Wow---a right-wing think tank does a poll with a small sample in a country we're not ocupying, and guess what? Their findings support their pre-made conclusions as expressed in their mission statements!

I mean, really...What are the odds?

In a related story, a new scientific study funded by RJ Renoylds oroves that cigarettes are good for you...

A bigger problem with this study is that it's impossible to adjust for the positive impact of US response to the tsunami disaster. The change in opinion likely has less to do with Condi Rice and more to do with Abraham Lincoln.

I guess it would help if I read the whole thing first.

"The poll demonstrates that the reason for this positive change is the American response to the tsunami."

Incidentally Don, 1,200 people is NOT a small sample size by any means.

Yes and if you had checked into his blog and a couple of others in Iraq you would have know this was hapening a year ago. Even thought the MSM/DNC kept talking *QUAGMIRE* !They buried the good news from the war on terror for 29 months. Even after 1/30 they said it was going badly and the election was a "fraud" (Tim R. on MTP). Now that freedom seems to be breaking out in Africa and the ME they have stoped refering to 1/30 as a fraud and the war on terror as a quagmire.
The MSM hides everything that does not support their agenda.

"Terror Free Tomorrow"? Come on, Hawks...this is obviously a FAKE poll, manufactured by a Right Wing Think Tank to create their own reality.
It's bullshit.

Why excatly is this a fake poll? because u don't like the results?
I do not like a lot of things like the designated hitter in baseball but I dont call "it" bullshit because "it" is a fact whether I like it or not.
SO WHAT if the indonesians say they like us more after the tsumami's devastation? Why is this a bad thing? After all we have been doing for democracy maybe that was the "it" that swayed the public opinion over to the good that we are doing?

RE: Don Myers' post (March 7, 2005 01:31 PM)

Take this poll, like any, with a grain of salt. The tsunami certainly effected the outcome.

However, dig a bit deeper, or at least hypothesize a bit. Two of the most, if not the most, powerful motivators in life are money and fear, and sometimes they are in conflict.

One might argue that BinLaden distributed both in Indonesia (via al Qaeda) to obtain a following and had a relatively free ride while doing so. Now, the U.S. and allies have al Qaeda on the run and the fear may not be what it once was. They know the cavalry awaits - maybe not next door but certainly down the road. Fear may be present but likely not at previous levels. Next, a humanitarian project ensues and the locals find that al Qaeda cannot provide for them but the "evil" U.S. can. Can you say paradigm shift? It may be temporary but a shift nonetheless.

In essence what we may be observing is the love of money (or need) trumping a diminshing fear. That spells doom for religious fanaticism. It also spells hope for humanity, but I'd like to think that some Indonesians just like America and wouldn't necessarily need to be bribed for the friendship.

Just curious, Don. What does "occupy" mean to you? A full fledged army? An air force squadron? A Navy PT-boat? A guard dog? And does the occupation need to be by the uniformed to qualify? How about advisors and consultants? Or could the occupation be corporate or economic? I'm not being sarcastic... I'd really like to know.