MUST BE A DIFFERENT IRAQ?:

80 percent say they plan to vote (David R. Sands, 1/20/05, THE WASHINGTON TIMES)

The countrywide survey, conducted by the Washington-based International Republican Institute (IRI), also found increased popular awareness of the election, closer identification with political parties and a growing level of trust in Iraqi institutions such as the interim government, the police and the election commission.

"What you see is a very, very substantial majority throughout the country, including in the Sunni areas, that wants to make this election a success and to get this whole period behind them," John Anelli, IRI regional director for Iraq, said from Baghdad yesterday.

"There's an overwhelming desire for normality, and a large majority sees this vote as a positive step in that direction," he said.

Overall, 81.7 percent of those polled said they were "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to vote. [...]

• 48.6 percent of those polled said Iraq is "generally headed in the right direction," compared with 39.2 percent who said the country was going in the wrong direction. The rest, 12.2 percent, said they did not know or gave no answer.

Regional divisions on the question were stark: Nearly 70 percent of Iraq's Kurds gave a positive answer, but just 14.7 percent of those in predominantly Sunni areas did.

• A majority of Iraqis think the country's fledgling institutions, including the police, the interim government and the commission organizing the Jan. 30 vote are very or somewhat effective.

The poll did not ask about individual candidates and parties, but 61.7 percent gave Prime Minister Iyad Allawi a positive or somewhat positive review for his performance since taking office last year.

• Despite problems, 52.3 percent of those polled said they thought the country will be in better shape in six months than it is today. About 60 percent expect conditions to improve in one year and 64.9 percent say they are optimistic about Iraq in five years.

They're more optimistic than Americans are.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 20, 2005 9:00 PM