September 27, 2006
The Washington Post

Poll: Most Iraqis Favor Immediate U.S. Pullout

Leaders' views out of step with public

by Amit R. Paley

A strong majority of Iraqis want U.S.-led military forces to immediately withdraw from the country, saying their swift departure would make Iraq more secure and decrease sectarian violence, according to new polls by the State Department and independent researchers.

In Baghdad, for example, nearly three-quarters of residents polled said they would feel safer if U.S. and other foreign forces left Iraq, with 65 percent of those asked favoring an immediate pullout, according to State Department polling results obtained by The Washington Post.

Another new poll, scheduled to be released on Wednesday by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland, found that 71 percent of Iraqis questioned want the Iraqi government to ask foreign forces to depart within a year. By large margins, though, Iraqis believed that the U.S. government would refuse the request, with 77 percent of those polled saying the United States intends keep permanent military bases in the country.

The stark assessments, among the most negative attitudes toward U.S.-led forces since they invaded Iraq in 2003, contrast sharply with views expressed by the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Last week at the United Nations, President Jalal Talabani said coalition troops should remain in the country until Iraqi security forces are "capable of putting an end to terrorism and maintaining stability and security." . . .

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Marshall Thompson, "Let's Talk About Troop Withdrawal," Chokehold in Iraq, March 17, 2006

"Puppet Government Takes Charge in Iraq," The Wisdom Fund, May 21, 2006

William E. Odom, "Why America must get out of Iraq now," Foreign Policy, May/June 2006

Erik Leaver and Raed Jarrar, "Iraq's Sectarian Bloodshed 'Made in the USA'," Asia Times, August 10, 2006

"Bush's church urges pull-out of US troops from Iraq," Ekklesia, September 24, 2006

Mark Mazzetti, "Spy Agencies Say Iraq War Worsens Terrorism Threat," New York Times, September 24, 2006

[Six in 10 Iraqis approve of attacks on U.S.-led forces, up from fewer than half in an earlier PIPA poll in January.

Nearly eight in 10 say the U.S. presence in Iraq is provoking more conflict than it's preventing (as opposed to being "a stabilizing force.")--"New Poll Says Majority of Iraqis Approve of Attacks on U.S. Forces," ABC News, September 27, 2006]

[Woodward's book says that insurgent attacks in Iraq are now running at a rate of about four an hour and that officials believe the situation will get worse next year.--"White House in crisis over 'Iraq lies' claims," Observer, October 1, 2006]