Most Iraqis prefer life after Saddam

BAGHDAD - A year after United States and British troops invaded Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein, most Iraqis say life is better than it was under the former dictator, say results of an extensive poll released yesterday.

But many have little faith in occupying troops and the US-led administration - and nearly one in five say attacks on foreign soldiers in Iraq are justified.

Asked whether their lives were better now than this time last year, nearly six in 10 Iraqis said the situation was somewhat better or much better than it was, according to the survey of 2500 people conducted for a group of broadcasters by Oxford Research International.

Those responses are likely to come as a positive surprise for coalition forces and the US-led administration in Iraq as they continue to grapple with a determined guerrilla insurgency and widespread social problems a year after Saddam's fall.

Iraqis often complain about a lack of security, the scarcity of jobs and their fears for the future, but the survey suggests that despite this, most feel life has improved.

Asked how things were going in their lives these days, seven in 10 said the situation was very good or quite good, and only 15 per cent said things were very bad.

Looking ahead, 71 per cent said they expected conditions in their lives to be much better or somewhat better a year from now.

But there are grievances and inconsistencies in the way Iraqis feel 12 months after Saddam.

One of their chief complaints is about the effectiveness and continued presence of US and British forces in Iraq.

While half of those questioned believed the invasion was the right thing to do, compared with 39 per cent who said it was wrong, more than four in 10 said they had no confidence whatsoever in US and British occupation troops, and 51 per cent opposed the presence of coalition forces in Iraq.

That said, Iraqis generally appear to want occupation forces to stay at least until security is restored and an Iraqi government is in place, due to happen on July 1.

- REUTERS

Herald Feature: Iraq