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"Pessimism 'growing among Iraqis' " - 3/19/2007 6:05:55 PM

Vendaval

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" Pessimism 'growing among Iraqis' "
Last Updated: Monday, 19 March 2007, 12:12 GMT

" Iraqis are becoming increasingly pessimistic about the future of their country and unhappy about their lives, a survey suggests.

Less than 40% of those polled said things were good in their lives, compared to 71% two years ago.

However, a majority of those questioned said that, despite daily violence, they did not believe Iraq was in a state of civil war.

More than 2,000 people took part in the BBC/ABC News poll. "

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6464277.stm

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< Message edited by Vendaval -- 3/19/2007 6:06:33 PM >

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RE: "Pessimism 'growing among Iraqis' " - 3/19/2007 6:12:15 PM

Sanity

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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.

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.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1530762.ece

Poll: Bias 'alive and well' in press

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20070315-114454-8075r.htm

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RE: "Pessimism 'growing among Iraqis' " - 3/19/2007 6:12:23 PM

juliaoceania

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I have heard these numbers a lot today.

I heard that 1 million deaths can be attributed to the Iraq invasion. I will have to wait a few days to see if the Guardian or some other news organization jumps on this story, but it was referenced on Democracy Now. Here is a link http://mwcnews.net/content/view/12904/42/

I was in tears listening to some of the speeches at the protest rallies around the country. It brought back a lot of bad memories of when this war first started, and the helplessness I felt then. I am also appalled that the democrats have not done anything substantial to stop the Bush Admin and are starting to look complicit about the issue of Iraq. Many Americans voted to bring them home, but the dems do not look like they are going to put the pressure on.

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RE: "Pessimism 'growing among Iraqis' " - 3/19/2007 6:20:31 PM

FirmhandKY

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March 07 - Despite violence only 26% preferred life under Saddam (Complete survey data can be download at the bottom of the linked page)

Carried out by UK research firm ORB, which has been tracking public opinion in Iraq since 2005, the poll shows that despite the horrendous personal security problems only 26% of the country preferred life under the previous regime of Saddam Hussein, with almost half (49%) preferring life under the current political system. As one may expect, it is the Sunnis who are most likely to back the previous regime (51%) with the Shias (66%) preferring the current arrangements.

From the final tables [pdf file]:

    * President George Bush has announced that he will be sending 20,000+ troops to Iraq in the coming months? Why do you think he is doing this? 33% say to bring security and stability back to Iraq. 27% don’t know, refused or did not answer. 22% said to attack neighboring countries

    * And thinking ahead, do you believe that the security situation in Iraq will get better or worse in the immediate weeks following a withdrawal of Multi National Forces? 63% said a great deal or a little better.

    * Noori Al-Maliki’s government has announced a new security plan which they say will disarm all Militias. Do you believe that it will do so? 45% say yes. 22% say no.

    * Do you have any members of your family that have left Iraq over the previous four years as a result of the security situation? 72% said no. 9% said moved to Kurdish areas.

    * Taking everything into account, do you feel that things are better for you now under the present political system or do you think thinks were better for you before under the previous regime of Saddam Hussein? 49% said better now. 26% said better under Saddam. 16% said neither.

    * If I asked you about your religion, what do you prefer your answer to be? 61% said Muslim.

The poll suggests several conclusions.

   1. The majority of Iraqis think of themselves as Muslim first, and not Sunni or Shia.

   2. Iraqis have a great deal of belief that the current government will do what it says it will.

   3. Massive numbers of Iraqis are not fleeing the country or becoming internal refugees.

   4. About half of Iraqis believe things are better now. Only a quarter still pine for the good old days.

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RE: "Pessimism 'growing among Iraqis' " - 3/19/2007 7:01:44 PM

SimplyMichael

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quote:

The poll suggests several conclusions.

1. The majority of Iraqis think of themselves as Muslim first, and not Sunni or Shia.

2. Iraqis have a great deal of belief that the current government will do what it says it will.

3. Massive numbers of Iraqis are not fleeing the country or becoming internal refugees.

4. About half of Iraqis believe things are better now. Only a quarter still pine for the good old days.

1. It does if you don't bother to read the data in the poll, asked what doctrine they believe in and the spilt along sunni shia lines.
2.I guess to a Bush supporter 45% support seems huge!
3.15% have fled, who do you think can afford to leave? The rich and the middle class that you need to make the place work and who have a vested interest in stability and the status quo. Imagine if everyone but the poor left NY and LA and went to Europe, that is about what this number means.
4. Since the minorty Shia ruled the majority Sunni, it means that some of the oppressed people STILL think it sucks now more than it did under Saddam.

Of course, this whole debate is imbicilic. We didn't have to invade Iraq but Bush chose to. He ignored the issues and problems that would unleash and had no plans in place to deal with them and then ignored the reality on the ground for so long it is now too late to fix it. 49% belive Iraq is in or near a civil with another 18% saying it is "some way" from civil war and 14% refusing or not giving an answer.

