Poll: Do you believe the Iraqis are happy about being liberated?

[calbear2000]

Its been nearly 3 months since major combat was declared over. We can only speculate on the feelings of most Iraqis - whether they prefer the tryanny of Saddam over current US occupation/direction.

Whether you call it a quagmire or liberation reveals more about your news source than it does about the actual situation. Of course it will also depend on which group we're talking about - Shiite, Sunni, Kurds...

So, I ask, with all political biases and pre-war feelings aside, do you think the majority of Iraqis are currently happy that the Americans overthrew the Baath party?

 

[jjones]

They are not liberated yet. Ask me this question when they have a newly elected Iraqi government.

As for how they feel currently, I have no idea what the majority of Iraqis think privately about the ousting of Saddam and the Baath party. I have an inkling that they are happy to see Saddam go but that they remain very suspicious of Americans and very uncertain about their future.

 

[kage69]

They better be! Anyone who wakes up from a 24year long nightmare and bitches at the person who "woke" them up, is a complete ingrateful ass in my opinion. While I can appreciate some Iraqis not exactly loving the US (due in no small part to the lack of free press over there, as well as the tactic of ME leaders to use the Palestinian/Israeli conflict to occupy their own people) comparing Baathists to US Soldiers is like comparing night and day. I'm sure a large portion of the resentment there now can be traced back to the Shiite clerics, but they're just displaying their own insecurity and trying to ensure themselves a role in Iraq's political future. I hope Iraqis can see through the bull all the different groups are trying to feed them, and look at Germany and Japan as examples. The USA came in, kicked out the badguys, helped out rebuilding, and whaddya know, 2 prosperous countries in charge of their own affairs was the result. Quite the evil Imperialist warmongers aren't we?

 

[kage69]

jones makes a very valid point - it ain't over yet.

 

[Red Dawn]

Depends on the Iraqi.

 

[LilBlinbBlahIce]

Right now their probably too frustrated about the lack of basic everything to be grateful. You should ask this again once things have settled down and we have proven that we're not going to screw everything up.

 

[Lutefisks]

I believe most of the Iraqis are not happy at this point. Think of this as the Mosolov's(?) pyramid theory.

People want basic needs before asking for luxuary items.

before
1) have basic food and water, but butt raped by Sadam daily.
after
2) no food and water, and no butt raping either.

hmmmm... What good is freedom if you can't buy food with it?

We can remedy this if we can meet their basic needs as soon as we can.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Add a "Don't care" option.

 

[Lonyo]

They aren't really happy. They may have been liberated from Saddam, but they are hardly free, they have soldiers all around and cannot really do much for themselves, like come even close to running their own country, or even thinking about running their own country.

 

[SuperTool]

I am guessing most are glad to be free of Saddam, and also glad the sanctions are over, but I think if we overstay our welcome, it won't be pretty.

 

[HombrePequeno]

I think generally they're happy that Saddam is gone but their patience with us is dwindling.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Over half of the population has been born after Saddam came to power.
They actually know of no other form of leadership in their country.
All of their schooling since birth has been Pro-Saddam
Their religion and culture treats Saddam as if he was a direct decendant of their God diety.
They are in a culture shock, and will be going through a self re-education process
while under the supervision of an occupying United States milita.

They have a long way to go. There will be feelings of revenge and retribution aimed
at our troops for the loss of property, friends, and relatives during the war.
some of the children - pre-teen through late teens, into eraly 20's will polatize
into 3 groupings: Those that accept their new direction and excercise their new found rights,
the group that wants to put thing back the way they were with totalatarian power in charge,
and the vast silent majority, that go on in life, and try to get allong without making waves.

Check back when the little childeren of todays Iraq have become the fathers and mothers
of the next two generations of their future population.

 

[kage69]

Right now their probably too frustrated about the lack of basic everything to be grateful

That's funny, I remember hearing some analyst on the news cite that almost all Iraqi cities now have more electricity and water supplied to them then before the 1st Gulf War.
Are the sanctions still in effect? I recall Bush calling for them to be dropped recently. I know things aren't luxurious over there, but I also know it's a far cry from the Somalia-esque picture a lot of the anti-Bush types love to paint.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: SuperTool
I am guessing most are glad to be free of Saddam, and also glad the sanctions are over, but I think if we overstay our welcome, it won't be pretty.

