Iraq: A complicated picture
Neither the optimistic picture presented by Bush nor the pessimistic view reported in the MoveOn ad accurately paints the full complexity of Iraqi public opnion, at least as measured by the recent ABC/Time /BBC poll.
For one thing, there is a great gap in opinion between Sunnis and Shiites: 86 per cent of Shiites polled say things are going well in their lives, while only 43 per cent of Sunnis do. Asked how things are going in the country as a whole, 53 of Shiites say « good » but only 9 per cent of Sunnis say the same.
It may surprise Americans to learn that 63 per cent of Iraqis say they feel « very safe » in their own neighborhoods, despite almost daily reports of bombings. But that includes 80 per cent of Shiites, and only 11 per cent of Sunnis. Asked about confidence in the Iraqi army, 87 per cent of Shiites said they felt confident, compared to 37 per cent of Sunnis.
Iraqis: Life is good & getting better
Bush drew from results of a poll released on Dec. 12. It was sponsored by ABC, Time magazine, the British Broadcasting Corporation and several other foreign media outlets. It was conducted by Oxford International Research.
It showed 71 per cent of those Iraqis who were polled, when asked how « things are going in your life these days, » said either « very good » or « quite good. »
And when asked how things will be in their lives a year from now, 64 per cent said either « much better » or « somewhat better. »
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http://www.factcheck.org/article366.html