Poll: Iraqis Want U.S. Withdrawal

AP:

Overwhelming numbers of Iraqis say the U.S. troop buildup has worsened security and the prospects for economic and political progress in their country, according to a poll released Monday that provides a strikingly bleak appraisal of the war.

Forty-seven percent want American forces and their coalition allies to leave the country immediately, the survey showed, 12 percent more than said so in a March poll as the troop increase was beginning. And 57 percent -- including nearly all Sunnis and half of Shiites -- said they consider attacks on coalition forces acceptable, a slight increase over the past half year.

Seventy percent in the survey said they believe security has worsened where the added forces were sent, with another 11 percent saying the buildup has had no effect. Similar numbers said security in other parts of the country has deteriorated and that overall economic and political conditions have declined.

Read the whole story: AP

Comments

[BuzzingAlong]

09:50 PM on 09/10/2007

From a survey by the BBC, ABC News and NHK of more than 2,000 people across Iraq:

About 70% of Iraqis believe security has deteriorated in the area covered by the US military "surge" of the past six months.

Nearly 60% see attacks on US-led forces as justified.

Between 67% and 70% believe the surge has hampered conditions for political dialogue, reconstruction and economic development.

Only 29% think things will get better in the next year, compared to 64% two years ago.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6983841.stm

[Captain EdwardGraham]

09:47 PM on 09/10/2007

09/10/07 DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Spc. Marisol Heredia, 19, of El Monte, Calif., died Sept. 7 at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related injury July 18 in Baghdad, Iraq. She was assigned to the 15th Brigade Support Battalion...
09/10/07 DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Capt. Drew N. Jensen, 27, of Clackamas, Calif., died Sept. 7 in Seattle of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire during combat operations May 7 in Ba’qubah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion...
09/10/07 DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Cpl. Ryan A. Woodward, 22, of Fort Wayne, Ind., died Sept. 8 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire during combat operations near Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron...
09/10/07 DoD Identifies Marine Casualties (part 4)
Sgt. Michael J. Yarbrough, 24, of Malvern, Ark...died Sept. 6 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were all assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton
09/10/07 DoD Identifies Marine Casualties (part 3)
Staff Sgt. John C. Stock, 26, of Longview, Texas...died Sept. 6 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were all assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton
09/10/07 DoD Identifies Marine Casualties (part 2)
Cpl. Bryan J. Scripsick, 22, of Wayne, Okla...died Sept. 6 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were all assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton
09/10/07 DoD Identifies Marine Casualties (part 1)
Cpl. Christopher L. Poole Jr., 22, of Mount Dora, Fla..died Sept. 6 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were all assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton

[ajax2]

09:22 PM on 09/10/2007

I don't understand why so many Iraqis are unhappy. Did Betrayus run out of hundred dollar bills?

[condieshoes]

06:07 PM on 09/10/2007

We can't leave until Kick Ass Bush has forced the Iraqis to accept the deal for the distribution of oil. The Iraqis don't want it. Wanna know why?......the deal is that 2/3rds of the oil fields will be opened up to multinational oil companies(read US and the UK) that leaves 1/3 for the Iraqi people and not only that, Kick Ass and company want to pay meager slave wages. The labor unions in Iraq are strong....

This is a shameless oil grab, but that's why we went there anyway, now it's just becoming more and more clear. As is the fact that 911 was just a pretense and phoney at that.

[Captain EdwardGraham]

08:00 PM on 09/10/2007

09/10/07 Reuters: 13 Iraqi soldiers wounded by mortar fire near Iskandariya
Thirteen Iraqi soldiers were wounded in a mortar attack on their checkpoint near Iskandariya, 40 km (25 miles) south of Baghdad, police said

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a03Biiqtbd4&mode=related&search= اغنية مهدات الى المقاومة العراقية البطلة

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlsyUO15RFE&mode=related&search= اغنية مهدات الى المقاومة العراقية البطلة

[Grannysue]

01:41 PM on 09/10/2007

I cannot for the life of me understand our Politicians. Bush said for three years, Iraq will be a Democracy, had an election, purple fingers, Malaki (Hahaha), and now that the Iraqi's have said they would like us to depart toot sweet! Bush will say, they are delerious and don't know what they want, so we will stay.
How much more of this crap must we put up with and must the Iraqi's put up with. I realize Bush BFF and big donar has got a big contract in Iraq for oil, but good God, our soldiers deserve better.

[madinmanassas]

11:29 AM on 09/10/2007

6 months ago 70% of the Iraquis said it was ok kill us. That same % has now dropped to 57%. Republican wing nuts will see this as a positive trend and solid proof that the surge is working.

Sick but true.

