Posted on 12/15/2005 11:40:03 AM PST by xsysmgr
How many times have supporters of the war in Iraq complained that there is little reporting on good news from Iraq? And that when there is such news, it receives less-prominent coverage than reports of car bombings and sectarian mayhem?
Sometimes the criticism has little merit; after all, there are lots of car bombings and sectarian mayhem, and they are news. But the where's-the-good-news question seems particularly timely this week after the publication of a new poll which found widespread optimism among Iraqis, both about their personal situations and the future of the country. Beyond the news organizations that sponsored the poll — it was done by ABC News, Time magazine, the BBC, the Japanese television network NHK, and the German magazine Der Spiegel — the survey's results received little coverage. And even the poll's sponsors seemed surprised and baffled that so many Iraqis could express satisfaction amid a war that is so widely criticized both here in the United States and abroad.
In short, the poll found that millions of Iraqis say their lives are better than they were last year, better than they were before the United States invasion, and will likely be better a year from now than today.
The pollsters, whose work is available here, began by asking, "Overall, how would you say things are going in your life these days — very good, quite good, quite bad, or very bad?" Seventy-one percent of those polled said very good or quite good — up from 55 percent in a poll taken in June, 2004. Twenty-nine percent said their lives are quite bad or very bad — down from 45 percent in 2004.
The pollsters also asked about individual aspects of the respondents' lives. Sixty-one percent reported that the security situation is very good or quite good in the area where they live. Sixty-six percent rated their protection from crime as very good or quite good. Seventy-four percent said local schools are very good or quite good. Seventy percent said their family's economic situation is very good or quite good. Seventy-eight percent rated their freedom of speech as very good or quite good.
Next, the pollsters asked, "What is your expectation for how things overall in your life will be in a year from now — will they be much better, somewhat better, about the same, somewhat worse, or much worse?" Sixty-found percent said much or somewhat better, 14 percent said about the same, and just ten percent said somewhat or much worse.
The pollsters found a somewhat different picture when they asked, "Now, thinking about how things are going, not for you personally, but for Iraq as a whole, how would you say things are going in our country overall these days? Are they very good, quite good, quite bad, or very bad?" Forty-four percent said very or quite good, while 52 percent said very or quite bad. The pollsters also found what ABC called "vast differences" in the ways Shiites and Sunnis and Kurds viewed things. Still, the results revealed resoundingly positive feelings on the part of majorities of Iraqis on those issues about which they had the most knowledge — that is, their own lives.
The poll respondents also expressed confidence in a number of national institutions. Sixty-seven percent said they have a great deal or a lot of confidence in the new Iraqi army. And sixty-eight percent said they have a great deal or a lot of confidence in the police. Those numbers rank alongside confidence in the country's religious leaders, which is at 67 percent.
The poll also found that a majority of Iraqis believe their country should be governed by a democratic system. The pollsters asked, "There can be differences between the way the government is set up in a country, called the political system. From the three options I am going to read to you, which one do you think would be best for Iraq now?" The choices were, "Strong leader: a government headed by one man for life," "Islamic state: where politicians rule according to religious principles," and "Democracy: a government with a chance for the leaders to be replaced from time to time." Twenty-six percent chose a strong leader. Fourteen percent chose an Islamic state. And 57 percent chose democracy. And when the pollsters asked which system would be best for Iraq five years from now, 64 percent said democracy. Twelve percent chose an Islamic state.
The pollsters found that Iraqis, despite their general satisfaction with the progress being made, didn't much like having a foreign occupying army in their country. No surprise there. But the survey found that Iraqis had a mixed — not uniformly negative — view of the U.S. invasion. "From today's perspective and all things considered," the pollsters asked, "was it absolutely right, somewhat right, somewhat wrong, or absolutely wrong that U.S.-led coalition forces invaded Iraq in Spring 2003?"
Nineteen percent said the invasion was absolutely right, and 28 percent said it was somewhat right — for a net positive result of 47 percent. Seventeen percent said the invasion was somewhat wrong, and 33 percent said it was absolutely wrong — for a net negative result of 50 percent. That even split would probably surprise those who have read coverage suggesting that Iraqis overwhelmingly believe the invasion was a bad thing.
Finally, the poll found widespread progress and satisfaction on the economic front. In a 2004 poll, the average monthly income of the respondents was $164. Now, it's $263 — a 63 percent increase. In 2004, six percent of Iraqis reported having a cell phone; now it's 62 percent. In 2004, 43 percent had a car; now it's 55 percent. In 2004, 44 percent had an air conditioner; now it's 58 percent. In 2003 (in another poll), 32 percent had a satellite dish; now it's 86 percent.
