Poll: Most Canadians support Iraq War

[Montgomery Burns]

Canada finally getting a clue? Reminiscing for the days when Canada did support liberty and didn't cozy up to totalitarian Iraq, Communist Cuba and Communist China?

Vancouver Sun

OTTAWA -- Canadians are more inclined than people in most other countries to back the continued presence of American-led troops in Iraq, according to a new global survey. And they're likelier to endorse the 2003 decision to overthrow Saddam Hussein as well.

By a 46% to 40% margin. (it's not a large margin but it is a start)

So do Americans, by a 60 to 32 margin.

So does Brazil, by a 65 to 29 margin.

So does Poland, by a 65 to 18 margin.

So does Great Britain, by a 49 to 40 margin.

So does Finland, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, India, Australia and Afghanistan.

And so does Iraq, by a 74 to 23 margin.

But but but...I thought the Iraqis hated the US for toppling Saddam.

Didn't the Iraqis watch Fahrenheit 9-11? Haven't the Iraqis been listening to the Western Left?

Don't they know about the Quagmire, the Civil War, the Theocracy, that Bush held a plastic turkey when he visited the troops at Thanksgiving, the Iraqis who attacked the fallen Saddam statue were zionist neocon CIA plants, it's costing too much to liberate Iraqi children, stealing the oil, and the wholesale slaughter of 100,000 innocent Iraqi civilians, minorities being used as fodder - the caucasion soldiers are merely dumb jocks - for Bush's illegal and immoral war, and whatever the hell is playing this week on the Liberal Meme CD.

[BubberMiley]

Of course they support continuing presence. Someone has to be cannon fodder in the civil war they started and it might as well be them.

It's the pottery barn rule, and they can't get all chickenshit now and run home when the chaos starts. They must stay until there isn't one left standing.

[politika]

Canada finally getting a clue? Reminiscing for the days when Canada did support liberty and didn't cozy up to totalitarian Iraq, Communist Cuba and Communist China?

Vancouver Sun

OTTAWA -- Canadians are more inclined than people in most other countries to back the continued presence of American-led troops in Iraq, according to a new global survey. And they're likelier to endorse the 2003 decision to overthrow Saddam Hussein as well.

By a 46% to 40% margin. (it's not a large margin but it is a start)

So do Americans, by a 60 to 32 margin.

So does Brazil, by a 65 to 29 margin.

So does Poland, by a 65 to 18 margin.

So does Great Britain, by a 49 to 40 margin.

So does Finland, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, India, Australia and Afghanistan.

And so does Iraq, by a 74 to 23 margin.

But but but...I thought the Iraqis hated the US for toppling Saddam.

Didn't the Iraqis watch Fahrenheit 9-11? Haven't the Iraqis been listening to the Western Left?

Don't they know about the Quagmire, the Civil War, the Theocracy, that Bush held a plastic turkey when he visited the troops at Thanksgiving, the Iraqis who attacked the fallen Saddam statue were zionist neocon CIA plants, it's costing too much to liberate Iraqi children, stealing the oil, and the wholesale slaughter of 100,000 innocent Iraqi civilians, minorities being used as fodder - the caucasion soldiers are merely dumb jocks - for Bush's illegal and immoral war, and whatever the hell is playing this week on the Liberal Meme CD.

Where do you get this info, canada doesn't want anything to do with Iraq. Come back and try again.

[politika]

Canada finally getting a clue? Reminiscing for the days when Canada did support liberty and didn't cozy up to totalitarian Iraq, Communist Cuba and Communist China?

Vancouver Sun

OTTAWA -- Canadians are more inclined than people in most other countries to back the continued presence of American-led troops in Iraq, according to a new global survey. And they're likelier to endorse the 2003 decision to overthrow Saddam Hussein as well.

By a 46% to 40% margin. (it's not a large margin but it is a start)

So do Americans, by a 60 to 32 margin.

So does Brazil, by a 65 to 29 margin.

So does Poland, by a 65 to 18 margin.

So does Great Britain, by a 49 to 40 margin.

So does Finland, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, India, Australia and Afghanistan.

And so does Iraq, by a 74 to 23 margin.

But but but...I thought the Iraqis hated the US for toppling Saddam.

Didn't the Iraqis watch Fahrenheit 9-11? Haven't the Iraqis been listening to the Western Left?