Only Republicans could take a fucked up country like Iraq and make it worse.

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RE: "Pessimism 'growing among Iraqis' " - 3/19/2007 7:04:14 PM

Real0ne

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[America and UK have always said they would bring the West to Iraq. Bribes and election fraud are rife in Iraq. Media control (by a few multi millionnaires) over the masses is the main focus of any Western democracy-ed]

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The top U.S. military officer called Thursday for a formal Pentagon review of the policies that led to defense officials paying the Iraqi media to place favorable stories in their newspapers.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said people need to know whether they are reading an article by an independent reporter or by someone paid by the U.S. government.

“They need to know that, so they can make their own judgment about what they believe and don’t believe in the article,” said Pace in the interview aboard a military aircraft heading for Turkey. “The worst thing you can have is people feeling like somehow they’ve been snookered.”

But left unanswered was the broader question of whether the Pentagon should be actively paying journalists or media outlets to publish positive stories.

Read More Here

http://uk.altermedia.info/iraq/media-bribes-by-west-in-iraq_865.html

LIVE FROM BAGHDAD, IT'S PENTAGON TV

{
Al-Jazeera Saddam
Most Iraqis viewed Saddam's capture on satellite channels like Al-Jazeera, but it wasn't the version of the story that Bush wanted the Mideast to see
With little coverage in the United States, the Pentagon has opened a second front in Iraq to wage information warfare, setting up radio and TV stations to broadcast a good news message to Iraqis, even as the Pentagon seeks to censor and restrict popular Arabic satellite stations. But the White House is also trying to control U.S. media coverage of the Iraq occupation via an unprecedented operation intended to compete with American television networks

+ THE PLAN TO MONOPOLIZE IRAQ'S MEDIA FREE!

+ U.S. Wants Media Monopoly In Iraq

+ U.S. Gives Iraq Media Control To Mysterious Pentagon Contractor
+ Iraqis Prefer Satellite Channels To Fledgling State TV FREE!

+ U.S. Tries To Censor Major Satellite Broadcasters In Iraq
http://www.albionmonitor.com/0312a/index.html

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RE: "Pessimism 'growing among Iraqis' " - 3/19/2007 7:11:58 PM

Vendaval

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There is not much data in that link; such as where the the respondents live in Iraq,
whether they are Sunni or Shia, no charts and no graphs.

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RE: "Pessimism 'growing among Iraqis' " - 3/19/2007 7:13:07 PM

SimplyMichael

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The data is there, you just have to follow another link and a big pdf doc comes up.

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RE: "Pessimism 'growing among Iraqis' " - 3/20/2007 2:06:15 AM

Vendaval

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" Can 2,000 Iraqis be wrong?"

"Probably not, despite the very difficult circumstances, say
YouGov chairman PETER KELLNER

If most Iraqis feel unsafe in their own neighbourhoods and think the invasion, which began four years ago this week, was wrong, then the implications for Britain and America are grave indeed. Why should we risk soldiers' lives and spend huge sums to help people who don't want us there?

But is it true? There are two ways in which a survey of the kind commissioned by the BBC can yield misleading results. First, the sample might not accurately reflect the population whose views are being sought. Second, some respondents might hide their true feelings. "

http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?menuID=1&subID=1238

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"Beware, the woods at night, beware the lunar light.
So in this gray haze we'll be meating again, and on that
great day, I will tease you all the same."
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RE: "Pessimism 'growing among Iraqis' " - 3/20/2007 3:08:40 AM

meatcleaver

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What do all the polls matter? The Iraqis didn't ask to be invaded, they weren't a threat, they never asked to be slaughtered in their thousands, they never asked for their oil to be stolen. The responsiblity is with the USA and its lapdog the UK. Both should withdraw now, apologize and pay reparations. The polls are an irrelevance.

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RE: "Pessimism 'growing among Iraqis' " - 3/20/2007 3:32:18 AM

UtopianRanger

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quote:

I am also appalled that the democrats have not done anything substantial to stop the Bush Admin and are starting to look complicit about the issue of Iraq. Many Americans voted to bring them home, but the dems do not look like they are going to put the pressure on.

It makes ya sick, doesn't it? Well said, Julia.

Well said, Julia.

Of course....my feeling is it's two prong : The Democratic leadership in both the house and the senate is full of narcissist’s that somehow believe that the American people are more concerned with the process and how they work together with the Republicans in a non-partisan manner. That couldn't be further from the truth. The people didn't vote the democrats into office so they could work together with the war mongers, they voted for them in so they would vigorously oppose them. Nancy Pelosi and Reid are completely balless ; you could kick them both in-between the legs a hundred times and they wouldn't fall down.

The other problem is APAC. They seem to wield so much influence/power over so many politicians that its truly unbelievable.

- R

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RE: "Pessimism 'growing among Iraqis' " - 3/20/2007 4:38:08 AM

popeye1250

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Then they better get up off their asses and do something and I mean Today.
The U.S. isn't going to be there forever.
Once Bush goes...

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