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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Elsewhere who wrote (102090)	6/19/2003 4:51:24 PM
From: Dennis O'Bell	Respond to of 281500

According to Iraq's first opinion poll, released on Thursday, around 73 percent of Baghdad residents say U.S. troops have failed to bring security to their troubled city. I assume that these polls have been limited to Baghdad and the surrounding region (which is already useful data, I'm not picking nits over this as it was a difficult enough task already to have such data.) It is good to hear that infrastructure such as water, power, etc, have been back online though for a while though. So much for that part of the Quagmire. The fact is I don't think any of us have a very accurate idea of just what is going on in the country since virtually everyone who reports anything has their stupid agenda to push on us. Honest polls will help sort out what is really happening better than most of the news.

To: Elsewhere who wrote (102090)	6/19/2003 7:18:51 PM
From: Dennis O'Bell	Respond to of 281500

"We must be honest enough to say that the coalition has not prevented us from conducting the survey," the institute's director Saadoun al-Dulaimi told a news conference, adding that another poll covering all of Iraq would be published next week. A friend singled out this remark, which I think all the bad faith America-haters ought to think about. In what other situation where a conquering power has deposed a government by military force would such a survey even be remotely thinkable ?? In all honesty ? While "occupying" soldiers are still sur le terrain ? Neither of us were particular knee-jerk à priori supporters of the invasion, but frankly to have all the intellectually dishonest excrement thrown at our heads as Americans over this stupid invasion, placing us on the same level as Hitler or heavens knows who, has been just a bit much. Finally, I see that another country-wide survey will follow - I hadn't noticed this when I skimmed the article, so this answers one of my questions about the survey. I'd like to thank you for bringing it to our attention.

To: Elsewhere who wrote (102090)	6/20/2003 5:33:34 AM
From: D. Long	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Thank you for posting that, JJ. I haven't seen it anywhere else. Derek

To: Elsewhere who wrote (102090)	6/20/2003 6:29:42 AM
From: Sig	Respond to of 281500

<<<The survey showed 56 percent of respondents were unhappy with U.S. efforts in the health sector and more than 50 percent faulted shortcomings in utilities such as electricity.>>> Not as bad an effort as news has presented - sounds like a good job is being done <<< Only one percent were satisfied with a U.S.-led postwar reconstruction drive, while 94 percent said it was inadequate >>> Probably a misunderstanding here - we went there to eliminate Saddam and free the people, not to build a new country for them when we only destroyed an insignificant of the infrastructure.Not having had the money or ability to initiate things from the bottom up, they are expecting the government to provide the money and plans as in the past. People will have to experiment, learn they can do things on their own now, build from the ground up which will be slow progress <<< The poll showed widespread distrust of Iraq's political parties, with 63 percent favouring a government of technocrats and only 5.5 percent saying politicians should take over. >>>> Very interesting and encouraging. Does this mean they are not going to argue forever over which religious order will run things, and that they prefer leadership that can actually make down-to-earth plans for industry and society based on modern technical knowledge without all the doors needing to face East, for example ? Sig