Poll suggests most in Baghdad don't want troops to leave too quickly: "When Gallup set out recently to poll Baghdad residents, the biggest surprise may have been the public's reaction to the questioners: Almost everyone responded to the pollsters' questions, with some pleading for a chance to give their opinions.
'The interviews took more than an hour to do, people were extremely cooperative with open-ended questions,' said Richard Burkholder, director of international polling for Gallup. 'People went on and on.'
But many of those Iraqis still have sharply mixed feelings about the U.S. military presence.
The Gallup poll found that 71 percent of the capital city's residents felt U.S. troops should not leave in the next few months. Just 26 percent felt the troops should leave that soon.
However, a sizable minority felt that circumstances could occur in which attacks against the troops could be justified. Almost one in five, 19 percent, said attacks could be justified, and an additional 17 percent said they could be in some situations.
These mixed feelings in Baghdad come at a time when many in the United States are urging that the troops be brought home soon.
Almost six in 10 in the poll, 58 percent, said that U.S. troops in Baghdad have behaved fairly well or very well, with one in 10 saying 'very well.' Twenty 20 percent said the troops have behaved fairly badly and 9 percent said very badly.
Gallup, one of the nation's best-known polling operations, hired more than 40 questioners, mostly Iraqi citizens directed by survey managers who have helped with other Gallup polling in Arab countries. Respondents were told the poll was being done for media both in Iraq and outside their country, but no mention was made that the American polling firm was running it."
'The interviews took more than an hour to do, people were extremely cooperative with open-ended questions,' said Richard Burkholder, director of international polling for Gallup. 'People went on and on.'
But many of those Iraqis still have sharply mixed feelings about the U.S. military presence.
The Gallup poll found that 71 percent of the capital city's residents felt U.S. troops should not leave in the next few months. Just 26 percent felt the troops should leave that soon.
However, a sizable minority felt that circumstances could occur in which attacks against the troops could be justified. Almost one in five, 19 percent, said attacks could be justified, and an additional 17 percent said they could be in some situations.
These mixed feelings in Baghdad come at a time when many in the United States are urging that the troops be brought home soon.
Almost six in 10 in the poll, 58 percent, said that U.S. troops in Baghdad have behaved fairly well or very well, with one in 10 saying 'very well.' Twenty 20 percent said the troops have behaved fairly badly and 9 percent said very badly.
Gallup, one of the nation's best-known polling operations, hired more than 40 questioners, mostly Iraqi citizens directed by survey managers who have helped with other Gallup polling in Arab countries. Respondents were told the poll was being done for media both in Iraq and outside their country, but no mention was made that the American polling firm was running it."
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