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| Iraq |
| New Poll Finds Iraqis Favor Unity |
| 2006-08-25 |
| A new poll released by the International Republican Institute (IRI) found Iraqis strongly oppose the idea of segregating the country. Seventy-eight percent strongly disagree or disagree with the idea of segregating Iraqis according to religious or ethnic sects. An overwhelming majority, 89 percent, believe that a unity government is extremely important to Iraq's future. Iraqis also indicated support for Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki and the new government. Fifty-five percent approve of the way Prime Minister Al-Maliki is handling his job and 58 percent of Iraqis indicated they are very confident or somewhat confident in the new government compared to 27 percent who are somewhat unconfident or not confident. With this new government in place, 41 percent of Iraqis now feel the country is on the right track, compared to 30 percent in the last IRI poll (Survey of Iraqi Public Opinion, March 23 - 31, 2006). Maliki's got better numbers than Bush! Security, infrastructure and economic development are the most pressing issues facing the country according to respondents. As the new government begins its work, 51 percent of Iraqis feel security should be the highest priority for the new government, 33 percent listed it as the second and third priority. Twenty-three percent responded that improving Iraq's infrastructure should be the highest priority, with 48 percent listing it second and third. Only seven percent of Iraqis listed economic development as the highest priority, however, 47 percent listed it as the second and third priority. More than 2,800 face-to-face interviews were conducted from June 14-24, 2006. Interviews were conducted in all of Iraq's 18 governorates. The margin of error is plus or minus three percent. The new poll is attached and can be found at www.iri.org. |
| Posted by:Nimble Spemble |
| #6 together they make each other stronger While I generally concur with you, 2b, the above represents a significant degree of overly-optimistic cultural projection upon your own part. However correct your conjecture usually is or should be, I do not feel it applies to the Arab model. Cynical though it may be, most Islamic cultures exhibit such a crippling degree of xenophobia that the typically valid (Western) concept of "strength through diversity" simply does not and cannot apply. As proof of this I submit how even a shared religion is insufficient to keep Sunnis and Shiites from each others' throats and, instead, is the direct cause of their III (Interminable Internecine Infighting™). It is why I consider such divisive behavior to be a critical hallmark of Muslim rapacity and maintain such extremely low expectations for any eventual rehabilitation of their culture. By this exact same reasoning I daily become increasingly convinced that the only permanent resolution of Islamist terrorism will require a nuclear Muslim Holocaust™. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-08-25 14:04 |
| #5 Zenster - I agree. But I think that they have a good shot of making it - though it is too soon to predict and it may just be wishful thinking on my part. Ironically - I think Iran and Turkey and the others will push the competing Iraqi factions into each others arms rather than split them apart. They really do need each other. And just like our own states with very different beliefs, needs and power structures - together they make each other stronger than if they stood alone and it is much harder for one group to rise to power and corrupt the whole system. |
| Posted by: 2b 2006-08-25 13:44 |
| #4 Seventy-eight percent strongly disagree or disagree with the idea of segregating Iraqis according to religious or ethnic sects. ... as this would put a severe crimp in any further expansion of their one growth industry, the manufacture of IEDs. That's the brilliance of our system. And it will work for the Iraqis too. 2b, while I have my doubts that democracy will ever take root in Iraq, it still remains the best alternative. Partitioning would most likely result in the absolute worst possible outcome, namely, three more theocratic autocracies in the Middle East. This must be avoided at all costs. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-08-25 12:34 |
| #3 I don't trust any poll coming out of Iraq. How do they do the poll? Do you trust that random Iraqis will feel comfortable honestly sharing their opinions with random guys who knock on the door, or some stranger who calls on the phone and asks what they think about the government? This information seems basically useless to me. |
| Posted by: WhitecollarRedneck 2006-08-25 12:25 |
| #2 I believe that sticking together is the best shot they've got. Because they are all Muslims, but they have different beliefs, they will be forced to produce a semi-secular government that allows for differing and competing beliefs. That really IS the basis of a republic. No one group gets absolute control but rather it is shared among competing desires. What makes our government work is competing power structures - executive, judicial and representative. Absolute power corrupts absolutely - but if you have the strongest of the strong, the best of the best, and the most ruthless of the most ruthless competing against each other for power within the same government - no one group can gain absolute control and they will keep each other "honest". That's the brilliance of our system. And it will work for the Iraqis too. I don't like our current crop of Dems - but the republicans aren't much better. Their fighting against each other is about the only thing that keeps those with power concerned with The People(TM). |
| Posted by: 2b 2006-08-25 12:21 |
| #1 That poll needs some breakdowns, ironically by the groupings that would exist if Iraqis *didn't* favor unity. For example, what do Kurds and Sunnis think about segregation in their areas? |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-08-25 12:04 |