Don't they know about the Quagmire, the Civil War, the Theocracy, that Bush held a plastic turkey when he visited the troops at Thanksgiving, the Iraqis who attacked the fallen Saddam statue were zionist neocon CIA plants, it's costing too much to liberate Iraqi children, stealing the oil, and the wholesale slaughter of 100,000 innocent Iraqi civilians, minorities being used as fodder - the caucasion soldiers are merely dumb jocks - for Bush's illegal and immoral war, and whatever the hell is playing this week on the Liberal Meme CD.

Edited

[Montgomery Burns]

Canada finally getting a clue? Reminiscing for the days when Canada did support liberty and didn't cozy up to totalitarian Iraq, Communist Cuba and Communist China?

Vancouver Sun

OTTAWA -- Canadians are more inclined than people in most other countries to back the continued presence of American-led troops in Iraq, according to a new global survey. And they're likelier to endorse the 2003 decision to overthrow Saddam Hussein as well.

By a 46% to 40% margin. (it's not a large margin but it is a start)

So do Americans, by a 60 to 32 margin.

So does Brazil, by a 65 to 29 margin.

So does Poland, by a 65 to 18 margin.

So does Great Britain, by a 49 to 40 margin.

So does Finland, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, India, Australia and Afghanistan.

And so does Iraq, by a 74 to 23 margin.

But but but...I thought the Iraqis hated the US for toppling Saddam.

Didn't the Iraqis watch Fahrenheit 9-11? Haven't the Iraqis been listening to the Western Left?

Don't they know about the Quagmire, the Civil War, the Theocracy, that Bush held a plastic turkey when he visited the troops at Thanksgiving, the Iraqis who attacked the fallen Saddam statue were zionist neocon CIA plants, it's costing too much to liberate Iraqi children, stealing the oil, and the wholesale slaughter of 100,000 innocent Iraqi civilians, minorities being used as fodder - the caucasion soldiers are merely dumb jocks - for Bush's illegal and immoral war, and whatever the hell is playing this week on the Liberal Meme CD.

Where do you get this info, canada doesn't want anything to do with Iraq. Come back and try again.

I got it from the Vancouver Sun link I left in the OP. It is a BBC global survey. Don't blame me if more Canadians than not appear to support liberty.

Saddam being toppled hurts Chretien - and Martin - financially but thems the breaks.

[BubberMiley]

But a majority never supported the war to begin with. You slipped the stat in that more Canadians were inclined to support the war than people in other countries, but it was still a significant minority. A lot of people are like me--I think the war was illegal, immoral, and the worst thing the U.S. has ever done. But I support them staying there because it's their responsibility to do so. They started it; they can't cut and run now when the going is bad. It has nothing to do with supporting liberty, because the war has nothing to do with promoting liberty. It's more about them getting the lumps they deserve.

[geoffrey]

So the Iraqi's do want us there?

Interesting, I wonder if Gerry is chasing his tail yet?

[gerryhatrick]

So the Iraqi's do want us there?

Interesting, I wonder if Gerry is chasing his tail yet?

Actually, that's not the poll question.

Iraqis want the US out by a large majority.

Try to be honest with yourself and the rest of us Geoffrey. It's tiresome constantly correcting all your little twistings.

[geoffrey]

So the Iraqi's do want us there?

Interesting, I wonder if Gerry is chasing his tail yet?

Actually, that's not the poll question.

Iraqis want the US out by a large majority.

Try to be honest with yourself and the rest of us Geoffrey. It's tiresome constantly correcting all your little twistings.

74% of them want a continued American presence in Iraq? Pretty clear to me. I'm not a Sun subscriber, so I don't have access to the full article, so I'm just going by what Monty posted.

Unless he's saying those numbers are about the overthrow? Now I'm chasing my tail I'm so confused.

[Black Dog]

Of course, its worth noting that the poll results have nothing whatsoever to do with the thread title. There's no basis for the claim that Canadians supported the Iraq war in the first place (they don't); Canadians simply ascribe to the belief that withdrawl no would do more harm than good. Also: since Canada is not involved, canada has no stake in the result: I bet that the results would be different if Canadians were asked if they wanted Candian troops in Iraq.

Here's some other tidbits from the survey:

In 33 of 35 countries surveyed, the most common view is that the war in Iraq has increased the likelihood of terrorist attacks around the world. On average, 60 percent of the respondents have this perception, while just 12 percent think the Iraq war has decreased the likelihood of terrorist attacks; another 15 percent think it has had no effect .

