The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
[Main archive index/search] [List information] [Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq Homepage]
Dear list members, The International Crisis Group, a political consultancy NGO, released a report entitled, "Voices from the Iraqi Street" last week. To write it, they interviewed "dozens of Iraqis" in south/centre Iraq, largely from Baghdad and Mosul. Thus, while they recognise that their sample is neither large, nor representative, they have assembled what I think is unique view on Iraqi public opinion. The interviewers were surprised at the willingness of Iraqis to talk to them. They collect some of their conclusions under six headings: 1. An overwhelming aspiration to normalcy: "Perhaps the most widespread wish expressed ... was that Iraq finally turn the page". 2. A reliance on the outside: many Iraqis believe that "returning to normalcy today requires yielding to a foreign power". 3. An expectant attitude towards a U.S.-led war: including "imaginary scenarios" whereby "mysterious bombs ... anaesthetise their soldiers without causing any human or material damage". 4. Anticipation of manageable internal conflict in post-Saddam Iraq: there is a belief that tribal structures and widespread complicity will limit retribution. 5. Hostility toward the opposition in exile: a distinction is often drawn between the "historical" and the "phoney" opposition parties. 6. A lack of interest in Iraq's future political make-up: the theoretical and grand discussions occuring outside Iraq are not echoed inside, where Iraqis are more concerned with improving their daily lives. The report can be read at http://www.crisisweb.org/projects/showreport.cfm?reportid=837 Colin Rowat work | Room 406, Department of Economics | The University of Birmingham | Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK | web.bham.ac.uk/c.rowat | (+44/0) 121 414 3754 | (+44/0) 121 414 7377 (fax) | c.rowat@bham.ac.uk personal | (+44/0) 7768 056 984 (mobile) | (+44/0) 7092 378 517 (fax) | (707) 221 3672 (US fax) | c.rowat@espero.org.uk _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk