Saturday, February 11, 2006
Poll RhetIraq: Iraqi Public Opinion
Who: Iraqi Public
Source: Program on International Policy Attitudes via WorldPublicOpinion.org
Quotes: From poll published January 31, 2006 titled, "What the Iraqi Public Wants"
[Note: Unless otherwise noted, all percentages are for overall results. The poll also provides a breakdown of Shia, Kurds and Sunni. Where a particular group is an outlayer to the Overall total, they have been included below.]
Do you think the US government plans to have permanent military bases in Iraq or to remove all its military once Iraq is stabilized?
80% - Plans Permanent Bases
18% - Plans to remove forces once Iraq stabilized
If the new Iraqi government were to tell the US to withdraw all of its forces within six months, do you think the US would or would not do so?
23% - Would withdraw
76% - Would not withdraw
Which of the following would you like the newly elected Iraqi government to ask the US-led forces to do after they take office?
35% - Withdraw within 6 months
35% - Gradually over 2 years
29% - Only reduce US-led forces as the security situation improves in Iraq
The 35% of respondents who took the position in favor of the near-term exit of US forces from Iraq (six months) were asked: “Which of the following reasons for withdrawing US-led forces is the most important to you?” and given four options.
20% - It is offensive to me to have foreign forces in my country.
11% - The presence of US forces attracts more violent attacks and makes things worse
2% - Iraq can take care of itself
2% - I do not like the way US forces have treated Iraqi civilians
Was a good idea for Iraqi leaders to have agreed at the Arab League conference that there should be a timetable for the withdrawal of US-led forces from Iraq?
87% - Yes
Do you approve or disapprove (strongly or somewhat) of attacks on US-led forces in Iraq?
47% - Overall approve
16% - of Kurds approve
41% - of Shia approve
88% - of Sunnit approve
Do you approve or disapprove (strongly or somewhat) of others in Iraq?
7% - Approve attacks on Iraqi government security forces
1% - Approve attacks on Iraqi civilians
Respondents were asked what would happen in a variety of areas if US-led forces were to withdraw from Iraq in the next six months.
67% - day to day security for ordinary Iraqis would increase
30% - day to day security for ordinary Iraqis would decrease
35% - Violent attacks would increase
64% - Violent attacks would decrease
33% - Inter-ethnic violence would increase
61% - Inter-ethnic violence would decrease
31% - Presence of foreign fighters would increase
56% - Presence of foreign fighters would decrease
What would be the performance of the Iraqi state if the US withdraws within the next 6 months?
73% - Willingness of factions in parliament to cooperate would increase
22% - Willingness of factions in parliament to cooperate would decrease
67% - Availability of public services; electricity, schools would increase
25% - Availability of public services; electricity, schools would decrease
34% - Amount of crime would increase
64% - Amount of crime would decrease
Do you think that recent parliamentary elections were or were not free and fair?
66% Overall - were fair
33% Overall - were not fair
5% of Sunnis - were fair
94% of Sunnis - were not fair
Do you think that the government to be established by the newly-elected parliament will or will not be the legitimate representative of the Iraq people?
68% Overall - Will be legitimate
31% Overall - Will not be legitimate
6% of Sunnis - Will be legitimate
92% of Sunnis - Will not be legitimate
Do you think that Iraq today is generally headed in the right direction or the wrong direction?
64% Overall - Right direction
36% Overall - Wrong direction
6% of Sunnis - Right direction
93% of Sunnis - Wrong direction
Thinking about any hardships you might have suffered since the US-Britain invasion, do you personally think that ousting Saddam Hussein was worth it or not?
71% Overall - Worth it
22% Overall - Not worth it
13% of Sunnis - Worth it
83% of Sunnis - Not worth it
Do you think that six months from now Iraqi security forces will be strong enough to deal with the security challenges that Iraq will face, or do you think that Iraq will still need the help of military forces from other countries?
59% Overall - Will still need the help of military forces from other countries
39% Overall - Strong enough to deal with security on its own
73% of Kurds - Will still need the help of military forces from other countries
22% of Kurds - Strong enough to deal with security on its own
Would you prefer to have the US or the UN take the lead in Iraq’s economic reconstruction?
21% Overall - US
59% Overall - UN
18% Overall - Neither
43% Kurds - US
53% Kurds - UN
3% Kurds - Neither
4% Sunni - US
48% Sunni - UN
46% Sunni - Neither
Would you favor having a major conference where leaders from the US, Europe, the UN, and various Arab countries would meet with leaders of the new Iraqi government to coordinate efforts to help Iraq achieve greater stability and economic growth, or do you think it is best for other countries to stay out of Iraq’s affairs?
64% Overall - Favor conference
34% Overall - Best for others to stay out
40% Sunni - Favor conference
57% Sunni - Best for others to stay out
For the following, do you approve of US Nonmilitary assistance?
* Assisting with economic development
* Assisting with oil industry
* Training Iraqi security forces
* Helping to build Iraqi government institutions
* Helping to mediate between ethnic groups
* Infrastructure (roads, electricity)
* Helping Iraqis organize their communities to address needs
Nearly all of the above were within +/- 5% of the following responses:
25% - Approve, US doing good job
46% - Approve, US doing poor job
27% - Disapprove
Do you approve of the recent efforts of the Arab League to help Iraqi leaders achieve national reconciliation?
