Poll Finds Iraqis Back Attacks on U.S. Troops

WASHINGTON â€”  About six in 10 Iraqis say they approve of attacks on U.S.-led forces, and slightly more than that want their government to ask American troops to leave within a year, a poll released Wednesday found.

Iraqis also have negative views of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, according to the poll of 1,150 people conducted this month for the University of Maryland’s Program on International Policy Attitudes.

Among the findings:

* Almost four in five Iraqis say the U.S. military force in Iraq provokes more violence than it prevents.

* Fifty-seven percent disapprove of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

* Three-fourths say they think the U.S. plans to keep military bases in Iraq permanently.

* About 72% say they think Iraq will be one state five years from now. Shiite Muslims are most likely to feel that way, though a majority of Sunni Arabs and Kurds also believe that would be the case.

* The number of those who approve of attacks on U.S.-led forces, 61%, is up from 47% in January. A solid majority of Shiites and Sunni approve of the attacks, the poll found. The increase is mostly among Shiites.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.