Yankee go home

News you won't get in the US media. According to a "survey conducted by an Iraqi university research team that, for security reasons, was not told the data it compiled would be used by coalition forces."

• Forty-five per cent of Iraqis believe attacks against British and American troops are justified - rising to 65 per cent in the British-controlled Maysan province;

• 82 per cent are "strongly opposed" to the presence of coalition troops;

• less than one per cent of the population believes coalition forces are responsible
for any improvement in security;

• 67 per cent of Iraqis feel less secure because of the occupation;

• 43 per cent of Iraqis believe conditions for peace and stability have worsened;

• 72 per cent do not have confidence in the multi-national forces.

Doesn't sound like this liberation, democracy, freedom on the march thing is working out so well. But then again, I think this week we're "staying the course", because we can't let the ragtag band of terrorists scare us - the mightest armed forces in the world - away.