The Iraqi Street : Attacking US Troops Okay

On the heels of the leaked National Intelligence Estimate that said, in part, "the Iraq conflict has become the 'cause célèbre' for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of U.S. involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement," a new poll of Iraqis done for the University of Maryland's Program on International Policy Attitudes gives another indication of just how much the Bush administration's policies there have achieved.

Among the findings:

• More than 60% of Iraqis approve of attacks on US forces. This suggests that contrary to Bush administration (and Howie's) propaganda, our intervention is not being opposed by "a small group of evildoers who hate freedom."
• Nearly 40% say US military forces in Iraq provoke more violence than they prevent.
• 94% of Iraqis have an unfavorable view of al Qa'ida -- 82% very unfavorable. This would suggest that Iraq is not, contrary to Bush administration (and Howie's) propaganda, "the central front of the war on terror."
• 93% have an unfavorable view of Osama bin Laden -- 77% very unfavorable.
• 71% of Iraqis want the US to withdraw within a year -- or less.
• 53% said a US withdrawal would strengthen the Iraqi government, while only 24% believed it would weaken it.
• 77% of Iraqis believe the US plans to maintain permanent military bases in Iraq, and 78% believe that if the Iraqi government demanded a US withdrawal the US would refuse. The message here is clear: Iraqis don't trust the US government.