Half of Iraqi citizens support attacks on U.S. forces, including nine out of 10 Sunnis, according to a poll recently released by the Program on International Policy Attitudes.
The poll, conducted Jan. 2 through 4, asked 1,150 Iraqis of all religious and ethnic backgrounds about their support for attacks on U.S. forces, the U.S timetable for withdrawal, effects of withdrawal and reasons for urgency of withdrawal. Although half of those polled supported attacks on U.S. troops, 93 percent opposed attacks on Iraqi security forces. Ninety-five percent of Iraqis strongly disapproved of attacks on civilians.
John Zevitas, the head of special programming for the College Republicans, attributed the support for attacks on U.S. forces and beliefs that the U.S. would not listen to the Iraqi government to a lack of credible information, a lack of access to current news and certain religious clerics who are against the U.S and democracy.
Ashley Mushnick, president of the College Democrats, feels that the American people were wronged by the Bush administration's false claims that Iraq posed a threat to our security.
"The Iraq people have been wronged by an ill-planned invasion of their country that outraged the world, and allowed terrorists to create a strategic stronghold there," she said.
The poll also found that 80 percent of Iraqis believe the U.S. has plans to establish a permanent base in Iraq. Another 76 percent believe the U.S. will not take direction from the new Iraqi government and would refuse to leave the country in six months if the government wanted them to.
Seventy percent of Iraqis favor the setting of a timetable for U.S withdrawal from their country, but they are divided on exactly what that timetable should be; 35 percent believe the U.S. should leave within six months, and another 35 percent support a gradual reduction over the next two years. Twenty-nine percent support a reduction only if security improves.
The 35 percent who said the U.S. should withdraw within six months were then asked about their reasons behind the urgency for withdrawal. The most common answer was, "It is offensive to have foreign forces in my country," followed by, "The presence of U.S. forces attracts more violent attacks and makes things worse."
The majority of Iraqis polled feel that if the U.S. were to withdraw in six months, the day-to-day security of ordinary citizens would improve and violent attacks, inter-ethnic violence and the presence of foreign fighters would all decrease. However, overall 67 percent do not have confidence that within six months Iraqi forces will be strong enough to maintain security on their own without the U.S. PIPA concluded from the results a majority of Iraqis believe things would improveif the U.S. were to leave in six months, only a third of them wish this to happen because "the presence of U.S. troops may be perceived as an unwelcome presence that produces many undesirable side effects, but is still necessary for a period"
