Wash. Post report on "views from Iraq" failed to note poll indicating widespread dissatisfaction

Washington Post staff writer Joshua Partlow's September 12 article on the "views from Iraq," headlined "Perceptions of Progress Since Buildup Vary Widely," included quotes from only six Iraqis -- two senior Iraqi National government officials, one restaurant owner, one shop owner, a Sunni lawmaker, and a spokesperson for cleric Moqtada al-Sadr -- and failed to mention the findings of a recent BBC/ABC News/NHK survey of more than 2,212 Iraqis that indicates 78 percent believe things are going badly or very badly in the country, up 12 percent since February.

The Post carried an article on the poll September 10, reporting that "the poll reveal[ed] a basic disconnect between U.S. commanders' view of a steadily improving situation in Iraq and a bleaker outlook among Iraqis." The August BBC/ABC News/NHK survey is the fourth such poll, with previous ones conducted in February 2004, November 2005, and February 2007, tracking changes in Iraqi public opinion over time, including changes since President Bush initiated the so-called "surge" in U.S. troops. The Post's September 10 article noted: "In November 2005, shortly before Iraq's historic open elections, 69 percent of residents said they believed life would be better in a year. But in the poll this March, only 40 percent had a positive outlook; now, less than a quarter of Iraqis, 23 percent, expect the country to be better off a year from now."

While Partlow's article reported that "Iraqi citizens and politicians offered their own widely varying assessments of how the troop buildup has progressed, how the government is functioning, and the prospects of withdrawal for U.S. forces," it did not mention the BBC/ABC News/NHK poll, which indicates generally negative opinions in each of those three categories. In fact, the BBC reported that the "poll suggests that the overall mood in Iraq is as negative as it has been since the US-led invasion in 2003, says BBC world affairs correspondent Nick Childs."

From the BBC/ABC News/NHK poll, on how "the troop buildup has progressed":

• 61 percent believe that in the past six months "the security situation in Iraq" has "become worse"; 28 percent said it has "stayed about the same."
• 72 percent believe that the "presence of U.S. forces in Iraq is making security" worse.
• 70 percent believe the "increase of U.S. forces" has made security worse "in the areas where these forces have been sent."
• 68 percent believe the "increase of U.S. forces" has made security worse "in other areas of Iraq."
• 70 percent believe the "increase of U.S. forces" has made "[c]onditions for political dialogue in Iraq" worse.
• 85 percent do "not [have] very much confidence" or "none at all" in "US and UK occupation forces."
• 87 percent believe the "increase of U.S. forces" has made the "ability of the Iraq government to carry out its work" worse or had no effect.

On how "the [Iraqi national] government is functioning":

• 61 percent do "not [have] very much confidence" or "none at all" in the national government of Iraq.
• 65 percent believe the national government of Iraq has done quite a bad job or very bad job of "carry[ing] out its responsibilities."

On the "prospects of withdrawal for U.S. forces":

• 79 percent somewhat oppose or strongly oppose "the presence of Coalition forces in Iraq."
• 65 percent believe that if the "United States withdraws from Iraq before civil order is fully restored" that it would make "a full-scale civil war" less likely or have no effect.

From the September 12 Washington Post article:

The day after Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker delivered a report on the war to Congress, Iraqi citizens and politicians offered their own widely varying assessments of how the troop buildup has progressed, how the government is functioning and the prospects for a withdrawal of U.S. forces. If there was any pattern to the responses, it was a street-level disregard for the optimism of officials in Washington and Baghdad.