Nearly half of Iraqis support attacks on U.S. troops

[leftchick]

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/news/editorial/13750080.htm

WASHINGTON - A new poll found that nearly half of Iraqis approve of attacks on U.S.-led forces, and most favor setting a timetable for American troops to leave.

The poll also found that 80 percent of Iraqis think the United States plans to maintain permanent bases in the country even if the newly elected Iraqi government asks American forces to leave. Researchers found a link between support for attacks and the belief among Iraqis that the United States intends to keep a permanent military presence in the country.

At the same time, the poll found that many Iraqis think that some outside military forces are required to keep Iraq stable until the new government can field adequate security forces on its own. Only 39 percent of Iraqis surveyed thought that Iraqi police and army forces were strong enough to deal with the security challenges on their own, while 59 percent thought Iraq still needed the help of military forces from other countries.

Seventy percent of Iraqis favor setting a timetable for U.S. forces to withdraw, with half of those favoring a withdrawal within six months and the other half favoring a withdrawal over two years.
"Iraqis are demanding a timetable for U.S. withdrawal, and most believe that the U.S. has no plans to leave even if the new government asks them to," said Steven Kull, the director of the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland, which conducted the poll. "This appears to be leading some to even support attacks on U.S.-led troops, even though many feel they also continue to need the presence of U.S. troops awhile longer."

"If you put it all together, it's clear there is a center of gravity, not towards immediate withdrawal, but for the U.S. to be there in a way that affirms their intent to withdraw eventually," he said. "There is real consensus on that point."

[DELUSIONAL]

1. how the hell do they do polls in Iraq?

[manic expression]

3. Not sure

but I would suspect that those who the pollsters have access to are not a good sample group.

At any rate, I think any country occupied and oppressed by a foreign invader would feel such a sentiment.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. Diebold?? nt.

[ECH1969]

4. How the hell does one poll in a country where the biggest cities

get only dribbles of electricity a day.

[enigma000]

13. personal interviews n/t

[saigon68]

15. Remember 117 % of the people voted in the last election

Of course they have polls there

Accurate ones too

Remember "FREEDOM IS ON THE MARCH"

[grytpype]

5. ... and the other half are liars.

[HuffleClaw]

6. riiiiiiiiiight.

i remember some 'poll' that was claiming widespread support for the occupation a while back.

[sabra]

7. Nearly half of Iraqis support attacks on U.S. troops, poll finds

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/13750080.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Nearly half of Iraqis support attacks on U.S. troops, poll finds

Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - A new poll found that nearly half of Iraqis approve of attacks on U.S.-led forces, and most favor setting a timetable for American troops to leave.

The poll also found that 80 percent of Iraqis think the United States plans to maintain permanent bases in the country even if the newly elected Iraqi government asks American forces to leave. Researchers found a link between support for attacks and the belief among Iraqis that the United States intends to keep a permanent military presence in the country.

At the same time, the poll found that many Iraqis think that some outside military forces are required to keep Iraq stable until the new government can field adequate security forces on its own. Only 39 percent of Iraqis surveyed thought that Iraqi police and army forces were strong enough to deal with the security challenges on their own, while 59 percent thought Iraq still needed the help of military forces from other countries.

...

According to the poll's findings, 47 percent of Iraqis approve of attacks on American forces, but there were large differences among ethnic and religious groups. Among Sunni Muslims, 88 percent said they approved of the attacks. That approval was found among 41 percent of Shiite Muslims and 16 percent of Kurds.

Ninety-three percent of Iraqis oppose violence against Iraqi security forces, and 99 percent oppose attacks on Iraqi civilians.

[tatertop]

8. I have a feeling that way more than half support attacks on the US

I am surprised anyone at all admits to it.
Would you?

[kenny blankenship]

9. you mean, attacks with flowers and barrages of kisses, right?

We're being greeted as liberators over there, I'm told.

[saigon68]

16. Ask Bob Woodruff He was greeted with flowers and enthusiasm.

[AntiFascist]

34. I can't believe that some that some people (ahem, Ledeen)

are suggesting that Iran will greet us the same way, once we "liberate" them.

[pocket]

10. funny how raping and killing their families will make them kinda bitter

doh

[walkingdude]

11. Iraq attitudes

I would agree, with the Bush Administration's track record of minipulating the press, I suspect we will never know the true feelings of the people of Iraq

[0007]

21. If the truth were indeed known, probably the count is 90%

of Iraqis support attacks on U.S. troops.

[enigma000]

12. METHODOLOGY

The survey was designed and analyzed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes for
WorldPublicOpinion.org. Field work was conducted through D3 Systems and its partner KA Research in
Iraq. Face-to-face interviews were conducted among a national random sample of 1,000 Iraqi adults 18 years and older. An over sample of 150 Iraqi Sunni Arabs from predominantly Sunni Arab provinces (Anbar, Diyalah and Salah Al-Din) was carried out to provide additional precision with this group. The total sample thus was 1,150 Iraqi adults. The data were weighted to the following targets (Shia Arab, 55%, Sunni Arab 22%, Kurd 18%, other 5%) in order to properly represent the Iraqi ethnic/religious communities.