Yup.

It doesn't really matter what we "believe". Let us not underestimate the effect of neighbouring peoples who've entered Iraq in order to get a few shots in at the US.

 

[phillyTIM]

This poll is ALL wrong. It's not a yes/no question. Here's an idea....

- YES, Iraqi's are happy about being liberated and are following the roadmap the US set forth for them

- YES, Iraqi's are happy about being liberated but the sooner the US gets out the better,,,,NOW wouldn't be too soon.

- NO, Iraqi's are not happy about being liberated because they aren't allowed to setup their own government

- NO, Iraqi's are not happy about being liberated because their health/home/government/business services are in shambles now.

- NO, Iraqi's are not happy about being liberated because it took someone like Saddam to make the country unified.

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Add a "Don't care" option.

Aye. I think most just want the US to fix things up and leave ASAP.

 

[Tripleshot]

I believe that 90% of the country is very happy, but a good 10% are still scared. They are brainwashed.

As soon as REAL rebuilding gets started,and Iraqi self determination is respected by the coalition, then their country will reap the goodness they deserve,and I hope Bagdad becomes a tourist mecca for "Tales of Arabian Nights" romantic randevous. The country of Iraq can be very pretty, if it is rebuilt and refurbished to be a welcomed destination and place of renewed pride.

 

[DZip]

If you really want to know, poll the Iraqis. All we can offer is opinions formed by media coverage. If you only listen to CNN. NBC, ABC, CBS, or NPR you would believe they are unhappy. If you read a letter or email from one of our service men or women, you get the idea they are greatful but getting impatient. They are starting to look foreward to a new life.

 

[RDWYTruckDriver]

Originally posted by: DZip
If you really want to know, poll the Iraqis. All we can offer is opinions formed by media coverage. If you only listen to CNN. NBC, ABC, CBS, or NPR you would believe they are unhappy. If you read a letter or email from one of our service men or women, you get the idea they are greatful but getting impatient. They are starting to look foreward to a new life.

Agreed DZip.

 

[Warin]

Originally posted by: Tripleshot
I believe that 90% of the country is very happy, but a good 10% are still scared. They are brainwashed.

As soon as REAL rebuilding gets started,and Iraqi self determination is respected by the coalition, then their country will reap the goodness they deserve,and I hope Bagdad becomes a tourist mecca for "Tales of Arabian Nights" romantic randevous. The country of Iraq can be very pretty, if it is rebuilt and refurbished to be a welcomed destination and place of renewed pride.

I'd flip that around. 10% of the country is very happy, and the other 90% are scared/brainwashed/irrational.

The US has an amazing opportunity here to prove the world wrong, help rebuild Iraq and then leave the country a better place than it was when they came in. So far, I see very little of that. Destroyed infrastructure seems to be taking forever to rebuild or bring up to pre-war levels.

Hopefully the US will do the job and get out ASAP, and not pull an Iran and install a government that is basically a US puppet and hated by all, like htey did with the Shah.

 

[RDWYTruckDriver]

Destroyed infrastructure seems to be taking forever to rebuild or bring up to pre-war levels

I think that has allot to do with this :

and the other 90% are scared/brainwashed/irrational

 

[Amirtallica]

I'm sure they prefer military occupation to a dictatorship, if that was your question. Those bullets they fire at the troops are from sheer love and appreciation.

 

[kage69]

Seems someone has forgotten about all those reports of foreign fighters streaming into Iraq from Iran and Syria. Are there Iraqis involved in the ambushes our boys are experiencing? Sure. Are all of the perp's Iraqi citizens? Of course not.

 

[RDWYTruckDriver]

Originally posted by: kage69
Seems someone has forgotten about all those reports of foreign fighters streaming into Iraq from Iran and Syria. Are there Iraqis involved in the ambushes our boys are experiencing? Sure. Are all of the perp's Iraqi citizens? Of course not.

Ya, I'd like to see some information come out regarding these foreign fighters that are fighting us there in Iraq. I wonder why ( at least for me ) we haven't see anything on this... i.e. : Captured foreign fighters, ones that are killed that maybe have some kind of identity on them ect.

 

[kage69]

Well, Afghanistan is a great example for you then. As for the media coverage, after the tenseness around Syria there for awhile. I'm sure the White House doesn't want to publicize it anymore and would rather just have the troops wipe'em out.