Comments on: Iraqis Happier, More Optimistic

By: anjin-san

anjin-san — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:03:06 +0000

This place is starting to reflect leftist leanings a bit more and more yearly. Perhaps Anjin will join the writing staff.

I am curious as to how you define "leftist". After all, I have expressed open scorn for Reid and Pelosi, as well as great admiration for GOP leaders such as Chuck Hegel and Presidents Reagan and Eisenhower. I put in long hours working for a major corporation & pay lots of taxes. Does not sound all that leftist to me.

I realize that your political ideology as handed down by Party Leader Limbaugh instructs you that pretty much anyone who disagrees with you is some sort of commie, but I urge you to, you know, turn your brain back on.

By: yetanotherjohn

yetanotherjohn — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:51:36 +0000

In WWII the US was faced with two fanatical opponents who had their people firmly behind them, little history of democracy and had world views that were not conducive to them being part of a peaceful world community. After WWII, Japan and Germany were both rebuilt into strong, functioning democracies.

I would argue that one of the major factors in producing the change came about not by planning but by unintended consequences. The bombing of Germany and Japan and the horrendous losses at home and on the battlefield simply wore out the populace, so that when the war ended, they were ready for any path that would make the pain go away. If they did them, I suspect that you could find polls from the late 40's/early 50's that would mirror these.

By: Bithead

Bithead — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:49:56 +0000

Zels asks a reasonable question, James.

By: Zelsdorf Ragshaft III

Zelsdorf Ragshaft III — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:49:32 +0000

Thanks Wayne. I am beginning to think PhD stands for Probably has Democrat tendencies. This place is starting to reflect leftist leanings a bit more and more yearly. Perhaps Anjin will join the writing staff.

By: Zelsdorf Ragshaft III

Zelsdorf Ragshaft III — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:46:00 +0000

What you ask James if you were so employed? Stuff like "are you happy with foreign Christian invaders in your country?" Why don't you ask Americans who voted for ears Obama if they are still happy with their choice? Been to a tea party recently? Seems many have.

By: Wayne

Wayne — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:45:33 +0000

James, ZRIII is just pointing out what already should be widely known and that is Opinion polls depend a great deal on the questions ask and how they are ask. I might have missed it but I didn’t see a link anywhere on the raw data or actual questions ask. Polls are interesting to a point but I have learned to take them with a great deal of salt.

ZRIII can come back and say of course no one would hire him as a pollster, he doesn’t lean left enough.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:22:11 +0000

I would have asked things like "are you happier now that your women are not subject to rape by Saddam's thugs?" Or how about "are you relieved you will not be thrown from a wall for voicing political opinions adverse to the current administration?"

Which likely explains why no one is hiring you to conduct public opinion surveys.

By: Zelsdorf Ragshaft III

Zelsdorf Ragshaft III — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:11:15 +0000

So James, you think maybe the questions asked might be suspect in getting the results questioner looked for? I would have asked things like "are you happier now that your women are not subject to rape by Saddam's thugs?" Or how about "are you relieved you will not be thrown from a wall for voicing political opinions adverse to the current administration?" Of course they are upset with being invaded. National pride. They were not capable of throwing off the yoke Saddam had placed on them. Who would be proud to have to have an outside entity do that for them? That reporter who assaulted President Bush with throwing his shoes at him. Wonder what the results would have been had he done that to Saddam? Freedom is not free James, it always costs blood and treasure. Name another nation that spends theirs to help others?