Consistent with this uneasiness about the war in Iraq, more people than not in 20 of 35 countries think US-led forces should withdraw from Iraq in the next few months, while in nine countries, more people think US-led forces should remain until the situation is stabilized. Six countries are divided. On average, 50 percent favor an early withdrawal, while 35 percent favor remaining until the situation is stabilized.

While nearly all countries reject the idea that the Iraq war was an effective part of a larger war against terrorism, more countries than not also think it was a mistake to remove Saddam Hussein. There are 21 countries where more people view the 2003 removal of Saddam Hussein as a mistake, while in 11 countries more people view it as the right decision. Three countries are divided. On average, 45 percent view removing Saddam as a mistake, while 36 percent view it as the right decision.

Naturally one of the most interesting questions is how Iraqis feel about the presence of US-led forces. Iraqis are sharply divided, with 49 percent favoring an early withdrawal and 49 percent favoring US-led forces remaining until Iraq is stable. If the new Iraqi government asks the forces to stay, support for doing so rises only slightly, to 53 percent.

Looking back at the removal of Saddam in 2003, Iraqis are easily the most enthusiastic about it, with 74 percent saying it was the right decision. At the same time, 75 percent believe that it has increased the risk of terrorist attacks around the world.

Okay, what about the Islamic world: you know, the people who were suppossed to be benefitting from the tidal wave of democracy the Iraqi invasion was suppossed to kickstart?

Included in the poll were five of Iraq’s Islamic neighbors—Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Egypt and Afghanistan. Iraq’s immediate neighbors as well as Egypt all have clear majorities calling for withdrawal: 76 percent in Egypt; 64 percent in Saudi Arabia; 61 percent in Turkey and 58 percent in Iran (though over a third, 36 percent, prefer that the coalition remain). In Afghanistan, however, a clear majority wants to see the coalition remain (58% to 25%).

Views are quite mixed among Iraq’s neighbors about the significance of the new Iraqi government asking US-led forces to stay. In Iran, support for forces remaining jumps 38 points from 36 percent to 74 percent—a finding that highlights how important considerations of sovereignty are in Iranians’ thinking. Other countries in the region do not share this response. Even with an Iraqi government request, only 11 percent of Saudis think the coalition should stay (leave, 49%), 18 percent of Egyptians (leave, 63%), and only 28 percent of Turks (leave, 45%). In Afghanistan, though, the factor of an Iraqi government request means that support for the coalition staying goes up from 58 percent to 65 percent.

When asked how the intervention had affected the likelihood of terrorist attacks around the world, all neighboring countries lean to the view that it had increased it. This is especially true of Egypt (83%) and Iran (77%). Turks agree only a little less forcibly (64%). In Saudi Arabia, a 49 percent plurality also thinks so, but 40 percent preferred not to answer the question. Afghans have the most mixed views: 39 percent think the war increased the likelihood of attacks, 29 percent think it decreased the likelihood and 20 percent think it made no difference.

Iraq’s big 74 percent majority thinking that removing Saddam Hussein was the right decision has no parallel in neighboring countries. The most support for this position is in Afghanistan, where 40 percent agree—but this is actually a narrow plurality, because 35 percent of Afghans think it was a mistake. Among Saudis, a very slim plurality—36 percent to 32 percent—regard the coalition’s removal of Saddam as a mistake, with a large percentage not weighing in on the question. In Iran, this plurality is more robust (48% mistake to 33%). Turkey and Egypt are clearly opposed, with 55 and 54 percent, respectively, calling it a mistake and only 22 and 20 percent the right decision.

[gerryhatrick]

So the Iraqi's do want us there?

Interesting, I wonder if Gerry is chasing his tail yet?

Actually, that's not the poll question.

Iraqis want the US out by a large majority.

Try to be honest with yourself and the rest of us Geoffrey. It's tiresome constantly correcting all your little twistings.

74% of them want a continued American presence in Iraq? Pretty clear to me. I'm not a Sun subscriber, so I don't have access to the full article, so I'm just going by what Monty posted.

Unless he's saying those numbers are about the overthrow? Now I'm chasing my tail I'm so confused.

If you are genuinely interested in the facts then you could find an accessable link quite easily.

The 74% is the number that says removing Saddam was correct. It has nothing to do with keeping troops there.

You are aware that almost half of Iraqis say it's OK for insurgents to attack US troops, right?

[Montgomery Burns]

Of course, its worth noting that the poll results have nothing whatsoever to do with the thread title

.

Sorry. I had a MSM moment.