If US-Iranian people agree, why don't their representatives?

[rainonlevs]

A recent (Jan 2007) poll of both US and Iranian opinions on several key issues found that the majority of people in both countries agree on the issues that supposedly are so critical that the US leadership is gearing up for war with Iran.

The study, "Public Opinion in Iran and America on Key International Issues - January 24, 2007 - A

Comments

Power and Pride

[caredemption]

Our countries are extremely unrepresentative of the people, we of course want to avoid nuclear terrorism at all costs. Bin Ladin and his followers are a very small, intensely radical group, who dont represent the norm, but who requires a great deal of attention from our side. Bush may at heart want to lead the people, but the guy is so far down the rabbit hole at this point, he's dug all of our graves basically. Truth is, no matter who is governing these countries, terrorists do not abide by a common law, therefore- I believe the leaders fight and focus on them is quite blinding to the rest of their countries needs.

Always read the source material

[madisonmassage]

Yup, if this interests you you should download the pdf and read it.

point 2, Iranians and American's may disagree more than it first appears. Here is the full text from the poll

"Iranians, like Americans, are concerned about terrorism and reject Osama bin Laden overwhelmingly. Iranians are considerably less concerned than Americans about al Qaeda and other Islamist militant groups, however, and majorities have positive views of Hamas and Hezbollah. Iranians overwhelmingly reject attacks intentionally aimed at civilians, including those targeting Americans. Americans concur though the percentage of Iranians who reject such attacks is somewhat higher than the percentage of Americans who do so. A modest majority of Iranians, however, make an exception for some Palestinian attacks against Israeli civilians. Americans do not make such an exception for Israeli attacks on Palestinians."

Re: Always read the source material

[madisonmassage]

correction that was a summary from the report, there is considerable more "full text" in the report.

thanks for info about the poll

Re: Always read the source material

[rainonlevs]

Excellent point. There is a lot more in that poll than I summarized of course, including what one would expect on Israel, given the enormous campaign of disinformation and hostility towards any Israeli information that is not pro-Zionist.

I don't there is any significant number of Americans that have opinions on Israel and Palestine that are based on any measure of reality. On the other hand I could say something similar about Israelis themselves. My friend's wife is Israeli born and raised and she didn't know that Israeli-Arabs had their right to property removed by being declared "present absentees" (nifkadim nohahim). Once again - a government taking actions that its citizens would have protested.