EFFECT OF THE 'SURGE'

"The United States has increased the number of its forces in Baghdad and surrounding provinces in the past six months. Please tell me if you think this increase of forces has made it better, worse, or had no effect?"

The results of the poll reflect a great degree of dissatisfaction with the US "surge", with a vast majority of respondents considering the move to have made the situation in the country worse rather than better.

WHO'S TO BLAME?

"Who do you blame most for the violence that is occurring in the country?"

The latest poll data reflects a slight increase in the number of respondents who consider al-Qaeda and foreign jihadis responsible for fomenting violence.

There was a significant reduction from February to August 2007 in the numbers who believe that the US and coalition forces are mainly to blame.

Poll analysts suggest this trend could be partially explained by a perceived backlash against the 'foreign' presence of al-Qaeda and other jihadi elements in parts of the country where tribal allegiances are strong, such as Anbar province.

TROOP WITHDRAWAL

"How long do you think US and other Coalition forces should remain in Iraq?"

The autumn 2007 poll reflects growing disillusionment with the occupying forces' presence in Iraq. There is a growing consensus among respondents that coalition troops should leave the country immediately.

Some 47% of respondents now back an immediate withdrawal, compared with 35% in February.

The poll also shows dwindling support for troops remaining in the country, even in support of the Iraqi government and security forces. Only 10% of those surveyed favour coalition forces remaining for that purpose.

IS VIOLENCE JUSTIFIED?

"Thinking about the political action of other people, do you find each of these items to be acceptable or not acceptable?"

Attacks on coalition forces

All Sunni Arab Shia Arab Kurds Acceptable 57% 93% 50% 5% Not acceptable 43% 7% 50% 94%

One of starkest statistics from the poll is the overwhelming support for attacks on coalition forces among Iraq's minority Sunni population; 93% of those surveyed said they considered it acceptable.

Attacks on Iraqi forces

All Sunni Arab Shia Arab Kurds Acceptable 7% 18% 2% 2% Not acceptable 93% 82% 98% 97%

By the same majority - 93% - respondents reject violence against Iraqi forces.

GOVERNMENT AND LEADERSHIP

"Thinking of the current national government of Iraq, how do you feel about the way in which it has carried out its responsibilities?"

Iraqis polled in the latest survey are increasingly disillusioned with the government, figures suggest. More than a quarter of those polled in 2005 said that they thought the government was doing a "very good job", whereas by August 2007, this figure has fallen to just over 5%.

"Do you approve or disapprove of the way Nouri Kamel al-Maliki is handling his job as prime minister?"

Shia politician Nouri al-Maliki became prime minister of Iraq in April 2006, and before returning following the fall of Saddam Hussein spoke in favour of a pluralist country whose various ethnic and sectarian groups regarded each other as equals.

The latest polls however reflect dwindling support for him; some 66% of those polled registered their disapproval of the way he is handling his job.

THE FUTURE OF IRAQ

"Which of the following structures do you believe Iraq should have in the future?"

Opinions on the future of the country vary widely by ethnic grouping. Sunni Arabs remain strongly in favour of a single unified nation, while Kurds in northern Iraq overwhelmingly support a break-up of the country into indepedent nations - a move which would see the emergence of a separate Kurdistan.

REGIONAL DIVIDE

Iraq was divided into regions for the poll:

North: made up of the districts of Dahuk, Irbil, Nineveh, Sulaimaniya, Tamim.

Central: Baghdad, Anbar, Babil, Diyala, Salahuddin.

South: Basra, Karbala, Misan, Najaf, Muthanna, Qadisiya, Dhiqar, Wasit.

The results show that people in the northern and southern districts are generally happier with the conditions in which they live than those in the central regions and Baghdad.

HOW DO YOU RATE CONDITIONS WHERE YOU LIVE?

All North Central (inc B'dad) South Shia Sunni Security situation % % % % % % Very good 15 33 4 16 16 27 Quite good 28 31 14 46 46 25 Quite bad 24 14 31 23 23 25 Very bad 32 22 51 15 15 42 Availability of jobs % % % % % % Very good 4 12 0 1 1 5 Quite good 7 20 15 18 18 5 Quite bad 37 28 41 37 37 36 Very bad 43 39 43 44 44 55 Electricity supply % % % % % % Very good 2 5 0 2 2 0 Quite good 6 9 2 8 8 4 Quite bad 35 29 41 31 31 39 Very bad 58 56 57 59 59 57 Clean water supply % % % % % % Very good 9 24 1 8 8 10 Quite good 16 26 5 24 24 10 Quite bad 35 28 40 34 34 38 Very bad 40 22 55 35 35 43 Local government % % % % % % Very good 11 23 3 12 12 7 Quite good 28 37 17 36 36 18 Quite bad 32 28 37 28 28 33 Very bad 28 12 43 24 24 43 Freedom to live where choose % % % % % % Very good 8 16 0 11 11 1 Quite good 15 23 3 26 26 4 Quite bad 32 25 40 26 26 31 Very bad 45 36 57 36 36 64

Methodology:

The poll was conducted by D3 Systems and KA Research Ltd for the BBC, ABC News, and NHK of Japan. Some 2,112 Iraqis were questioned in more than 450 neighbourhoods across all the 18 provinces of Iraq between August 17 and August 24, 2007. The margin of error is + or - 2.5%.