Survey finds hope in occupied Iraq
By David Loyn
BBC world affairs correspondent
Iraqis appear to be adjusting to life with an occupying force
An opinion poll carried out in Iraq will make good reading for US President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The poll suggests that Iraqis are happier than they were before the invasion, optimistic about the future and opposed to violence.
The poll, of more than 2,500 adults, was commissioned by the BBC in association with other international broadcasters.
It suggests that the reporting of the daily attacks on the occupying forces in Iraq could be obscuring another picture.
This opinion poll gives a glimpse into the real life of Iraqis, who appear to be overwhelmingly pre-occupied with bread and butter issues - whether the lights go on or not, and the restoration of the economy.
Iraqi opinion poll:
Key results of the survey
More details
Seventy percent said that things were going well or quite well in their lives, while only 29% felt things were bad.
And 56% said that things were better now than they were before the war.
Almost half (49%) believed the invasion of Iraq by the US-led coalition was right, although 41% felt that the invasion "humiliated Iraq".
More than three quarters (79%) want Iraq to remain united, and only 20% want it to become an Islamic state.
Safety conscious
Dan Plesch, a security expert at Birkbeck college in London said that the poll was good news for the leaders of countries who began the invasion a year ago this week.
Forty-one percent of Iraqis felt humiliated by the invasion
"This poll indicates that Iraqis strongly support a unified country with strong leadership. They don't want to see the country divided up and they don't want to see an Islamic government."
But while the Iraqi police struggle to keep law and order under control, the lack of security is seen as the single biggest problem people are facing.
Regaining security is rated as by far the highest priority at 85%, followed by holding elections for a national government (30%), ensuring the majority of Iraqis can make a decent living (30%) and reviving the economy (28%).
And only just over a third of people report that their electricity supply is good.
Leaders unloved
The biggest worry for the Americans as they prepare to hand over power in June is the unpopularity of the people they are putting in place.
IRAQI OPINION POLL
Read the full results of the poll
Their favoured son Ahmed Chalabi had no support at all, while Saddam Hussein remains one of the six most popular politicians in the country.
Looking at the poll results, Dr Mustafa Alan of the Royal United Services Institute said that the Iraqis wanted a strong leader, but had not found one yet.
"The main point is that the Iraqis are now looking for a strong leader who can save the day.
"As long as the governing council is considered illegitimate and illegal in Iraq, I think they will have to work hard to find something more legitimate and more legal before they disengage from the country."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3514504.stm
By David Loyn
BBC world affairs correspondent
Iraqis appear to be adjusting to life with an occupying force
An opinion poll carried out in Iraq will make good reading for US President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The poll suggests that Iraqis are happier than they were before the invasion, optimistic about the future and opposed to violence.
The poll, of more than 2,500 adults, was commissioned by the BBC in association with other international broadcasters.
It suggests that the reporting of the daily attacks on the occupying forces in Iraq could be obscuring another picture.
This opinion poll gives a glimpse into the real life of Iraqis, who appear to be overwhelmingly pre-occupied with bread and butter issues - whether the lights go on or not, and the restoration of the economy.
Iraqi opinion poll:
Key results of the survey
More details
Seventy percent said that things were going well or quite well in their lives, while only 29% felt things were bad.
And 56% said that things were better now than they were before the war.
Almost half (49%) believed the invasion of Iraq by the US-led coalition was right, although 41% felt that the invasion "humiliated Iraq".
More than three quarters (79%) want Iraq to remain united, and only 20% want it to become an Islamic state.
Safety conscious
Dan Plesch, a security expert at Birkbeck college in London said that the poll was good news for the leaders of countries who began the invasion a year ago this week.
Forty-one percent of Iraqis felt humiliated by the invasion
"This poll indicates that Iraqis strongly support a unified country with strong leadership. They don't want to see the country divided up and they don't want to see an Islamic government."
But while the Iraqi police struggle to keep law and order under control, the lack of security is seen as the single biggest problem people are facing.
Regaining security is rated as by far the highest priority at 85%, followed by holding elections for a national government (30%), ensuring the majority of Iraqis can make a decent living (30%) and reviving the economy (28%).
And only just over a third of people report that their electricity supply is good.
Leaders unloved
The biggest worry for the Americans as they prepare to hand over power in June is the unpopularity of the people they are putting in place.
IRAQI OPINION POLL
Read the full results of the poll
Their favoured son Ahmed Chalabi had no support at all, while Saddam Hussein remains one of the six most popular politicians in the country.
Looking at the poll results, Dr Mustafa Alan of the Royal United Services Institute said that the Iraqis wanted a strong leader, but had not found one yet.
"The main point is that the Iraqis are now looking for a strong leader who can save the day.
"As long as the governing council is considered illegitimate and illegal in Iraq, I think they will have to work hard to find something more legitimate and more legal before they disengage from the country."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3514504.stm
