fanned out across Iraq last month found that the sense of security felt by Baghdad residents had significantly improved since polling carried out before the US announced in January that it was sending in a "surge" of more than 20,000 extra troops. The poll highlights the impact the sectarian violence has had. Some 26% of Iraqis - 15% of Sunnis and 34% of Shi'ites - have suffered the murder of a family member. Kidnapping has also played a terrifying role: 14% have had a relative, friend or colleague abducted, rising to 33% in Baghdad. Yet 49% of those questioned preferred life under Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, to living under Saddam. Only 26% said things had been better in Saddam's era, while 16% said the two leaders were as bad as each other and the rest did not know or refused to answer. Not surprisingly, the divisions in Iraqi society were reflected in statistics -- Sunnis were more likely to back the previous Ba'athist regime (51%) while the Shi'ites (66%) preferred the Maliki government. Maliki, who derives a significant element of his support from Moqtada al-Sadr, the hardline Shi'ite militant, and his Mahdi army, has begun trying to overcome criticism that his government favours the Shi'ites, going out of his way to be seen with Sunni tribal leaders. He is also under pressure from the US to include more Sunnis in an expected government reshuffle. The poll suggests a significant increase in support for Maliki. A survey conducted by ORB in September last year found that only 29% of Iraqis had a favourable opinion of the prime minister. Another surprise was that only 27% believed they were caught up in a civil war. Again, that number divided along religious lines, with 41% of Sunnis believing Iraq was in a civil war, compared with only 15% of Shi'ites. The survey is a rare snapshot of Iraqi opinion because of the difficulty of working in the country, with the exception of Kurdish areas which are run as an essentially autonomous province. Most international organisations have pulled out of Iraq and diplomats are mostly holed-up in the Green Zone. The unexpected degree of optimism may signal a groundswell of hope at signs the American "surge" is starting to take effect. This weekend comments from Baghdad residents reflected the poll's findings. Many said they were starting to feel more secure on the streets, although horrific bombings have continued. "The Americans have checkpoints and the most important thing is they don't ask for ID, whether you are Sunni or Shi'ite," said one resident. "There are no more fake checkpoints so you don't need to be scared." The inhabitants of a northern Baghdad district were heartened to see on the concrete blocks protecting an Iraqi army checkpoint the lettering: "Down, down with the militias, we are fighting for the sake of Iraq." Residents said they noted that armed militias were off the streets. One question showed the sharp divide in attitudes towards the continued presence of foreign troops in Iraq. Some 53% of Iraqis nationwide agree that the security situation will improve in the weeks after a withdrawal by international forces, while only 26% think it will get worse. "We've been polling in Iraq since 2005 and the finding that most surprised us was how many Iraqis expressed support for the present government," said Johnny Heald, managing director of ORB. "Given the level of violence in Iraq, it shows an unexpected level of optimism." Despite the sectarian divide, 64% of Iraqis still want to see a united Iraq under a central national government. One statistic that bodes ill for Iraq's future is the number who have fled the country, many of them middle-class professionals. Baghdad has been hard hit by the brain drain -- 35% said a family member had left the country. Additional reporting: Ali Rifat ORB interviewed a nationally representative sample of 5,019 Iraqi adults between February 10-22. Have your say This does make you question the doom and gloom polls, reported prominently and regularly by Western outlets including the BBC. Ravi, Warren, NJ They do the breakdown by urban/rural, and by city/region with Baghdad numbers on their own. Hawke, Albuquerque, NM, USA The views of Iraq in total were not separated from the views of those residing in Baghdad, where the majority of sectarian violence is. You know, the soldiers I have met and comunicated with IN IRAQ would agree with the poll results. "I met many Iraqi refugees when I was in Jordan and Syria who do not reflect the number in your polls." Well, since the poll is of people CURRENTLY IN IRAQ, then maybe your "sources" in Syria and Jordan haven't a clue about the true state in Iraq. It's also quite likely that since YOUR "sources" are refugees no longer living in Iraq, perhaps they are Saddam sympathizers who miss the halcyon days of wanton murder, rape and torture carried out by Saddam, his family and their supporters. lol MIke, Milwaukee, Wisconsin This poll does not reflect the feels of those who I receive e-mails from or whose Baghdad blogs I read. There are many corrupt policians and government employees making millions from the US occupation. I met many Iraqi refugees when I was in Jordan and Syria who do not reflect the number in your polls. I met many Christian Iraqis, who fled Iraq because of the Islamic Fundamentalist, who left under the threat of death. Cathleen Krahe, Carbondale, US/Colorado Have your say * Your View Please note the maximum number of characters is 1000. |
| news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070319/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_poll_2 AP Poll: Fear, anger, stress grip Iraqis By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer Mon Mar 19, 8:09 AM ET WASHINGTON - The optimism that helped sustain Iraqis during the first few years of the war has dissolved into widespread fear, anger and distress amid unrelenting violence, a survey found. Iraq since early 2004 by ABC News and media partners -- draws a stark portrait of an increasingly pessimistic population under great emotional stress. Among the findings of this survey for ABC News, USA Today, the BBC and ARD German TV: _The number of Iraqis who say their own life is going well has dipped from 71 percent in November 2005 to 39 percent now. More than nine in 10 Sunni Arabs in Iraq now feel this way. The major cause for this sharp reversal in Iraqi attitudes is the continuing violence -- bombings, attacks by roving gunmen and kidnappings -- that has overwhelmed the country since the US invasion four years ago this week. Eighty percent of Iraqis surveyed reported some kind of violence nearby, according to the nationally representative survey conducted Feb. Results were subject to a sampling error margin of plus or minus 25 percentage points. The survey was done by D3 Systems, a pollster specializing in conflict countries Iraqi civilian deaths are estimated at more than 54,000, possibly much higher. More than half of Iraqis surveyed said a friend or relative has been hurt or killed in the violence, while almost nine in 10 worried that a loved one will be hurt. The levels of stress soar outside relatively peaceful Kurdistan, especially in Baghdad and the Sunni-dominated Anbar province, the poll found. Saddam Hussein , the late dictator accused of murdering tens of thousands during a brutal regime. Iraqis pessimism about safety spills over into their views of most aspects of life -- the economy, basic needs like power and clean water, even the risks of sending their children to school. But views of the US military presence are contradictory among Iraqis -- just as they are in this country. About four in five Iraqis oppose the presence of US troops but only a third want those US troops to leave Iraq immediately. Conducting the face-to-face poll was a difficult ordeal in such a violent country. More than 100 Iraqi interviewers conducted the poll and some reported seeing bombings, beatings and even a mass kidnapping. Several teams of interviewers were detained by police -- but every interviewer made it home safely. A policeman injured in car bombing receives treatment at a hospital in Kirkuk, Iraq, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Sunday, March 18, 2007. The man was injured when a road side bomb struck a police patrol 30 kilometers south of Kirkuk. Two policemen were killed and three were wounded in the attack. Capturing bin Laden The US State Department is offering $25 million for information leading to Osama bin Laden's arrest. Upload your comments to "Be Seen Be Heard" on ABC News, and you could be part of the coverage. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. |