What Iraqis really think

[panterapat]

Portions of an American Enterprise magazine poll aided by Zogby, of Iraqis from Basra, Mosul, Kirkuk, and Ramadi: (Zogby International Survey researchers)



7 out of 10 expect their country and personal lives to be better five years from now.



4 out of 10 say Democracy can work in Iraq.



5 out of 10 say Democracy will not work in Iraq



1 out of 10 are not sure if Democracy will work in Iraq.



Asking which of the these countries their new government should mimic, Baathist Syria, Islamic monarchy Saudia Arabia, Islamic republic Iran, Arab lodestar Egypt, or Democratic United States, the most popular by far was the US.

US= 37%, Saudi Arabia= 28%, Others= Combined, less than the US 37%



57% disapprove of Osama bin Laden



74% say former Baathist should be punished



Should Iraq have an Islamic government? 60% said no



Less than 30% knew or heard of anyone killed in the spring fighting.



One-half knew some family member, neighbor of friend killed by Iraqi security forces.



Opinions of al Qaeda were almost all negative.



How long should US troops stay in Iraq? Two-thirds said at least another year.



“We will not forget that it was the US soldiers who liberated us from Saddam.”

-Abid Ali (auto repair shop owner in Sadr City)



Information taken from a Sept. 10, 2003 article in The Wall Street Journal.

Article written by Karl Zinsmeister

 

[Michael0701]

Thanks for the post. I found it very interesting, and in some ways, what I had hoped for.

 

[mo.mentum]

I don't know how much we can rely on these numbers. Especially that they were taken in urban areas. Whereas the majority of the population is rural.

Also, Iraqis are used to telling authorities what they want to hear in order not to be punished. They got used to this under Saddam's rule.

So in the end, all these stats are BS.

 

[Michael0701]

You make a good point, but I wouldn't go so far as to label them such as you have.

 

[yen]

I agree with mo.mentum.

 

[mo.mentum]

You make a good point, but I wouldn't go so far as to label them such as you have.

It's true though. I get the Arabic Satellite TV channel there, Al-Jazeerah and others at home. (yes i speak arabic)

After years of being closed to the world and being hunted by Saddam's security forces for the smallest dissention, they barely talk about their political views. And today it's even worse because if they say they want an Islamic government, they're affraid to be labelled as collaborators with Al-Qaeda, or as part of a fundemantalist organization.

It's a very sensitive subject. No reliable statistical opinions can be gathered in that nation right now. We can only see the effects of the word on the street. The general feeling is that they want to rule themselves and that the "occupiers" should leave now that they did their jobs.

 

[Michael0701]

"The general feeling is that they want to rule themselves and that the "occupiers" should leave now that they did their jobs."



I wish!!! But wouldn't that create a power vacuum where the "bad guyz" would just regroup and assume power again (by whatever means neccessary)? What about their infrastructure? Aren't we (the good guyz) helping them rebuild it? You hear them screaming for the US to leave and then turn and scream for the US to provide security, it's a very mixed signal to a joe-shmo like me.

 

[mo.mentum]

I wish!!! But wouldn't that create a power vacuum where the "bad guyz" would just regroup and assume power again (by whatever means neccessary)? What about their infrastructure? Aren't we (the good guyz) helping them rebuild it? You hear them screaming for the US to leave and then turn and scream for the US to provide security, it's a very mixed signal to a joe-shmo like me.

True True. But none of the promises of the "good guys" have come about! People are _STILL_ without running water or electricity, forget about phones and other social services. It's been 6 months!!!

Yet all the oil refineries and pumping stations are working. Hmmmmm.

As for security? What security? People are carrying guns in order to protect themselves from bandits and looters. Religious leaders have been assassinated. Innocent Iraqis are mistakingly killed "Eerrrrr we thought they were terrorists".

It's becoming a quagmire I fear

 

[My Higher Self]

True True. But none of the promises of the "good guys" have come about! People are _STILL_ without running water or electricity, forget about phones and other social services. It's been 6 months!!!

Yet all the oil refineries and pumping stations are working. Hmmmmm.

You have to atleast entertain the possibility that fixing the oil pumping stations and refineries actually makes sense from even an Iraqi perspective. That is the countries livelyhood, and more importantly, its the money that can pay to have the electricity and water restored and upgrades to the power grids, etc....it is the countries greatest source of income and money they will desperately need to rebuild their country.

Not saying that the oil conspiracies couldn't be true....but there are othe possibilities.

 

[cbk]

Do 5 of 10 Iraqis even know what a democracy or democratically-elected republic is?

 

[datan]

[font=ARIAL,SANS-SERIF] Two U.S. military trucks were also destroyed during the fighting along Highway 10, Fitzgibbons said. A small crowd gathered at the scene of the attack and began shouting "Allahu Akbar," or God is great, and "Oh, Iraq, we sacrifice our lives and blood for you."

here's an opposite perspective on very recent events ... go figure ...
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[MichaelFJF]

This "poll" is hilarious. How exactly did they get the results? Did they send their telemarkers over there with clipboards? Cuz, I'm tellin' ya - there ain't too many phones up and workin'. M

 

[Acceptance]

“We will not forget that it was the US soldiers who liberated us from Saddam.”

-Abid Ali (auto repair shop owner in Sadr City)

Let's hope their memories are longer then the French's (WWII was not that long ago!)

 

[datan]

puhleeze...are we still hung up over the French? What if the Security Council had actually approved a war based on false evidence...what credibility would it have now? The US's credibility is shot to pieces; would you the UN's be as well?

 

[mo.mentum]

Do 5 of 10 Iraqis even know what a democracy or democratically-elected republic is?

Yes darling. They're not cavemen. We had democracy in the area way before Europe got out of its Dark Ages.

 

[mo.mentum]

You have to atleast entertain the possibility that fixing the oil pumping stations and refineries actually makes sense from even an Iraqi perspective. That is the countries livelyhood, and more importantly, its the money that can pay to have the electricity and water restored and upgrades to the power grids, etc....it is the countries greatest source of income and money they will desperately need to rebuild their country.

Not saying that the oil conspiracies couldn't be true....but there are othe possibilities.

True True. But why should the Iraqis front the bill for reconstruction. They didn't want their infrastructure to be destroyed.

 

[datan]

well...most of the damage was done by looting by Iraqis...but then one can argue that the loss of security is the sole responsibility of the occupying powers (under international law)

 

[mo.mentum]

Ya. People loot in a chaotic environment. Did not New Yorkers loot each other in the 1977 Blackout?

I like the idea that security be the sole responsibility for the occupiers.

 

[Michael0701]

How can an army (force) provide security for not only Iraq, but most importantly, itself, and still not be seen as an "occupier"?

 

[datan]

if it's the occupier, why shouldn't it be seen as the occupier?