In Iraq: A Very Bogus Poll & Babies Named "George Bush"

The Telegraph from Great Britain printed results from an anonymous poll supposedly taken in Iraq. The results are far from anything that has previously been reported from Iraqi opinion polls. The anonymous poll goes so far as to say the Iraqi people wish the US and British forces would be blown up by terrorists. Clearly, there is something very disturbing about this anonymous poll and the fact that it was put in print at the Telegraph.

For one thing, if the Iraqis hate the US so much, why then are there so many Iraqi babies running around named George Bush? Not to mention the little girl who was named “Intikhabat”, which is Arabic for “elections”!

The British News.Telegraph published a very negative “Anonymous” Iraqi Poll on Sunday. Here are the results from the anonymous poll:

The survey was conducted by an Iraqi university research team that, for security reasons, was not told the data it compiled would be used by coalition forces. It reveals:

– Forty-five per cent of Iraqis believe attacks against British and American troops are justified – rising to 65 per cent in the British-controlled Maysan province;

– 82 per cent are “strongly opposed” to the presence of coalition troops;

– less than one per cent of the population believes coalition forces are responsible for any improvement in security;

– 67 per cent of Iraqis feel less secure because of the occupation;

– 43 per cent of Iraqis believe conditions for peace and stability have worsened;

– 72 per cent do not have confidence in the multi-national forces.

The opinion poll, carried out in August, also debunks claims by both the US and British governments that the general well-being of the average Iraqi is improving in post-Saddam Iraq.

The findings differ markedly from a survey carried out by the BBC in March 2004 in which the overwhelming consensus among the 2,500 Iraqis questioned was that life was good. More of those questioned supported the war than opposed it.

This anonymous poll contradicts everything that we have seen up to this point. It is like something you would read on some way far left site but here it is front and center in the Telegragh. It also comes after a very successful and historical week in Iraq.

You have to look at previous polls or critiques to put the results in perspective, since debunking it would require reviewing the evidence, statistics, methodology of this poll. None of which is available. (Thank you, DJPR)

Haider Ajina wrote Powerline on April 18th:

From the Iraqi newspaper Almidhar. The results are based on a survey of 778 Baghdad residents:

Do you support the pull out of foreign troops?
At once = 12.56%
According to a future timetable= 81.80%
Do not know = 5.64%

Has the security situation improved since the start of the new government?

Yes = 55%
No = 35%
No change = 10%

Those results are pretty much self-explanatory. Haider adds these comments:

Most of us read, heard and saw the media’s report of the April 9th demonstrations in Baghdad. Most of the U.S. media portrayed it as a massive anti American demonstration in the streets of Iraq. I noticed, however, from Iraqi Arabic newspapers that most the demonstrations were against terrorism & calling for Saddam’s trial & hanging (all these signs were in Arabic).

I called my father in Baghdad to confirm this and he confirmed it. My father then confirmed that Al-Sadr had asked his followers to demonstrate for the withdrawal of foreign troops, he also said that this group was very small and almost insignificant compared to the rest who were calling for Saddam’s trial & hanging and those against terrorism. My father said the Iraqi media reported the number like this about 200000 demonstrators of which 8000-10000 were Al-Sadr & Sunni supporters (strange bed fellows). He also said that when he listened to the Iraqi elected officials (on live T.V.) in the assembly, that every one (including those Sunnis initially opposed to the elections), every man and woman assembly member, reiterated the importance of foreign and specifically U.S. troops staying in Iraq till Iraq is ready to take over its own security.

Most of them expressed their thanks for the troops being there and freeing Iraqis from Saddam. This I did not read, hear or see in any U.S. mainstream media outlet. These are the people Iraq elected, asking us to stay and thanking us. The poll shows only 12% want us to leave at once. This makes a complete mockery of the mainstream media coverage of the demonstrations.

More telling is this poll from March 6, 2005 that Haider sent to Powerline translated from the Al-Sabah Al-Jadeed newspaper:

Do you support the severe measures the Iraqi Government is taking against terrorist acts in Iraq?
93.56% = Yes
6.44% = No

So back in March, Iraqis did not support terrorist attacks, but now after the country’s second free democratic election they are suddenly in support of suicide bombers?

