Poll results – What do Pakistanis think about bin Laden, Obama, and the U.S.?

Posted By Robert Zeliger Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - 2:10 PM Share

A just-released Pew poll holds some grim news about the Pakistani public's views toward the United States. For starters, almost two-thirds of Pakistanis don't approve of the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden. And only 12 percent had a positive view of the United States in general; while 8 percent viewed President Obama favorably -- numbers that put him in the same class as former President George W. Bush.

Some key numbers from the poll, according to Richard Wike, associate director of the Pew Global Attitudes Project.

Bin Laden Raid

63 percent of Pakistanis disapprove of the operation

10 percent approve of it

27 percent don't have an opinion

18 percent believe the Pakistani government knew bin Laden was hiding in Abbottabad.

53 percent had no opinion.

United States

12 percent have a favorable view of America

73 percent have an unfavorable view

Obama

8 percent have confidence in Obama

68 percent don't have confidence in him

In 2008, when the same question was asked about Bush, 7 percent expressed confidence.

Al Qaeda

12 percent have a favorable view of al Qaeda

55 percent have an unfavorable view

33 percent don't know

In 2008, those numbers were:

25 percent favorable

34 percent unfavorable

41 percent don't know

Taliban

12 percent favorable

63 percent unfavorable

24 percent don't know

But that displeasure doesn't translate into support for government action against the groups.

37 percent support using the Pakistani army to fight extremists in the country's restive regions -- a figure that is 16 percentage points lower than two years ago, according to Pew.

26 percent oppose using the Pakistani army to fight extremists.

38 percent didn't give an opinion. 

Military and political leaders

By and large, the Pakistani military remains the most popular institution in the country.

79 percent say the military is having a good influence on the country.

76 percent feel that way about the media

60 percent feel that way about religious leaders

41 percent -- the court system

26 percent -- the police

14 percent -- for President Asif Ali Zardari

View the full survey here. 

EXPLORE:SOUTH ASIA, PAKISTAN
 

MARTY MARTEL

12:17 AM ET

June 22, 2011

Islamic fundamentalist State of Pakistan

Within few years after Musharraf’s departure, Pakistani military has become a favorable institution in Pakistan once again. Before long, Pakistanis will yearn for the return of military rule.

But Pakistan has been an Islamic fundamentalist state from very beginning anyway and Pakistani military has encouraged the rise of Islamic fundamentalism as well.

Previous US ambassador Anne Patterson to Pakistan, wrote in a secret review in 2009 that ‘Pakistan's Army and ISI are covertly SPONSORING four militant groups - Haqqani‘s HQN, Mullah Omar‘s QST, Al Qaeda and LeT - and will not abandon them for any amount of US money‘, as diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks show.

Ambassador Patterson had NO reason to mislead her own State Department and U. S. government.

Nobody forced it but Pakistan’s democratic government of its own free will, facilitated relocation of Osama bin Laden from Sudan to Afghanistan via Karachi in 1996.

Nobody forced Pakistani Army and Intelligence to create what ex-CIA official Bruce Reidel called ‘this jihadist Frankenstein’ monster in 1990s. Pakistani Army and Intelligence chose to do so with the full financing provided by Pakistan’s democratic governments at the time.

Sandy Berger, Clinton’s national security advisor told 9/11 Commission in 2004 that 'Pakistani Army was the midwife of Taliban'. UN report on Bhutto killing released on 4/15/2010 confirmed this fact when it noted that "The PAKISTANI MILITARY ORGANIZED AND SUPPORTED THE TALIBAN TO TAKE CONTROL OF AFGHANISTAN IN 1996“.

Declassified DIA Washington D.C., "IIR (intelligence Information Report) Pakistan Involvement in Afghanistan," dated November 7, 1996 states how "Pakistan's ISI is heavily involved in Afghanistan," and also details different roles various ISI officers play in Afghanistan. Stating that Pakistan uses sizable numbers of its Pashtun-based Frontier Corps in Taliban-run operations in Afghanistan, the document clarifies that, "these Frontier Corps elements are utilized in command and control; training; and when necessary combat“.

Declassified U.S. Department of State, Cable "Pakistan Support for Taliban" from Islamabad dated Sept. 26, 2000 states that "while Pakistani support for the Taliban has been long-standing, the magnitude of recent support is unprecedented." In response Washington orders the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad to immediately confront Pakistani officials on the issue and to advise Islamabad that the U.S. has "seen reports that Pakistan is providing the Taliban with materiel, fuel, funding, technical assistance and military advisors. [The Department] also understand[s] that large numbers of Pakistani nationals have recently moved into Afghanistan to fight for the Taliban, apparently with the tacit acquiescence of the Pakistani government." Additional reports indicate that direct Pakistani involvement in Taliban military operations has increased.

How can Pakistan be threatened by ‘those domestically ensconced terrorist groups’ if Pakistani Army and ISI will NOT abandon them for any amount of US money as reported by ambassador Patterson?

 

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