GEEZ, WE SHOULD LIBERATE FRANCE AGAIN:

Survey: Afghans overwhelmingly optimistic, despite violence (PAUL HAVEN, November 19, 2003, Associated Press)

Afghans in relatively stable areas of the country are overwhelmingly optimistic about the future of their nation, despite continued violence and political uncertainty, according to a survey released Wednesday.

Some 83 percent of the Afghans surveyed said they feel safer than they did three years ago, when the hard-line Taliban regime was in power. More than three-quarters of those questioned said Afghanistan will be safer still in another year.

The survey was conducted between April and June in eight Afghan provinces by The Human Rights Research and Advocacy Consortium, which includes some major international aid groups like Save the Children, CARE and Oxfam International, as well as Afghan agencies.

That's a higher rigt track/wrong track number than in most Western nations.

Posted by Orrin Judd at November 21, 2003 7:11 AM