In April of this year the Iraqi Government estimated the number of civilians killed by terrorist attacks and criminal gangs was at around 6,000 Deaths! Now, months later and after hundreds of more deaths, the Iraqis are suddenly OK with suicide bombers?

It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to know that the “insurgents” are killing many more civilians than Americans or Brits from these explosions- Approximately, 6,000 to 1,564 back in April.

Something is very fishy here!

Capitalist Pig had this to add:

This is what Michael Yon had to say about attitudes toward Americans FROM AN IRAQ polling site:

“The courage of the Iraqi people that January day planted a seed of confidence. These were not timid or cowering souls. There I was: an American alone in a dangerous Iraqi city, at the very polling site that soldiers were wagering would be bombed. One after another, Iraqis came and shook my hand, showing me their children, laughing, smiling, saying over and over, Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I felt like an honored guest, and I felt a twinge of shame that I’d been less confident in the Iraqis than they were in themselves. The voice of the Iraqi people had risen above the clamor of insurgent violence.”

Repeat: You have to consider the source! I trust Michael Yon based on past performance. For the same reason I DO NOT trust the Sunday Telegraph.

Omar from Iraq the Model wrote back with his first thoughts on the poll:

“I’m grateful you sent me a link to this poll of which my first impression is that it never took place at all.

I will probably post my comment in a short blog post tonight.”

And, Haider Ajinas, an Iraqi expert, wrote back tonight about this disturbing
anonymous poll and has a completely different take on the situation:

I have not seen any thing like this in any of the Arab papers even those anti western . They would lap it up. I will keep my eye open.

A good friend of mine’s son just returned from Iraq were he served as a civilian. He was astonished by how Iraqis loved us and how many new born boys and 1 & two year old were called George Bush. Needless to say, this is not a typical Iraqi Name.

I will shortly translate an Interview conducted with an elderly lady in Iraq who wished god bless George Bush who brought Job’s, Food, clothing and hope to her family and a number of orphans she is raising. Mind you she did not say God bless Talabani or Jaafary…..

And, Haider sends this article proving there is more gratitude in Iraq than we see in our press here:

While Alfehaa TV was conducting interviews with Iraqis during (constitutional voting day). They came across an Iraqi lady looks to be 70 years old from the south of Iraq, based of her dialect and verbal expressions and dress.

The interviewer asked her: “Aunty (Iraqi way of addressing a senior lady in a warm and friendly manner) what do you think of today (October 15th constitutional vote day)?

The lady said: “Mother dearest (Iraqi way of a senior lady addressing a young person very kind and worm greeting) God willing it will be a day of happiness, prosperity and the beginning of security and stability”.

The interviewer then said: “What ells do you wish to tell Iraq”?

At this moment the elderly lady kept quiet and smiled.

The interviewer asked her: ”Why do you smile?”

The elderly lady said: ”I am afraid to say lest you laugh at me”.

The interviewer then said: “Aunty he who laughs at you is not living.” (A typical Iraqi expression meaning no one will laugh at you).

Then the lady answered with an air of Iraqi pride: “I say God keep Bush” (a typical Iraq way of saying God bless, keep safe and give prosperity to some one).

The interviewer said: “Why Bush in particular”?

The lady said with pride: “Mother dear Since Bush came we have been eating, dressing, Saddam gave me only 13,000 Dinnars every 3 months ($4) and I am raising a number of orphans and did not know what to do with them. Today my son is working, while I do not see him for three weeks at a time, now we have money so we can eat buy clothes and shop”.

Update: (Monday, 3:45, PM) Omar at Iraq the Model shares his thoughts on the mysterious poll. His analysis is excellent as always. His final thought:

I will personally ignore the results as a whole as I think it cannot add anything of value to a view of the situation here in Iraq, which is a shame, as it might have done so, had they framed the questions in a more scientific manner. I tend to recommend that you not take it seriously as well for these reasons.

I want to agree with Omar, but am afraid it is too late. The MSM is already running with the anonymous poll story. How sad!

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Jim Hoft is the founder and editor of The Gateway Pundit, one of the top conservative news outlets in America. Jim was awarded the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award in 2013 and is the proud recipient of the Breitbart Award for Excellence in Online Journalism from the Americans for Prosperity Foundation in May 2016. In 2023, The Gateway Pundit received the Most Trusted Print Media Award at the American Liberty Awards.

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Thanks for sharing!