Iraq opinion polls: Why are we in Iraq...

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...if the majority of Iraqis want us out within a year? (HT: Sullivan) If World Public Opinion is anything close to accurate, we have no business being there much longer.

Some statistics for Iraqi population as a whole (polling was done in September '06):
  • 71% want us out within a year.
  • 78% think we're provoking more conflict than we're preventing.
  • 53% think a timeline for withdrawal would strengthen the Iraqi government.
  • 61% Approve of attacks on US forces.
Has anyone ever won a counter-insurgency war (short of genocide) when 61% of the population supports attacks on the occupying power? That seems like a pretty big nail in the coffin. Anyone out there have any clever plans to get around this? Anyone? Baker? Baker? Anyone?

Read the article for interesting breakdowns by ethnicity and comparisons to a similar poll done back in January (things have gotten less favorable for the occupation since then).

Comments

AutismNewsBeat said…
Yes, but what the poll doesn't tell you is that Geroge Bush's approval rating is higher among Americans than among Iraqis. So that's some good news.

Seriously, the situation is worse than most Americans understand. The most widely quoted poll numbers only reflect what Iraqis as a whole are saying. But the Kurds are outliers, since they aren't nearly as hostile to US interests. As the article you linked to shows, disapproval of US goals by the Shia are nearly unanimous - 97 percent.
8:32 PM, November 22, 2006
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