Originally Posted By Darkbeer <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/PollVault/story?id=1389228" target="_blank">http://abcnews.go.com/Internat ional/PollVault/story?id=1389228</a> >>Surprising levels of optimism prevail in Iraq with living conditions improved, security more a national worry than a local one, and expectations for the future high. But views of the country's situation overall are far less positive, and there are vast differences in views among Iraqi groups — a study in contrasts between increasingly disaffected Sunni areas and vastly more positive Shiite and Kurdish provinces. An ABC News poll in Iraq, conducted with Time magazine and other media partners, includes some remarkable results: Despite the daily violence there, most living conditions are rated positively, seven in 10 Iraqis say their own lives are going well, and nearly two-thirds expect things to improve in the year ahead. Surprisingly, given the insurgents' attacks on Iraqi civilians, more than six in 10 Iraqis feel very safe in their own neighborhoods, up sharply from just 40 percent in a poll in June 2004. And 61 percent say local security is good — up from 49 percent in the first ABC News poll in Iraq in February 2004. 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.<<
Originally Posted By cmpaley We would, but you see, there's this little problem of our oil under their sand.
Originally Posted By Beaumandy Good news in Iraq means no media coverage and a very short LP thread. Some of have known Iraq has been going very well for some time now. Others know it also but can't bear to have Bush have a victory so they say Iraq was and is quagmire. to democrats and liberals, politics and hating Bush come before the military winning and national security. There is simply no way to deny this at this point. Nothing new here.
Originally Posted By Beaumandy Obviously, these numbers are skewed, If you really look at them from the left, you can see that -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DoD Announces Recruiting and Retention Numbers for November The Department of Defense announced today its recruiting and retention statistics for the active and reserve components for the month of November. Active duty recruiting. All services exceeded their recruiting goals in November. <a href="http://www.dod.mil/releases/2005/nr20051212-5225.html" target="_blank">http://www.dod.mil/releases/20 05/nr20051212-5225.html</a>
