BBC Pundits Diverge on Iraqi Poll
Does an opinion poll sponsored by a handful of international media organizations vindicate President George W. Bush's Iraq policies?
Two BBC correspondents have very different views.
The poll, says a BBC news report, "suggests Iraqis are generally optimistic about their lives, in spite of the violence that has plagued Iraq since the US-led invasion." It found Iraqis' top priorities are "the restoration of security and the withdrawal of foreign troops" and consolidation of a united Iraq with a strong central government.
The survey of 1,700 Iraqis, conducted by Oxford Research International for the BBC, ABC News, Time magazine, the Japanese network NHK and the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel, was released Monday.
"The findings are in line with the kind of arguments currently being deployed by President George W Bush, " writes BBC correspondent Paul Reynolds.
"The figures will provide evidence for supporters of the invasion and occupation to argue that the international media have got it wrong -- that, despite everything, most Iraqis are wedded to a democratic future in a unified state and have faith it will come," he writes.
But the figures, as Reynolds himself acknowledges, indicate that Bush's policies are more unpopular in Iraq now than they were two years ago. Fifty percent of respondents said the U.S. invasion was wrong, up from 39 percent found by a comparable poll done two years ago.
Reynolds also notes that "occupation troops are unpopular," with 65 percent of respondents opposed to their presence. Iraqis have much more confidence in their police, armed forces and religious leaders than in U.S. and British troops, according to the poll. Almost 60 percent of respondents said they had no confidence in occupation force and another 20-plus percent said they had "not very much" confidence.
Reynolds also reports that a plurality of Iraqis believe the foreign troops should leave soon, a position opposed by the Bush administration. "Some 45% said the foreign troops should leave now or after the elections, with 31% saying they should stay until security is established," he wrote.
Reynold's colleague, World Affairs editor John Simpson, reads the poll data as a reflection of Iraq's complexity.
Iraq is "a country whose people often seem close to civil war, yet feel overwhelmingly safe in their own neighborhoods."
Simpson said he often hears from readers who say who "say something like: 'My son is a soldier in Iraq and people there keep telling him what a wonderful job the US is doing,', or alternatively: 'Iraqis just want to get rid of all foreign troops, period.'"
"Both things are true," Simpson writes. "It's just that different Iraqis are saying them."
The only thing that everyone can agree on, Simpson concludes, "is that life is much more dangerous in Iraq than it was when our last opinion poll came out."
By Jefferson Morley |
December 13, 2005; 9:08 AM ET
| Category:
Mideast
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Posted by: A.S. | December 13, 2005 11:52 AM
I would hope that the Iraqis are optimistic. Seriously, how much worse can it get? No power, water, jobs or security. Foreign troops occupying your country, treating your men like boys and women like whores. If you can see only one direction to go (up) then of course you are optimistic. I see no conflict at all here.
Posted by: Dave Bob | December 13, 2005 12:37 PM
The importance is the truth and if Jefferson Morley didn't want it he wouldn't post this as a question. It is a complex issue. America doesn't need a war, Americans have each other to fight. Why do opinions have to engender so much in-fighting. Why do people when they have a political discussion, have to be enemies? This lefty righty thing is silly. The truth is the truth, why be so afraid if it doesn't support your position? Personally I would rather have the truth even if my opinion is wrong. The fascist leanings of your government have everyone concerned, but if it involves pretending the lie is a truth in order to not break this fragile belief that America is the greatest country?.
If more people had a stronger self identity the fact that maybe their country is not respected at this point, wouldn't make them so angry and bitter. A democracy is a work in progress and if you are not working towards truth then you are working for the new fascist future.
Posted by: SpeakoutforDemocracy | December 13, 2005 12:45 PM
As usual the devil is in the details.
"Most of the 71% who say their lives are good are Kurds and Shia; a good proportion of the 29% who say their lives are bad are no doubt Sunnis."
to quote John Simpson (an excellent and very fair reporter) and "...but these figures are almost exactly the same as they were in last year's BBC poll". So not much changed then.
But guess it's too much work for A.S. to get he full story before sounding off.
Posted by: G | December 13, 2005 01:15 PM
Along with illegally invading a country that had nothing to do with 9/11 and illegally occupying it: Along with torturing people all over the world: Along with lying to the American people, and paying to have these lies and polls produced to support Mr. Bush's agenda in American as well as Middle East papers: along with making up stories about how a local football hero actually got killed in Afghanistan: Along with the depleted uranium and white phosphorus used against who knows who;Along with death threats to leaders of other countries that don't suit your style of government by your religious leaders, it makes America just about the biggest hypocrite on the planet. I think 84% of the Global Community would agree. There is no left or right, or right or wrong when it comes to the truth. The Truth is not on the American Agenda right now.
Posted by: sherry | December 13, 2005 01:47 PM
"being optimistic" is not indicator of anything. I am sure there were optimistic Iraqis even during Saddam.
The Iraqis, like any other human beings on this planet, are trying to cope with the devastating effects of the war, the killings, the destruction and the hardship.
Being optimistic of the future has nothing to do with Bush's illegal brutal war, it has to do with human spirit.
What Bush and co are missing are the dangerous geopolitical side effects of the war on Iraq, the radicalization of more people in the Middle East, and so on.
Anyone who believes that the radicals (who are growing now) are just going to sit back and watch are mistaken. Let's not forget that it took Al-Qaeda years to plan for Sep-11.
The war has opened a new front, and I am afraid that it will take years if not a decade to shut it down completely.
Posted by: Karim | December 13, 2005 02:23 PM
>optimistic about their lives, overwhelmingly feel safe in their own neighborhoods
Too bad we don't all feel the same here. I'm one more outsourcing from selling the house, and 6 miles from here gang-bangers are shooting each other in the buttocks (and worse) on a daily basis. I'm literally afraid to drive through town. Last time I was surrounded by a gang on ATVs as they were flying against rush-hour traffic.
Posted by: asdg | December 13, 2005 02:31 PM
There seems to me that there is a key point this article in particular, and the media and columnists in general are missing: In Iraq, the will of the majority right now is irrelevant and force is what really matters. The insurgents understand this and, knowing the Americans will leave eventually, are focusing on attacking the police and the army, and are not out to win any popularity contests. A political system unable to enforce its will by force if necessary is a joke and is unlikely to survive for long, no matter how many people vote for it.
Posted by: RS | December 13, 2005 07:01 PM
I say we send Karen Hughes over there permanently to ensure only the positive news gets out. In terms of military strategy, we really need someone like Gen. Valehy (USA Ret.) in charge in the Green Zone with Col. Hunt (USA Ret.) as chief of operations. That'll show the terrorists how much business we mean! To (classified) with "sending signals!" Oooo!(Clay Bullrohr, bullrohr@yahoo.com)
Posted by: Clayton R. Bullrohr | December 13, 2005 07:42 PM
The Bush critics should wake up and realize he's doing even better at home than abroad. The markets prove this by their robustness (unadjusted for foreign-exchange swings).
Posted by: Stan Sogley | December 13, 2005 09:04 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
How much must it pain Jefferson Morley that Iraqis are optimistic about their lives, overwhelmingly feel safe in their own neighborhoods, and don't place an especially high priority on getting US troops out. It's like a left-wing, anti-war nightmare!