73% - Approve
22% - Disapprove
Approval of key points in Arab League Declaration
99% Overall - All groups should participate in the political process
97% Overall - Terrorism should be rejected
87% Overall - There should be a timetable for withdrawl of US-led forces in Iraq
64% Kurds - There should be a timetable for withdrawl of US-led forces in Iraq
Source: Program on International Policy Attitudes via WorldPublicOpinion.org
Quotes: From poll published January 31, 2006 titled, "What the Iraqi Public Wants"
[Note: Unless otherwise noted, all percentages are for overall results. The poll also provides a breakdown of Shia, Kurds and Sunni. Where a particular group is an outlayer to the Overall total, they have been included below.]
Do you think the US government plans to have permanent military bases in Iraq or to remove all its military once Iraq is stabilized?
80% - Plans Permanent Bases
18% - Plans to remove forces once Iraq stabilized
If the new Iraqi government were to tell the US to withdraw all of its forces within six months, do you think the US would or would not do so?
23% - Would withdraw
76% - Would not withdraw
Which of the following would you like the newly elected Iraqi government to ask the US-led forces to do after they take office?
35% - Withdraw within 6 months
35% - Gradually over 2 years
29% - Only reduce US-led forces as the security situation improves in Iraq
The 35% of respondents who took the position in favor of the near-term exit of US forces from Iraq (six months) were asked: “Which of the following reasons for withdrawing US-led forces is the most important to you?” and given four options.
20% - It is offensive to me to have foreign forces in my country.
11% - The presence of US forces attracts more violent attacks and makes things worse
2% - Iraq can take care of itself
2% - I do not like the way US forces have treated Iraqi civilians
Was a good idea for Iraqi leaders to have agreed at the Arab League conference that there should be a timetable for the withdrawal of US-led forces from Iraq?
87% - Yes
Do you approve or disapprove (strongly or somewhat) of attacks on US-led forces in Iraq?
47% - Overall approve
16% - of Kurds approve
41% - of Shia approve
88% - of Sunnit approve
Do you approve or disapprove (strongly or somewhat) of others in Iraq?
7% - Approve attacks on Iraqi government security forces
1% - Approve attacks on Iraqi civilians
Respondents were asked what would happen in a variety of areas if US-led forces were to withdraw from Iraq in the next six months.
67% - day to day security for ordinary Iraqis would increase
30% - day to day security for ordinary Iraqis would decrease
35% - Violent attacks would increase
64% - Violent attacks would decrease
33% - Inter-ethnic violence would increase
61% - Inter-ethnic violence would decrease
31% - Presence of foreign fighters would increase
56% - Presence of foreign fighters would decrease
What would be the performance of the Iraqi state if the US withdraws within the next 6 months?
73% - Willingness of factions in parliament to cooperate would increase
22% - Willingness of factions in parliament to cooperate would decrease
67% - Availability of public services; electricity, schools would increase
25% - Availability of public services; electricity, schools would decrease
34% - Amount of crime would increase
64% - Amount of crime would decrease
Do you think that recent parliamentary elections were or were not free and fair?
66% Overall - were fair
33% Overall - were not fair
5% of Sunnis - were fair
94% of Sunnis - were not fair
Do you think that the government to be established by the newly-elected parliament will or will not be the legitimate representative of the Iraq people?
68% Overall - Will be legitimate
31% Overall - Will not be legitimate
6% of Sunnis - Will be legitimate
92% of Sunnis - Will not be legitimate
Do you think that Iraq today is generally headed in the right direction or the wrong direction?
64% Overall - Right direction
36% Overall - Wrong direction
6% of Sunnis - Right direction
93% of Sunnis - Wrong direction
Thinking about any hardships you might have suffered since the US-Britain invasion, do you personally think that ousting Saddam Hussein was worth it or not?
71% Overall - Worth it
22% Overall - Not worth it
13% of Sunnis - Worth it
83% of Sunnis - Not worth it
Do you think that six months from now Iraqi security forces will be strong enough to deal with the security challenges that Iraq will face, or do you think that Iraq will still need the help of military forces from other countries?
59% Overall - Will still need the help of military forces from other countries
39% Overall - Strong enough to deal with security on its own
73% of Kurds - Will still need the help of military forces from other countries
22% of Kurds - Strong enough to deal with security on its own
Would you prefer to have the US or the UN take the lead in Iraq’s economic reconstruction?
21% Overall - US
59% Overall - UN
18% Overall - Neither
43% Kurds - US
53% Kurds - UN
3% Kurds - Neither
4% Sunni - US
48% Sunni - UN
46% Sunni - Neither
Would you favor having a major conference where leaders from the US, Europe, the UN, and various Arab countries would meet with leaders of the new Iraqi government to coordinate efforts to help Iraq achieve greater stability and economic growth, or do you think it is best for other countries to stay out of Iraq’s affairs?
64% Overall - Favor conference
34% Overall - Best for others to stay out
40% Sunni - Favor conference
57% Sunni - Best for others to stay out
For the following, do you approve of US Nonmilitary assistance?
* Assisting with economic development
* Assisting with oil industry
* Training Iraqi security forces
* Helping to build Iraqi government institutions
* Helping to mediate between ethnic groups
* Infrastructure (roads, electricity)
* Helping Iraqis organize their communities to address needs
Nearly all of the above were within +/- 5% of the following responses:
25% - Approve, US doing good job
46% - Approve, US doing poor job
27% - Disapprove
Do you approve of the recent efforts of the Arab League to help Iraqi leaders achieve national reconciliation?
73% - Approve
22% - Disapprove
Approval of key points in Arab League Declaration
99% Overall - All groups should participate in the political process
97% Overall - Terrorism should be rejected
87% Overall - There should be a timetable for withdrawl of US-led forces in Iraq
64% Kurds - There should be a timetable for withdrawl of US-led forces in Iraq
