Re: Milan Rai on UN occupation of Iraq

[Yoshie Furuhashi <furuhashi.1@xxxxxxx>]

> Yoshie Furuhashi wrote:
>
> > Are the current occupiers in Iraq the first belligerent occupier in
> > history to poll the occupied in the hope of having the world accept
> > the polling results as a justification for the occupation?
>
> Did you actually read the results of the Gallup Poll? The opinions
> were very mixed - gratitude for being free of Saddam combined with
> deep suspicions of U.S. motives, significant support (though a
> minority) for attacks on U.S. forces, anxiety over any withdrawal of
> troops combined with very negative views of Bush and Blair, a desire
> for some kind of democratic self-rule, an eagerness to return to
> more "traditional" gender roles, etc.
>
> Doug

Sure, but if I were an Iraqi in Iraq right now, I would not reveal
what I really think to any Iraqi surveyor working for an American
firm or even an Iraqi firm -- I would say what I think would be safe
to say, rather than blurt out something that may bring extra
surveillance (and possibly even danger of arrest and interrogation)
to me, my family, and my friends.

It's absurd to think that the occupied can freely say what they
believe if they suspect that they have a good chance of talking to an
informer.
--
Yoshie

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