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Public opinion on the Iraq War

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M1A1 Abrams pose for a photo under the "Hands of Victory" in Ceremony Square, Baghdad, Iraq.

International opinion

In 2003 there was a slim majority of 3% in Britain who believed the war was being handled well by Tony Blair and the Labour government, however in the United States there was over whelming support for the war with a majority of 46% of people who believed that the war was being handled well by George W. Bush and his administration as opposed to in the later half of the 2000s with 54% of people in the United States believing in 2008 that it was the wrong decision to go to war up 32% since a poll in 2003. [1] [2] According to a January 2007 BBC World Service poll of more than 26,000 people in 25 countries, 73% of the global population disapproves of the US handling of the Iraq War.[3] A September 2007 poll conducted by the BBC found that 2/3 of the world's population believed the US should withdraw its forces from Iraq.[4]

According to an April 2004 USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll, only a third of the Iraqi people believed that "the American-led occupation of their country is doing more good than harm, while a solid majority support an immediate military pullout even though they fear that could put them in greater danger."[5]

Majorities in the UK and Canada believe the war in Iraq is "unjustified" and - in the UK - are critical of their government's support of US policies in Iraq (Canada opposed the U.S.-led invasion force and has one observer blue helmet in Iraq.)[6]

According to polls conducted by Arab American Institute, four years after the invasion of Iraq, 83% of Egyptians had a negative view of the US role in Iraq; 68% of Saudi Arabians had a negative view; 96% of the Jordanian population had a negative view; 70% of the UAE and 76% of the Lebanese population also described their view as negative.[7]

The Pew Global Attitudes Project reports that in 2006 majorities in the Netherlands, Germany, Jordan, France, Lebanon, China, Spain, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan, and Morocco believed the world was safer before the Iraq War and the toppling of Hussein. Pluralities in the US and India believe the world is safer without Hussein.[8]

Iraqi opinion

A woman pleads with an Iraqi army soldier from 2nd Company, 5th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Army Division to let a suspected insurgent free during a raid near Tafaria, Iraq

The US government has long maintained its involvement there is with the support of the Iraqi people, but in 2005 when asked directly, 82–87% of the Iraqi populace was opposed to the US occupation and wanted US troops to leave. 47% of Iraqis supported attacking US troops. However, in the same poll 77% of Iraqis said that ousting Saddam Hussein had been worth the hardships brought on by the war.[9] Another poll conducted on September 27, 2006, found that seven out of ten Iraqis want US-led forces to withdraw from Iraq within one year. Overall, 78% of those polled said they believed that the presence of US forces is "provoking more conflict than it's preventing." 53% of those polled believed the Iraqi government would be strengthened if US forces left Iraq (versus 23% who believed it would be weakened), and 71% wanted this to happen in 1 year or less. All of these positions were more prevalent amongst Sunni and Shia respondents than among Kurds. 61% of respondents said that they approve of attacks on US-led forces, although 94% still had an unfavorable opinion of al-Qaeda.[10]

A March 7, 2007 survey of more than 2,000 Iraqis found that 78% of the population opposed the presence of Coalition forces in Iraq, that 69% believed the presence of U.S. forces is making things worse, and that 51% of the population considered attacks on coalition forces acceptable, up from 17% in 2004 and 35% in 2006. In addition:[11]

  • 64% described their family's economic situation as being somewhat or very bad, up from 30% in 2005.
  • 88% described the availability of electricity as being either somewhat or very bad, up from 65% in 2004.
  • 69% described the availability of clean water as somewhat or very bad, up from 48% in 2004.
  • 88% described the availability of fuel for cooking and driving as being somewhat or very bad.
  • 58% described reconstruction efforts in the area in which they live as either somewhat or very ineffective, and 9% described them as being totally nonexistent.

A 2007 survey for the first time asked ordinary Iraqis their view on the highly contentious draft oil law. According to the poll, 76 percent of Iraqis feel inadequately informed about the contents of the proposed law. Nonetheless, 63 percent responded that they would prefer Iraqi state-owned companies – and not foreign corporations – to develop Iraq’s extensive oil fields.[12]

Demands for official public inquiries

A majority 72% of Britons want an official public inquiry into their government's role in the U.S.-led 2003 invasion of Iraq, according to a BBC poll in March 2009. The figure rises to as high as 81% in the 18-24 year-old age group.[13][14]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.ipsos-mori.com/newsevents/ca/180/Iraq-Public-Support-Maintained-8212-The-State-Of-Public-Opinion-On-The-War.aspx
  2. ^ http://pewresearch.org/pubs/770/iraq-war-five-year-anniversary
  3. ^ "World View of US Role Goes from Bad to Worse" (PDF). BBC World Service. 23 January 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
  4. ^ "Most people 'want Iraq pull-out'". BBC NEWS. 7 September 2007.
  5. ^ Soriano, Cesar (28 April 2004). "Poll: Iraqis out of patience". USA Today. Gannett Co. Retrieved 24 May 2007. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "Guardian July Poll" (PDF). ICM Research. 2006. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  7. ^ Zogby, James (2007). "Four Years Later: Arab Opinion Troubled by Consequences of Iraq War" (PDF). Arab American Institute. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  8. ^ "India: Pro-America, Pro-Bush". Pew Global Attitudes Project. Pew Research Center. 28 February 2006.
  9. ^ "What the Iraqi Public Wants" -A WorldPublicOpinion.org Poll-, Program on International Policy Attitudes, January 31, 2006
  10. ^ "The Iraqi Public on the US Presence and the Future of Iraq" (PDF). World Public Opinion. September 27, 2006. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
  11. ^ Iraq Poll conducted by D3 Systems for the BBC, ABC News, ARD German TV and USA Today. More than 2,000 people were questioned in more than 450 neighbourhoods and villages across all 18 provinces of Iraq between February 25 and March 5, 2007. The margin of error is + or – 2.5%.
  12. ^ Iraqis Oppose Oil Development Plans, Poll Finds (August 6, 2007) (Oil Change International, Institute for Policy Studies, War on Want, PLATFORM and Global Policy Forum)
  13. ^ Majority of Britons Wants Iraq War Public Inquiry, Poll Finds
  14. ^ Majority 'want Iraq war inquiry'
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