Support for bin Laden falls in Muslim countries

Good.......things are working and the Muslim Community is finally speaking out!


news.yahoo.com...

Support for bin Laden falls in Muslim countries

By Alan Elsner

2 hours, 8 minutes ago


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Support for Osama bin Laden and suicide bombings have fallen sharply in much of the Muslim world, according to a multicountry poll released on Thursday.

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The survey by the Pew Research Center examined public opinion in six predominantly Muslim nations: Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia, Jordan and Lebanon. It also examined views in nine North American and European countries as well as in India and China. In all, more than 17,000 people were questioned either by telephone of face-to-face.

"There's declining support for terrorism in the Muslim countries and support for Osama bin Laden is declining. There's also less support for suicide bombings," said Pew Center director Andrew Kohut.

"This is good news, but still there are substantial numbers who support bin Laden in some of these countries," he told a news conference.

In Morocco, 26 percent of the public now say they have a lot or some confidence in bin Laden, down from 49 percent in a similar poll two years ago.

In Lebanon, where both Muslims and Christians took part in the survey, only 2 percent expressed some confidence in the Saudi-born al Qaeda leader, down from 14 percent in 2003.

In Turkey, bin Laden's support has fallen to 7 percent from 15 percent in the past two years. In Indonesia, it has dropped to 35 percent from 58 percent.

However, in Jordan, confidence in bin Laden, who took responsibility for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and many other attacks, rose to 60 percent from 55 percent. In Pakistan, it went to 51 percent from 45 percent.

A similar picture emerged when respondents were asked whether suicide bombings were justifiable. In Morocco, 13 percent said they often or sometimes could be justified, down from 40 percent in 2004.

MORE JORDANIANS SUPPORT BOMBINGS

In Indonesia, 15 percent expressed that view, down from 27 percent in the summer of 2002. Support for suicide bombings also fell in Pakistan and dropped dramatically in Lebanon. However, support rose in Jordan, to 57 percent from 43 percent in 2002.

Kohut noted there had been devastating attacks on civilians in Indonesia, Morocco and Turkey in recent years and a rash of assassinations and bombings recently in Lebanon.

Both in western countries and the Muslim world, respondents expressed fears about Islamic extremism.

Seventy-three percent in Morocco and 52 percent in Pakistan saw Islamic extremism as a threat to their country. The figure was 84 percent in Russia, 78 percent in Germany, and an identical 70 percent in Britain and the United States. The poll was taken well before last week's bombings in London.

When asked what caused Islamic extremism, 40 percent in Lebanon and 38 percent in Jordan blamed U.S. policies and influence; in Morocco, Pakistan and Turkey, respondents were more likely to blame poverty, unemployment or poor education.

Despite terrorism fears, majorities in Britain, the United States, France, Canada and Russia and pluralities in Spain and Poland expressed favorable views about Muslims.

But in Germany and the Netherlands, opinion swung to an unfavorable view. Fifty-one percent of those surveyed in the Netherlands expressed an unfavorable view of Muslims. In Germany, 47 percent were unfavorable, compared with 40 percent who expressed favorable views.

Anti-Jewish sentiment was overwhelming in the Muslim countries. In Lebanon, 100 percent of Muslims and 99 percent of Christians said they had a very unfavorable view of Jews, while 99 percent of Jordanians also viewed Jews very unfavorably.

Its good to know that the world is listening. The media outlets are appearing to be getting through to the people. What it all comes down to is the advertising and the media.

His Muslim support dropped sharply after this photo was released:

septterror.tripod.com...

[edit on 14-7-2005 by skippytjc]

EDIT: host doesn't allow linking....click on link instead

[edit on 15-7-2005 by Gazrok]

Anti-Jewish sentiment was overwhelming in the Muslim countries. In Lebanon, 100 percent of Muslims and 99 percent of Christians said they had a very unfavorable view of Jews, while 99 percent of Jordanians also viewed Jews very unfavorably.

Meaning they may not support Bin Laden as much, but they still want Israel put down. I'm willing to bet they wouldn't mind trying to put a stop to the US support of Israel, either.

I just briefly read through the PDF report on the PEW Global website and it was pretty interesting.

What really stuck out at me was Lebanon, which had only 2% support for Bin Laden but a very surprising 49% support for suicide bombers.

Another surprise was Indonesia, where support for Bin Laden was higher among middle-income and higher-income people than it was for low income people.





pewglobal.org...

[edit on 14-7-2005 by AceOfBase]

Originally posted by AceOfBase
I just briefly read through the PDF report on the PEW Global website and it was pretty interesting.

What really stuck out at me was Lebanon, which had only 2% support for Bin Laden but a very surprising 49% support for suicide bombers.

yeah because the suicide bombers aint Osama bin Laden, and Osama is hiding in a cave while he tells others to commit martyr for him.

Another surprise was Indonesia, where support for Bin Laden was higher among of middle-income and higher-income people than it was for low income people.

of course after all he is a very high income person, so its expect that high income and middle will support him while the lower do not. think of it as seperation of classes where the lower income hates the high income.

bin Laden needs to hire Karl Rove to fix those numbers! Next time there's a major attack on the US, there will be a significant change in his public support in Arab countries. Whether support will rise dramatically or fall dramatically, though, is anyone's guess. I'd think if he was too successful, and there was too much unnecessary bloodshed, especially of children, then it would backfire on him significantly.

hey Delta boy... that would be like telling bush to put on a helmet and a vest grab a m-16 and lead a charge... genereals don't fight... I thought that was a given... as for the numbers...I mean ask as many people as you want but in the end you only get a percentage of the whole... I really don't trust polls... plus it's like a siv the more you shake up the muslims the more radical of the bunch will remain ... like after a while there's bacteria that can resist pennicilin...

Yep, Rove could do him a world of good

Next time there's a major attack on the US, there will be a significant change in his public support in Arab countries.

Bing! Bing! Bing!

An inactive terrorist (as in no recent big public attacks claimed directly) leads to dwindling support...but it only takes one big act to change those numbers...so let's not get too cocky....or complacent....

What diffrence does BIN really make in the grand scheme of things now, most of what is going on now is more likely just a "ragtag" bunch of idealists with little or no faith in the bearded one and are along for the ride!

It makes me think of the bad elements that show up at legitamate protest cause they feel they can " Hide in a crowd"... Cowards I say!

[edit on 15-7-2005 by Perfect stranger]