Iraq poll September 2007: In graphics

The latest of four opinion polls commissioned by the BBC and ABC has provided a revealing insight into the everyday lives, hopes and fears of people living in Iraq.

EFFECT OF THE 'SURGE'

"The United States has increased the number of its forces in Baghdad and surrounding provinces in the past six months. Please tell me if you think this increase of forces has made it better, worse, or had no effect?"

The results of the poll reflect a great degree of dissatisfaction with the US "surge", with a vast majority of respondents considering the move to have made the situation in the country worse rather than better.

WHO'S TO BLAME?

"Who do you blame most for the violence that is occurring in the country?"

The latest poll data reflects a slight increase in the number of respondents who consider al-Qaeda and foreign jihadis responsible for fomenting violence.

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There was a significant reduction from February to August 2007 in the numbers who believe that the US and coalition forces are mainly to blame.

Poll analysts suggest this trend could be partially explained by a perceived backlash against the 'foreign' presence of al-Qaeda and other jihadi elements in parts of the country where tribal allegiances are strong, such as Anbar province.

TROOP WITHDRAWAL

"How long do you think US and other Coalition forces should remain in Iraq?"

The autumn 2007 poll reflects growing disillusionment with the occupying forces' presence in Iraq. There is a growing consensus among respondents that coalition troops should leave the country immediately.

Some 47% of respondents now back an immediate withdrawal, compared with 35% in February.

The poll also shows dwindling support for troops remaining in the country, even in support of the Iraqi government and security forces. Only 10% of those surveyed favour coalition forces remaining for that purpose.

IS VIOLENCE JUSTIFIED?

"Thinking about the political action of other people, do you find each of these items to be acceptable or not acceptable?"

Attacks on coalition forces

	All	Sunni Arab	Shia Arab	Kurds
Acceptable	57%	93%	50%	5%
Not acceptable	43%	7%	50%	94%
BBC/ABC News

One of starkest statistics from the poll is the overwhelming support for attacks on coalition forces among Iraq's minority Sunni population; 93% of those surveyed said they considered it acceptable.

Attacks on Iraqi forces

	All	Sunni Arab	Shia Arab	Kurds
Acceptable	7%	18%	2%	2%
Not acceptable	93%	82%	98%	97%
BBC/ABC News

By the same majority - 93% - respondents reject violence against Iraqi forces.

GOVERNMENT AND LEADERSHIP

"Thinking of the current national government of Iraq, how do you feel about the way in which it has carried out its responsibilities?"

Iraqis polled in the latest survey are increasingly disillusioned with the government, figures suggest. More than a quarter of those polled in 2005 said that they thought the government was doing a "very good job", whereas by August 2007, this figure has fallen to just over 5%.

"Do you approve or disapprove of the way Nouri Kamel al-Maliki is handling his job as prime minister?"

Shia politician Nouri al-Maliki became prime minister of Iraq in April 2006, and before returning following the fall of Saddam Hussein spoke in favour of a pluralist country whose various ethnic and sectarian groups regarded each other as equals.

The latest polls however reflect dwindling support for him; some 66% of those polled registered their disapproval of the way he is handling his job.

THE FUTURE OF IRAQ

"Which of the following structures do you believe Iraq should have in the future?"

Opinions on the future of the country vary widely by ethnic grouping. Sunni Arabs remain strongly in favour of a single unified nation, while Kurds in northern Iraq overwhelmingly support a break-up of the country into indepedent nations - a move which would see the emergence of a separate Kurdistan.

REGIONAL DIVIDE

Iraq was divided into regions for the poll:

North: made up of the districts of Dahuk, Irbil, Nineveh, Sulaimaniya, Tamim.

Central: Baghdad, Anbar, Babil, Diyala, Salahuddin.

South: Basra, Karbala, Misan, Najaf, Muthanna, Qadisiya, Dhiqar, Wasit.

The results show that people in the northern and southern districts are generally happier with the conditions in which they live than those in the central regions and Baghdad.

HOW DO YOU RATE CONDITIONS WHERE YOU LIVE?

	All	North	Central (inc B'dad)	South	Shia	Sunni
Security situation	%	%	%	%	%	%
Very good	15	33	4	16	16	27
Quite good	28	31	14	46	46	25
Quite bad	24	14	31	23	23	25
Very bad	32	22	51	15	15	42
Availability of jobs	%	%	%	%	%	%
Very good	4	12	0	1	1	5
Quite good	7	20	15	18	18	5
Quite bad	37	28	41	37	37	36
Very bad	43	39	43	44	44	55
Electricity supply	%	%	%	%	%	%
Very good	2	5	0	2	2	0
Quite good	6	9	2	8	8	4
Quite bad	35	29	41	31	31	39
Very bad	58	56	57	59	59	57
Clean water supply	%	%	%	%	%	%
Very good	9	24	1	8	8	10
Quite good	16	26	5	24	24	10
Quite bad	35	28	40	34	34	38
Very bad	40	22	55	35	35	43
Local government	%	%	%	%	%	%
Very good	11	23	3	12	12	7
Quite good	28	37	17	36	36	18
Quite bad	32	28	37	28	28	33
Very bad	28	12	43	24	24	43
Freedom to live where choose	%	%	%	%	%	%
Very good	8	16	0	11	11	1
Quite good	15	23	3	26	26	4
Quite bad	32	25	40	26	26	31
Very bad	45	36	57	36	36	64
BBC/ABC poll

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Methodology:

The poll was conducted by D3 Systems and KA Research Ltd for the BBC, ABC News, and NHK of Japan. Some 2,112 Iraqis were questioned in more than 450 neighbourhoods across all the 18 provinces of Iraq between August 17 and August 24, 2007. The margin of error is + or - 2.5%.