Page 124 - Mass Media, Mass Propoganda Examining American News in the War on Terror

114 Chapter 5

90 percent of Iraqis saw coalition forces as "occupiers," as opposed to
two percent who saw them as "liberators."
86 percent thought that the U.S. should have either left Iraq "immedi-
ately" (as of May 2004) or right after the January 2005 elections.
When asked what contributed most to their sense of security, 71 per-
cent of respondents said it was either their fiends, neighbors, or family, as
opposed to 1 percent who said it was coalition forces.
49 percent of Iraqis felt either "Not Very Safe" or "Not Safe At All" in
U.S. occupied Iraq.
62 percent of those surveyed thought it was "very likely" that the Iraqi
police and army could maintain security without the help of coalition
forces.
At a time of increasing attacks by A1 Sadr's Mahdi Army against coali-
tion forces, 81 percent of Iraqis reported having a "better" or "much better"
opinion of Moqtada al Sadr than they previously had.
Contrasting a1 Sadr to the U.S. favored interim Prime Minister Ayad
Allawi, 67 percent of Iraqis somewhat or strongly supported a1 Sadr, as op-
posed to 61 percent who either somewhat or strongly opposed U.S. imposed
Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's leadership.
64 percent of Iraqis felt that the anti-occupation attacks of Moqtada al
Sadr and his followers made Iraq "more unified" than the country had pre-
viously been.
Contrary to the portrayal of Iraq's resistance groups as comprised of
many foreign fighters, 61 percent of respondents either somewhat or
strongly disagreed that violent attacks throughout the country were "an ef-
fort of outside groups to create instability" in Iraq.
In contradiction to the media's theory that most resistance fighters are
loyal to Saddam Hussein, only 25 percent of respondents either somewhat
or strongly agreed that violent attacks in the country "are an effort to rein-
state the old regime," while only 32 percent of respondents either somewhat
or strongly believed that those who attack coalition forces "are angry be-
cause they lost the privileges they had under Saddam Hussein."
To the contrary, 79 percent believed that violent attacks "have in-
creased because of a loss of faith in coalition forces."
Finally, reinforcing the strength of Iraqi nationalism as anti-occupation
in nature, 68 percent of respondents either somewhat or strongly believed
that Iraqi "national dignity requires the attacks" on coalition forces.70

As the above evidence suggests, corporate media coverage of the war has
been largely one-sided in reaffirming the American occupation, and ignoring
Iraqi public opinion, which is more skeptical of the occupation and the stereo-
types employed against resistance groups. Sustained attacks on Iraqi resistance
groups are intended more to placate domestic elites in the U.S. than anything
else, as the Iraqi public clearly does not share the American media's assessment
that "insurgents" constitute the primary threat to Iraqi safety.