yes, i read that this morning.
Spain's exit has nothing to do with lack of commitment to fight terror: rather, it was at the heart of the Socialists' electoral platform, and was in tune with the 90 per cent of Spaniards who opposed the war.
and, that's what would have happened
in canada as well, had our government
decided to join the 'coalition of the
willing' ...
Bush lied to justify Iraq war, Canada right to stay out: poll
By JEFF SALLOT
UPDATED AT 11:06 PM EST Monday, Mar. 15, 2004
OTTAWA -- Canadians overwhelmingly believe President George W. Bush lied to justify the Iraq war and their own government was wise to stay out of the conflict, a new poll suggests.
Two-thirds (67 per cent) of adult Canadians said they agreed with the statement that Mr. Bush "knowingly lied to the world to justify his war with Iraq" a year ago, The Globe and Mail-CTV News poll says.
Moreover, almost three-quarters (74 per cent) of the poll respondents said that the federal government made the correct decision by not joining the U.S.-led coalition that invaded Iraq, the polling data show.
The poll, conducted by Ipsos-Reid, suggests that most Canadians (61 per cent) are pessimistic about the chances of democracy ever taking root in the Middle East.
On the other hand, nearly nine of every 10 respondents (87 per cent) said they think the world is a better place without Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in power.
These results show Canadians are pleased with the regime change in Baghdad, but "they believe the means did not justify the end," said John Wright, senior vice-president of Ipsos-Reid.
The poll, conducted Tuesday through Thursday of last week, shows a sharp increase in the percentage of Canadians who think the United States made a mistake in going to war. Almost two-thirds (63 per cent) now say the United States blundered, compared with just under half (47 per cent) who felt that way when polled last December.
This shift is most likely the result of recent disclosures about faulty prewar intelligence concerning Iraq's presumed arsenal of weapons of mass destruction, Mr. Wright said.
Canadians, however, seem to be in a forgiving mood with the U.S. administration. Nearly seven in 10 (69 per cent) believe that the United States will "learn a valuable lesson" that it is better to work with Canada and other countries around the world when there is a global crisis rather than acting unilaterally.
Just more than half (54 per cent) said the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks are not a justification for the United States to take "any action" -- including unilateral action -- to protect itself against future attacks.
"The numbers speak loudly and clearly," Mr. Wright said. "You come through with a consistent theme that is, 'We're glad we didn't go. Bush lied.' "
With the benefit of 12 months of hindsight, Canadians are "now more resolute than they ever have been that it was a good thing Canada stayed out of this," he added.
Canadians seem to be saying the motive for the war was wrong and if the end was to promote a democratic Iraq, it is probably not going to mature, Mr. Wright said.
Yesterday, while in Montreal, Prime Minister Paul Martin reiterated his support of Canada's decision not to send troops.
"I think all countries are partners and in solidarity with Spain and the United States and with Britain. I think the decision we took on Iraq was a good decision, but at the same time, we share values with Spain, the United States and Britain and we support them."
Mr. Martin, who was asked to comment on the most recent terrorist attacks in Spain, said Canadian security has been beefed up since the attacks on the United States in 2001 and has continued at a heightened level.
Earlier polls suggested that people in Quebec and British Columbia were the most skeptical about the Iraq war while Albertans were more likely to give Washington the benefit of the doubt.
But now, even a majority of Albertans believe Ottawa was right to stay out of the war and that Mr. Bush lied, according to the poll when broken down regionally.
Similar polls in the United States show that Americans have grown more skeptical about the way Mr. Bush has handled the Iraq issue.
A Washington Post/ABC News poll earlier this month showed only 46 per cent of Americans approved of the way Mr. Bush was handling Iraq, down from a 75-per-cent high last April when U.S. troops were engaged in combat.
The poll also showed a majority (55 per cent) of Americans thought the Bush administration "intentionally exaggerated its evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction."
Ipsos-Reid polled a randomly selected sample of 1,116 adult Canadians. With a sample this size, the results should be accurate plus or minus three percentage points 19 times out of 20. Full poll results can be viewed at ipsos-reid.com.
Reflecting on the war in Iraq
1,000 Canadians were read the following questions and statements:
On reflection, do you think that Canada did the right thing or the wrong thing by not supporting the United States in its war against Saddam Hussein?
Right: 74%
Wrong: 21%
Don't know/not sure: 5%
All in all, thinking about how things have gone in Iraq since the United States went to war there in March, 2003, do you think the United States/Bush Administration made the right decision or a mistake in going to war in Iraq?
Right choice: 31%
Mistake: 63%
Don't know/not sure: 6%
President George W. Bush knowingly lied to the world in order to justify his war with Iraq.
Strongly agree: 40%
Somewhat agree: 27%
Somewhat disagree: 16%
Strongly disagree: 12%
Don't know/not sure: 5%
For all that has been done in Iraq, a true democracy will never come to the region.
Agree: 61%
Disagree: 34%
Don't know/not sure: 5%
Because of what has happened, the United States will learn a valuable lesson that it is better to work with countries around the world rather than to act on its own in issues of world crisis.
Agree: 69%
Disagree: 29%
Don't know/not sure: 2%
Because of what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, and the destruction of the World Trade Center, the United States is justified in any action it takes to protect itself from future terrorist attacks even if it means acting unilaterally and against the views of other nations such as Canada.
Agree: 44%
Disagree: 54%
Don't know/not sure: 2%
SOURCE: IPSOS-REID
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