Taken together, that is a lot of good news — on security, politics, and the economy. So much so that the sponsors of the poll could hardly believe their findings. "Surprising levels of optimism prevail in Iraq," reported ABC on the network's website. Iraqis are "surprisingly upbeat," wrote Time. For its part, the BBC chose to downplay the poll's most newsworthy aspects, beginning one report, "An opinion poll commissioned by the BBC, ABC News and other international media organizations suggests that security is a major concern in the lives of most Iraqis, two and a half years after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein — although it also reveals a high level of optimism about the future."
Other news organizations were less surprised then dismissive; to say the poll hasn't received much attention beyond the organizations that sponsored it would be an understatement. On Tuesday, the Washington Post mentioned it in the 11th paragraph of a story on page A-19 (a report headlined "Bush Estimates Iraqi Death Toll in War at 30,000.) The New York Times hasn't mentioned it at all. Still, for those willing to look around, the poll is readily available evidence that there is good news to be found in Iraq — just like the war's supporters said.
— Byron York, NR's White House correspondent, is the author of The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy: The Untold Story of How Democratic Operatives, Eccentric Billionaires, Liberal Activists, and Assorted Celebrities Tried to Bring Down a President — and Why They'll Try Even Harder Next Time .
Hah!
Housing, Nasdaq, Job Market are hitting multiple year highs, and lib-media has everyone convince that economy is in going down the drain.
How difficult is for them to make Iraq look bad?
'W' and company have trouble convincing American people that our economy is doing fine. It is impossible for them to shed positive light on Iraq.
Great post. May the Iraqis continue in success. They, like Japan, will be a most important ally in the future...
Funny how evil can never cover up "hope"...isn't it.
MSM, evil rats and liars...that's why they'll always lose.
I think we should be very grateful to Poland for sending all these polls to Iraq.
If only gas could get down to $1.39/gal.
ONce people have a taste of freedom and the good life, which they have in Iraq, then when you try to take it away from them they will revolt.
The terrorists will be only a foot note in the history of Iraq. The only aid and comfort they will get is from those ugly, mean looking democrats...
Funny, too, how the MSM keeps pissing on our legs and telling us it's raining.
Nope. W is doing an excellent job. It would be silly for him to respond to the daily blatherings of the NY Times and the demonrats. Instead, his steady nerve and great speeches have put the rats on their heels. Election time, he'll put his Tony Llama's on their necks.
As long as good men do something...the trash gets taken out, so, the democrats are going to be made aware of in '06.
Perhaps, another election will remind them of how non-sensical/bereft their ideology is...and how they are an insane voice of a minority of very ill people.
They need about ten years of increasing fair government for all the people and a vastly improved infrastructure throughout the country. If the future elected government bodies will stay on the course of using oil revenues which shall increase drastically in the next six or so years, to build new industries and bolster existing ones, they could very well become the democratic gem of the ME. One thing is for certain, despite the desperate analysis of many a lib sided think tank and L/MSM etc., Islam is not so desirable in this Arab dominated nation as many would try to convince us of.
He is doing an Excellent Job - agreed.
Does anyone know about it other than hard-core Pubbies?
NO.
If a tree falls in White House with on one to hear it, then does it make a sound?
Bush said long ago that he did not pay attention to polls. And I believe him. He is a strategic thinker, unlike the rats. As they were braying all summer and fall about Iraq and then Katrina, Bush looked at his poker hand and KNEW he held all the cards. But why interrupt the rats suicide? He gave them ample time to get more hysterical and defeatist and dour and provide endless idiotic soundbites.
In the last two weeks, leading up to what the Prez KNEW would be a successful Iraq election, he started to remind the American people of the critical mission that Iraq is AND that it is going 1000% better than the cut and run party are claiming. I predict his poll numbers by Nov. 2006 will be in the high 50s to low 60s, just in time to CRUSH the rats in another off year election.
Hey, I may have it! All those folks sneaking into the USA, are doing so because the RATS keep telling them how bad it is here. Lousy everything, you know the drill.
"A poll of Iraq citizens showed that 71% see good things for Iraq's future. That's good.
"Iraqis must not be reading the New York Times."
The crowd loved it. The general public gets it.
Way to go Leno. Sometimes he hits the nail right on the head.
$1.39/gallon gas? Not gonna happen (unless, God forbid, bird flu depopulates Asia)--current gas prices have more to do with increased world demand than with Mid-East wars or politics.
where did they find 1700 people to poll in person? I thought all Iraqis were hiding out, cowering in fear in their homes...
you mean to tell me that Iraq is a functioning country??? come one, i'm sure that it is more that a few steps worse off than people living in Gaza and the constant torture from the Jews.
i suppose next you're going to tell me the economy here in the U.S. is booming. ha! you must not watch television -- come on get a reel edukashun.
(sorry about the typo)
make that "edjukayshun"
And a pack of chewing gum back down to a penny?
With INFLATION factored in, a gallon of gasoline is cheaper today than it was in 1980.
Some folks just don't get it. And they have no problem paying a dollar for a 12 oz. bottle of water.
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