Poll: Year Later, Most Iraqis Happier Without Saddam (Leftists should be ashamed)

Reuters ^ | 5/16/04 | Reuters

[Mark Felton]

Kerry, Spain, Europeans and all other anti-Americans should bow their heads in shame.

Terrorist attacks have decreased significantly since President Bush began the War on Terror, and the Iraqi people themeselves are more supportive of the war in Iraq than the Europeans, the Democrats and the leftists.

[RetiredArmy]

But many have little faith in occupying troops and the U.S.-led administration -- and nearly one in five say attacks on foreign soldiers in Iraq are justified.

Asked whether their lives were better now than in the spring of 2003, nearly six in ten Iraqis said the situation was somewhat better or much better than it was, according to the survey of 2,500 people conducted for a group of broadcasting organizations by Oxford Research International.

Those responses are likely to come as a positive surprise for coalition forces and the U.S.-led administration in Iraq as they continue to grapple with a determined guerrilla insurgency and widespread social problems a year after Saddam's fall.

Iraqis often complain about a lack of security, the scarcity of jobs and their fears for the future, but the survey suggests that despite this, most feel life has improved.

Yes, our lives are better, we have more, Saddam is gone, but we like it that the people who set us free are getting killed. There are no jobs (WERE THERE JOBS UNDER SADDAM??? OR DID THE MEAN OLE USA BLOW UP YOUR STINKING CAMEL DUNG SHOVELING JOB????) Fear for the future??? Get Saddam back and all that fear is over! Your dead. Stinking people don't appreciate the men and women who have died to set them free! Vote for Kerry. He'll give you back Saddam and Osamma. Then you can really rejoice in blood!

[Constitution Day]

Poll: Year Later, Most Iraqis Happier Without Saddam

Meanwhile, back at the palatial Chateau de Kerry,

[Atlas Sneezed]

"Looking ahead, 71 percent said they expected conditions in their lives to be much better or somewhat better a year from now."

I heard Peter Jennings report this with and odd emphasis that made me think he was implying there would be a change in the White House.

[Sir Gawain]

as they continue to grapple with a determined guerrilla insurgency and widespread social problems a year after Saddam's fall.

Guerrilla insurgency? Reuters reporters...what a waste of natural resources.

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

...41 percent said they felt liberated -- but the same number said they felt humiliated.

Hmm, I wonder what these responses would have been 14 months ago? Maybe zero and 100%, respectively?

[OldFriend]

Too bad the polsters felt the need to include the Baathists in their survey. Clearly they are out of power and watching their backs from those seeking vengeance.

[stljoe71]

And why shouldn't they be happy Their constitution
Has a guaranteed right to healthcare
declares Islam as Iraq's official religion
Sets affirmative action quotas for women in politics

Leftist's should be embarassed GW has set up their Shangri-La in Iraq and they are still complaining.

[DannyTN]

"Only 15 percent say they should leave now. "

[Law is not justice but process]

You seem a bit down on the Iraqi opinions. However, I think it is GREAT news that less than 20% of those polled think attacks are justified. Shoot, I bet more than 20% of Iraqis were on Saddam's payroll. I think we ARE winning their hearts and minds.

Mind you, I wouldn't expect them to like being occupied: my ancestors certainly didn't like reconstruction in the South. However, success to us is creating a democracy, not perpetuating occupation. Personally, I would consider permanent occupation to be a loss, not a victory.

So, lets see: the Iraqis say they are better off, they want elections sooner rather than later, and they want occupation to end as soon as possible. To quote Col Phil Kilgore, ". . . smells like . . . victory."

[shadowman99]

Summary: "Yes, the Iraqis are happy --BUT--..."

Notice that Rueters is eager to interpret the results of the unknown poll question for us while insulating us from the wording.

Why can't they share the poll questions along with the story? Let me decide if the wording of the questions is leading.

Also I want to know how the poll was conducted. Am I supposed to believe that a western reporter stood out in public in Bagdad and asked these questions of the "man on the street"? Bull. Our own troops don't even make themselves targets this way.

[EGPWS]

(Leftists should be ashamed)

Shouldn't this phrase end with /sarcasm?

LoL's, Leftists and ashamed in the same phrase!

[wardaddy]

Jean Francois Kerrie' du Heinz is very sad.

[DrewsDad]

One Perspective from Iraq Posted HERE courtesy of FReeper Our man in washington:

Thank you for giving the opportunity to speak my mind.

I lost my job this past year. When Clinton was president, I worked in a prosperous enterprise. But in the last year, we had to close our operations. We simply could not compete with foreign labor.

This foreign labor worked for low pay under very bad conditions. They worked very long shifts, and many even died on the job. This competition could hardly be called "fair." I was forced out of the place where I had worked for 34 years. Not a single government program was there to help me. How can Bush call himself "compassionate?"

Far worse, I lost two of my sons in Bush's evil war in Iraq. They gave their lives for their country, and for what? So that Bush's oil buddies can get rich. My pain of losing my sons is indescribable.

While it is trivial next to the loss of my sons, I regret to say that I also lost my home. I simply had nothing left. How can Bush call himself a Christian when he neglects people like me? I am a senior citizen with various medical problems. I'm not in a position where I can begin a new career.

I was reduced to the point where I had to live in a hole in a ground, all because of President Bush. And when the authorities found me there, did they have any compassion for my misfortune and ailments? No, I was arrested. Mr. Bush, I dare you to look me in the face and tell me you are a compassionate man! I dare you to look me in the face and tell me you a Christian!

If I had any money left, I would donate it to the Democratic party. If Al Gore had been elected in 2000, I guarantee I would still have a job, a home, and most importantly, my dear sons!

Regards,

Saddam Hussein

[Semi Civil Servant]

Those responses are likely to come as a positive surprise for coalition forces and the U.S.-led administration in Iraq as they continue to grapple with a determined guerrilla insurgency and widespread social problems a year after Saddam's fall.

Maybe Rotters is surprised. Anyone who doesn't have the DNC define "truth" for them isn't surprised

[RetiredArmy]

Sorry for the rant. But, I have seen too many GIs put in body bags over the years for people who do not give a flying crap! The USA did not care during Vietnam and many of these people do not now. Even people in the USA do not care now. I don't like it one bit when one of my fellow patriots gets put in a stinking plastic bag and shipped home to his family. Not one bit. So I have a short fuse for these kind of people. Forgive me.

[blackie]

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[Law is not justice but process]

If it is in my power to forgive you, you are forgiven. I believe I would prefer to thank you for your service, as I would your comrades who came home in body bags. My point was not to chastise you in any way, you are quite entitled to your "rant," even if only a minority of Iraqis are ingrates. However, let us not allow the ingrates to blind us to the good our armed forces have done. The sacrifice of our brave troops in Iraq is easily justifiable on the grounds that it will keep us safer at home. However, it is independently justifiable on the grounds that it has made Iraq a MUCH better place for the majority of the Iraqi people.

You and I both know that there were those who regretted the passing of Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Idi Amin, and (quite recently) Aristide to name but a few. That does not mean that the world and the vast majority of citizens of those formerly repressed countries are not better off. Ignore the ingrates (I know it is difficult) and focus on the big picture. If fewer than 20% of Iraqis think attacks on our troops are justified less than a year after the war, that is OUTSTANDING.

Hell, if you surveyed the faculty at UC Berkeley I bet over 50% would say attacks were justified. Now if we could only liberate them!

[MrB]

...41 percent said they felt liberated -- but the same number said they felt humiliated.

Because an outsider had to come in and clean their house.
They were unwilling or unable to do it themselves.