ITN2: Islamic World News

: "Headlines
Poll: 84 Percent in Baghdad Feel Unsafe

Mar 19, 12:22 PM

A poll of more than 2,200 Iraqis shows a decline in optimism, a rise in traumatic stress and 84 percent of Baghdad citizens feeling unsafe at all times.

ABC News, USA Today, the BBC and Germany's ARD TV conducted their third joint poll of 2,212 citizens at 458 places throughout the country and found sectarian violence has eroded what optimism shown in a poll November 2005.

Then, 63 percent of Iraqis said they feel safe in their neighborhoods, while nationally, 26 percent said they felt safe. In Baghdad, 16 percent said they felt safe in the poll taken Feb. 25-March 5.

In 2005, 71 percent of Iraqis said their own lives were going well but that number has fallen to 39 percent, ABC reported.

In a 2004 poll, less than a year after the U.S. invasion, 17 percent of poll respondents said it was acceptable to attack U.S. forces but the latest poll showed a spike up to 51 percent of Iraqis who condone the attacks."