57% of Iraqis back attacks on US troops

Should it matter what the Iraqi people think about our occupation?  Should it matter that a majority of them condone violence against our brave men and women?  Should it matter that President Bush and the neoconservatives want to keep our troops in harm's way regardless of what Iraqis think?

In a new poll conducted by three news agencies, Iraqis voiced their disapproval of the foreign occupation:

57% to 43%, those polled back “attacks on coalitionforces.” This broke down to 93% of Sunnis in favor, 50% of Shia, and 5%of Kurds. In contrast, only 7% of the sample supports attack on Iraqiforces.

Asked separately, 48% said attacks by al-Qaeda in Iraqon U.S. forces were "acceptable" with 51% finding them unacceptable.Yet only 1% backed al-Qaeda attempts to take over any areas. Sosympathy for al-Qaeda was extremely low -- except when it comes tohitting U.S. troops.

The poll was conducted in mid-August by ABC News,Britain's BBC, and Japan's public broadcaster NHK. More than 2,000Iraqis were interviewed.

By 46% to 35% the Iraqis believed that a U.S. pullout would make a civil war LESS, not more, likely.

Here are some of the other findings of the poll:

-- 63% say the U.S. invasion in 2003 was wrong, up from 52% in March

-- 79% say they oppose U.S. and Coalition forces in Iraq, up 1% since March

-- 47% want U.S. troops to “leave now,” up from 35% in March

--72% said the U.S. presence is making security “worse,” up from 69% in March.

-- 75% said they still felt not safe in their neighborhoods, virtually unchanged since March.

Yes, this does matter.  $12 billion in U.S. Treasury money each week goes to save a country that hates us, when people down in New Orleans are still waiting for their government to fulfill a promise.  We have a serious priority problem, and it is sad that we will have to wait more than 400 days for a true change of direction.

Comments

[Tony]

It's becoming apparent as each day goes by, that the neocons are ego-maniac war mongers. Realistically in this screwed up world, war becomes necessary at times, but when you; start a war on lies ;continue a war on lies ;keep changing "the story" to justify the war, and you are doing it without international approval, then there comes a time when you have to end it.

[granny]

$12 billion in U.S. Treasury money each week goes to save a country that hates us, when people down in New Orleans are still waiting for their government to fulfill a promise.

Well Said! There is nothing to add.