[Colmore]

11:10 AM on 09/10/2007

It is time to vote against EVERY politician who wants to continue this invasion. They have no relatives over there, apart from Biden. It was a mistake to invade and it has cost many lives both killed, maimed and fled the country. The repubs. turned on Craig to have him leave to protect the "party" yet Geogie has done more to destroy the party than anyone, including NIXON. My wish is the McConnell, Lott and Hatch all lose their cushy jobs over this.

[ctbutte]

11:09 AM on 09/10/2007

Once again the AP (associated with terrorists) polls the insurgents and finds them upset

[ohiomark]

12:57 PM on 09/10/2007

Democrats live by the polls and they will die by the polls.

[baylaw73]

04:11 PM on 09/10/2007

Yes, who cares what the Iraqi people want? It's not like we're trying to bring self-determination to that country anyway. Thanks Mark, I did not realize the Democratic party was in Iraq. And thanks to ctbutte for pointing out the obvious. Clearly, the terrorist-supporting AP sought out their insurgent friends to skew a poll, because the U.S. government is so responsive to the will of people as expressed in polls. Another fiendish plot by the brilliant coalition of the press and Al Qaeda. I applaud both of you for your brilliant insight and constructive commentary.

[Nova16]

10:42 AM on 09/10/2007

It appears nothing can be done. Bush has the power of veto and enough enablers in congress to prevent impeachment and dismissal for his reckless policies and programs. Our Constitution which has been labeled a "damned scrap of paper" by the dolt in the White House is now his protector. The MSM, Bush's biggest propagandists and support have broken its trust with the American people by abrogating its former responsibility as "watchdogs" of governmental and presidential actions. We are in a true test of our survival as a viable democracy, languishing in futility as to direction to correct the mistakes of an inept, incompetent and corrupt administration.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

10:30 AM on 09/10/2007

The two spokesmen for the panel(s) of police chiefs and retired generals who appeared on MTP this weekend were spot on:

1) The entire premise of the Bush policy is bass ackwards -- a political solution comes BEFORE security can be accomplished. Condi? Milk Carton? Instead, we have Bush mugging with Sunni (insurgent?) warlords.

2) The national police force has become a distrusted and dysfunctional, disproportionally Shiite goon squad that the "bipartisan" government would prefer was 99-1 Shiite-Sunni.

Re Petraeus: Nothing going on militarily in any time frame -- by an occupying crusading interloper -- will accomplish political reconciliation. Can anyone think of a single precedent for this mis-framed cart-before-horse silliness?

Given the recalcitrance of the Whiteout House, the only way to accomplish a meaningful change in a meaningful amount of time is IMPEACHMENT, which is the Constitutional manifestation of not only our right, but our DUTY per the Declaration of Independence.

"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/declaration_transcript.html

What to do? See you in DC on September 15. March for Impeachment.
It only takes 17 of the 21 Republican Senators up for re-election...
http://www.impeachbush.org/site/PageServer

[jungpatawan]

10:27 AM on 09/10/2007

The numbers are probably even worse than that. Something you need to take into account with Arab culture is their idea of hospitality to strangers. If a pollster comes to them and asks them a question, they'll often tell him what they think he wants to hear. So if an American asks "Should America stay?" some people will say "yes" just to be polite.

JP

[Colmore]

10:15 AM on 09/10/2007

Give the Iraqis their country back. They suffered under Saddam, but life has been a nightmare under Georgie. Imagine if the Chinese leader said "I do not like the US president. The American people are not happy with him. Let's invade, and free the people" Don't you think we would act like the Iraquis are acting? I would, and so would my family. Even though we agree the Georgie has been a disaster, we should correct the mess ourselves. The innocent people of Iraq had NOTHING to do with 9/11 in spite of Georgie and Dickie repeating it all the time. Their country is now in ruins, thousands killed, maimed or fled. I am ashamed of the US government. The troops did a valiant job, but they are NOT fighting for our freedom. It is all for the oil companies, and Halliburton. They are not Georgie's private army to do with as he pleases.

[Moosbrugger]

10:09 AM on 09/10/2007

47% percent want American forces and their coalition allies to leave the country immediately.
57% consider attacks on coalition forces acceptable.
---------
And maybe 10% hate us so bad that they want Americans to stick around for more beatings.

[VictorLudorum]

09:57 AM on 09/10/2007

there must be,so let there be truth spoken out !

economic and political frontiers are both induceing violence and divisions..

[Macready]

09:41 AM on 09/10/2007

the troops have to go . . . now! so Dems . . . if you care about the welfare of our troops; if you care that we have an effective military at all; if you care about the Iraqi people you will vote to stop this illegal war right now and pull out the troops and impeach impeach impeach . . .