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terpfan1980

Join Date 08/2004

+13

So, some have claimed we are losing the wars...

Remember those Bush bashers saying his policies are hurting us around the world?

Things have actually quieted down a bit lately in this regard. I guess there's too much spotlight on Cindy Sheehan's spouting of the MoveOn.org talking points to give time to trying to keep old arguments alive. Those old arguments that Bush policies in the war on terror, and especially the war in Iraq have been hurting us around the world were brought up weeks ago, but as bloggers from the conservative side started to dispel the rumors and misinformation, the small fire from the MoveOn types was basically doused. As usual, they Moved-on to something different, hoping that some new distraction would take hold and help derail anything that Pres. Bush or the Republicans in Congress might hope to accomplish.

Unfortunately for those folks though, there are those like myself, and others, that remember the false claims and charges that were tossed around, and some (again like me) are more than happy to help blog the good news, and actual facts of what is going on. Much like Shadowar and some other bloggers, we help to make sure all sides are seen, and the facts come to the surface.

Thankfully for those that want to know what is going on, there are also commentators and reporters like Michael Barone who wrote the column that is clipped below. What he has written is probably the best run down on some of the old charges and what the real truth is behind those charges. Just call Mr. Barone "fact check.org junior".

Headline is linked. Please visit the original source for the complete column.

Of Minds and Metrics

Metrics are hard to come by in the war on terrorism. We can know the number of improvised explosive devices that go off in Iraq and the number of suicide bombers there, but we can only guess at whether these numbers represent the last throes of a terrorist movement or its continuing growth. We can count the number of days the Iraqi parliament has moved the deadline for drafting a constitution ....
But the most important changes occurring, not just in Iraq but across the Muslim world, are changes in people's minds. These are harder, but not impossible, to measure. George W. Bush has proclaimed that we are working to build democracy in Iraq not just for Iraqis but in order to advance freedom and defeat fanatical Islamist terrorism around the world. Now comes the Pew Global Attitudes Project's recent survey of opinion in six Muslim countries to tell us that progress is being made in achieving that goal. Minds are being changed and in the right direction.
Most important, support for terrorism in defense of Islam has "declined dramatically," in the Pew report's words, in Muslim countries, except in Jordan (which has a Palestinian majority) and Turkey, where support has remained a low 14 percent. It has fallen in Indonesia (from 27 to 15 percent since 2002), Pakistan (from 41 to 25 percent since 2004), Morocco (from 40 to 13 percent since 2004), and among Muslims in Lebanon (from 73 to 26 percent since 2002). Support for suicide bombings against Americans in Iraq has also declined. The percentage reporting some confidence in Osama bin Laden is now under 10 percent in Lebanon and Turkey and has fallen sharply in Indonesia.
Similarly, when asked whether democracy was a western way of doing things or could work well in their own country, between 77 and 83 percent in Lebanon, Morocco, Jordan, and Indonesia say it could work in their country--in each case a significant increase from earlier surveys. In Turkey, with its sharp political divisions, and Pakistan, with its checkered history, the percentages hover around 50 percent.
Polls in the United States may show that Americans have become less supportive of our efforts in Iraq as the suicide bombings and roadside-bomb attacks continue. But the Pew polls in these Muslim countries show that those attacks have moved Muslim opinion against the terrorists and toward democracy.

... more at linked column

So, here Mr. Barone is reporting real numbers, hard evidence and info, rather than hyperbole and speculation, and the news from the Pew polls that Mr. Barone is reporting on tell the real story. We are winning the hearts and minds. We are making a difference. The so called "failed Bush policies" are in fact not failing at all. World opinion, as well as opinion in the Muslim street is shifting to show that what we are doing is the right thing.

No wonder the bashers moved on to other things. They must have gotten a leak of their own on these poll results and realized that they didn't want to be standing around to have to answer questions on where the good news was coming from.

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cactoblasta

Join Date 04/2004

+48

It's all good news, but I don't know if all of it can be attributed to the War in Iraq.

Indonesia at least isn't particularly favourable towards democracy because of Bush - I would argue the recent elections were more influential. And belief in terrorism dropped off a great deal after the terrible damage suicide bombings were causing to tourism and the economy could be seen.

But otherwise I suppose there could well be a link between George Bush and world terrorism. I just don't think he has as much an effect as either his supporters or detractors would have us believe.

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kingbee

Join Date 04/2004

+42

wait a second...

when did you start believing in polls again?

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More evidence that progress is being made!! Great to hear!!

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Daiwa

Join Date 07/2001

+351

Gene loves polls - why hasn't he taken these to heart and trumpeted them, too?

Cheers,
Daiwa

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Island Dog

Join Date 06/2003

+1048

Gene loves polls - why hasn't he taken these to heart and trumpeted them, too?

Because it doesn't fit his agenda. He believes policies should be based on media polls of 1000 Americans.

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