Positive numbers

According to this ABC/Time Magazine poll, 70 percent of the Iraqis say that things in their life are going well and the majority of Iraqis feel safe in their own neighborhoods despite continued violence. However, half of Iraqis now say it was wrong for U.S.-led forces to invade in spring 2003, up from 39 percent in 2004.

But, according to the poll, “the average household incomes have soared by 60 percent in the last 20 months (to $263 a month), 70 percent of Iraqis rate their own economic situation positively, and consumer goods are sweeping the country. In early 2004, 6 percent of Iraqi households had cell phones; now it's 62 percent. Ownership of satellite dishes has nearly tripled, and many more families now own air conditioners (58 percent, up from 44 percent), cars, washing machines and kitchen appliances.”

The poll also states that the people have more faith in their own security forces, at the local and national levels.

My take on this poll is very positive. While I do frown upon the number of Iraqis against U.S. forces, most of the statistics point toward a growing economy and stronger security forces with more people aggravated with insurgents, saying they’re the reason for security problems, not the U.S. Of course, the numbers were dramatically different between Kurds, Sunnis and Shiite.