Piercing the Blackout on Good News (Nice opinion poll from Iraq)

Piercing the Blackout on Good News

During the last two weeks of the Presidential campaign, we expected a virtual blackout on good news of all kinds, as the mainstream media try to drag John Kerry across the finish line. And we haven't been surprised, as the press has been hysterical over one bogus story after another.

So let's take a moment to shine a little light into the darkness. Haider Ajina sends us the results of a poll taken in Baghdad, Mosul and Dehok and published in Iraq on October 25. The poll probably over-sampled Sunnis, which makes its results even more striking. Haider writes:

63% of Iraqis say that the withdrawal of American and allied forces will not be in the best interest of Iraq, it will undermine the work towards security and control of the country. 27% say that it would be in the best interest of Iraq. 9% had no opinion.
58% say that terrorists do the kidnappings and assassination of police and soldiers. 9% say that patriots fighting for Iraq carry them out. 32% say ignorant Iraqis who have been brain washed & misled carry them out.
89% said that the terrorism, kidnapping, beheadings and assassination of police and security forces do not help the freeing of Iraq and the building of a stable country. 6% said that it would help free Iraq and build stability. 4% had no opinion.

Michael Moore, the intellectual leader of the Democratic Party, may believe that the terrorists are patriots and freedom fighters, but the Iraqi people clearly do not agree.

Haider also tells us that positive developments in Egypt, the most populous Arab country, are not being reported in America. The liberation of Iraq has had a profound effect on Egyptians, who are starting to campaign for freedom and democracy. By way of example, Haider sends us this translation of pat of a front-page article in the Egyptian newspaper, “Al Wafed," on October 27, titled: "The people of Egypt are screaming at the top of their lungs for a free government":

Soon after, the Egyptian government announced a realignment of the cabinet. The dream of a democratic Egypt returned to the masses. The cabinet of Dr. Adif Aubeid has introduced nothing new. The people lost hope in any progressive improvements in government. Nothing was left except to pray to god to rid them of this government. The people have suffered higher taxes, unemployment, and inflation. People are feeling like sheep, not citizens. Egyptians have rights, which need to be respected, have needs that need to be considered and have expectation of a more representative government.
"We have had enough of the old faces; we want a government: young, strong, and free, which represents the hopes of the people of Egypt, before the people explode in a volcano of anger."

There are many positive developments in Iraq, the Middle East and throughout the Arab world. Maybe we'll start hearing about them after the election.