The sample design was a multi-stage area probability sample conducted in all 18 Iraqi provinces
including Baghdad. Urban and rural areas were proportionally represented. A total of 5 sampling points (4 urban and 1 rural) of the 116 employed were replaced for security reasons with substitutes in the same province and urban/rural classification. Among all the cases drawn into the sample, a 94% contact rate and 74% completion rate were achieved.

[wookie294]

14. Take the Kurds out of the poll and support for U.S. withdrawal is higher

The Kurds are like Bush voters. They love the occupation.

[0rganism]

19. I give the Kurds more credit than that

Unlike bush voters, they know the score: having an American occupation is definitely in their rational self-interest. During the sanctions regime, Saddam had to let them have some degree of regional autonomy. Now, with the American occupation, things are even better for them. But once the American forces pull out, they're in deep shit. Pressured on every side by Turks, Sunnis, and Iran, they stand to lose everything they've gained over the last decade very quickly.

[daleo]

35. Face to face interviews can result in a lot of social desirability bias

People often say what they think the interviewer wants to hear, or what they think is a normative response. They may easily think an anti-American response could target them for a visit by U.S. troops at a later time. I would be leery of a poll conducted under these circumstances.

[Danieljay]

17. Hey, Bush is making progress. Its up from 40% a couple months ago!

Yep, we sure are changing hearts and minds now.

[Billary2008]

18. Saddam was better

Who cares about freedom. The Iraqi's need a ruler that can keep the peace.

[enigma000]

20. If you say so, but.....

Q3. Thinking about any hardships you might have suffered since the US- Britain invasion, do you
personally think that ousting Saddam Hussein was worth it or not?

Worth it ......................................................................................77%
Kurd..............................................................................91
Shia Arab ......................................................................98
Sunni Arab ....................................................................13
Other.............................................................................64

Not worth it................................................................................ 22
Kurd................................................................................8
Shia Arab ........................................................................2
Sunni Arab ....................................................................83
Other.............................................................................31

http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/pdf/jan06/Iraq_Jan06_quaire.pdf

Guess that explains the fractures in Iraqi society.

[leftchick]

22. and that is why saddam never should have been removed

This was predicted to happen by a certain focus group.

[JHB]

23. I really hope that's sarcasm on your part...

..."Billary" (which I hope is more sarcasm).

[hvn_nbr_2]

29. Not sure if this is allowed

but if it's not, then mods will delete.

That poster is gone, as in tombstoned. Check the profile.

[Judi Lynn]

24. Iraqis think U.S. will stay permanently, poll finds

Iraqis think U.S. will stay permanently, poll finds
By Brian Knowlton International Herald Tribune

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2006


WASHINGTON A large majority of Iraqis say they believe that the United States intends to maintain military bases in Iraq permanently, even if the recently elected government asks the Americans to leave, an opinion poll indicates. While the survey found growing optimism about their country among Iraqis overall, Sunnis were dramatically more pessimistic.

The survey, conducted in early January by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland, said that nearly half of Iraqis approved attacks on U.S.-led forces - including 9 in 10 Sunnis.

The nationwide survey of 1,150 Iraqis included an oversample of 150 Sunnis - meant to provide a more accurate reading of the minority group's beliefs - and had a 3 percent margin of error.

A large majority of Iraqis favored a deadline for U.S. troop withdrawal of six months to two years. At the same time, two-thirds said they approved of U.S. involvement in nonmilitary activities, such as building government institutions, developing the oil industry and training Iraqi security forces.
(snip/...)

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/01/31/news/poll.php

[bullimiami]

25. how did americans get to be some of the stupidest, most easily duped on

the planet? even the iraqis are harder to fool.

And now it seems we are falling for the same fucking lie again just called Iran.

[leftchick]

33. good question

how indeed did it get so bad? Even the Soviets recognized Pravda for what it was. I guess if you slap a "free and democratic" sticker on something folks believe it.

[PhilipShore]

26. They are correct, the Repukes have no intention of ending the war...

in Iraq or wars for the sake of wars ever.

[CatholicEdHead]

27. No, we will leave

only when the oil runs out.

[Jamison]

37. They're not wrong in their thinking n/t

[NativeTexan]

28. I know if someone came in and started bombing civilians in MY...

....community, I might want to shoot THEM too! Even though it wasn't THEIR idea to do so......idiots who give orders like Bush does deserve to be IMPEACHED!

[Gregorian]

30. I knew they'd welcome us with open ARMS.

Bush was actually right.


I hardly trust polls in my own country. I have to really wonder how such a poll was even conducted in a place like Iraq.

[LynnTheDem]

31. What would YOU do if YOUR country was INVADED and OCCUPIED?

What would YOU do if YOUR family was slaughtered; "oops wrong target sorry!".

Would YOU lick the occupiers' boots?

Rightwingnuts would, of course.

Myself, I'd kill every occupier bastard I could before they got me.

[goforit]

32. GW Bush.......what a mess one man has made!!!!

[TheAngryIndependent]

36. But the RepubliCONS

Are still conveying the message that they are showering our troops with flowers.

And not surprisingly, a large number of Americans are buying it.