Good Polling News From Iraq

[Annie]

http://powerlineblog.com/archives/2005_03.php#010020

Haider Ajina has translated poll results that appeared today in the Iraqi newspaper Almendhar. What makes this survey particularly interesting is that it was conducted in Najaf, which Haider describes as "the center of the Shiite branch of Islam and possibly the most religiously conservative city in Iraq if not in the northern middle east." The poll, conducted by the school of political science of Najaf University, includes the following results:

62% of those polled said they wanted Islam to a beginning sources of the constitution. 38% wanted Islam to be the only source for the Iraqi constitution. 49% support a federal government. 50% support allowing those who boycotted the election to have input in writing the constitution. 63% support the multi national forces staying in Iraq for the current time. 85% expect the new transitional government to succeed in its goals. 78% expect the new national assembly to successfully write a constitution by the dead line. 1% said they expect civil war to break out.
This is just one more item in a rapidly-expanding body of evidence that the overwhelming majority of Iraqis reject fanaticism and sectarian conflict.