Received from Cpl. Seamus at http://www.gunghosauce.com, via his email forwarding service, All Hands:

Iraqis Thank America

This is a Haider Ajina two-fer. He also sent us these poll results that appeared today in 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.