Poll: Only 27 Percent of Iraqis Say Country Is in Civil War(life better now than under Saddam)

Fox News ^ | 3/18/2007 | Fownews

[tobyhill]

Despite sectarian slaughter, ethnic cleansing and homicide bombs, an opinion poll conducted on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the U.S.-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 .

[Names Ash Housewares]

They must not watch CNN.

[tobyhill]

It's funny that Iraqis who live there don't think they're in a civil war but our media is going to make them believe they are.

[Names Ash Housewares]

Just proof that our media is at war with America.
I dont even watch networks anymore. Simply propaganda outlets for the DNC and terrorists.

[Steve_Seattle]

"Civil war" can mean many things, but clearly this is not a full-scale civil war such as we had here 150 years ago. It is basically a terrorist campaign led by a couple of thousand insurgents, with reprisals conducted by some militant groups on the other side. The general public is caught in the middle.

[bikerman]

Lies,Lies all Lies the drive by media knows the real truth.(not)

[MNJohnnie]

And what did that 27% do under Saddam?

Rape room attendant? Torture Chamber staffer? Feed the political dissident feet 1st into the plastic shredder expert??

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

from further down the article:

"Yet 49 percent of those questioned preferred life under Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, to living under Saddam."

I don't know what to make of this one, since 60(?)% of Iraq is shi'ite......does this mean that 1/6th of shi'ites preferred saddam to maliki? Or that the polling was skewed away from a proportional sampling according to the overall demographics?

[CBart95]

All you say is true and even though it's a weary prospect, we will overcome this mess.

In spite of all the drivel and leftwing crapolla, the Hate America crowd is going nowhere.

Watch now as the pendulum swings in favor of Faith and Freedom everywhere.

[coloradan]

So what if it were in a civil war? Rwanda was in a civil war, and if we had intervened we could have maybe saved about a million lives. FWIW Clintoon knew about it and did nothing.

[syriacus]

Thanks for posting the good news!

ORB interviewed a nationally representative sample of 5,019 Iraqi adults between February 10-22. The margin of error was +/- 1.4 percent

I'd bet that even more Iraqis are happy this month.

[MNJohnnie]

Civil war" can mean many things>

Pretty arrogant don't you think to cling to your own opinion on Iraq in the face of the facts from the people who actually LIVE there?

Maybe, the Dincons might finally admit they have no clue what is actually going on in Iraq rather then try to parse and rationalize this data to validate their preconceived feelings about the mission in Iraq?

[lonestar67]

The original survey article is worth a look if you are curious:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1530526.ece

The good news is that it demonstrates the emergence of politics over tribalism. Malikis approval had been around 29% and has moved up to around 50% because of increased security.

Understand that we are trying to emerge from American mythology that Iraqis only think in relation to their ethnic orientation. That is certainly significant but we must hope and strive for politically oriented decisionmaking.

[ozzymandus]

"Rape room attendant". Har!

[MNJohnnie]

Yet 49 percent of those questioned preferred life under Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, to living under Saddam. Only 26 percent said things had been better in Saddam's era, while 16 percent said the two leaders were as bad as each other and the rest did not know or refused to answer

And what did that 26% DO in Saddam regime?

[Names Ash Housewares]

I do agree. The left has just made the job of our troops so much harder. I wonder sometimes how many more dead there are because these jerks give the enemy hope they will eventually wear down our will.

[MNJohnnie]

You might find this intresting

[FreeReign]

"Civil war" can mean many things, but clearly this is not a full-scale civil war such as we had here 150 years ago. It is basically a terrorist campaign led by a couple of thousand insurgents, with reprisals conducted by some militant groups on the other side. The general public is caught in the middle.

I don't believe the general public is "caught in the middle". Instead, the general public is the target.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

you're not trying to make me believe that the Iraq matter as we see it is Iraqi sunni vs shia tensions, are you?

I view Iraq (and Afghan) as a beach-head in the middle of the wider territory of the muslim jihaddi's. Their sunni or shia clubs are of no consequence in terms of their jihad against the West, beyond temporary/fleeting periods of being the friend against a common enemy.

[lonestar67]

I agree with you.

I think that Iraq is a relatively secular portion of that beachhead that we can more easily convert out of trenchant Islamism.