Iraqis are more hopeful about their lives and their turbulent country’s future than at any time during the past three years but give the US little credit for improvements. Fifty-five per cent responding to a poll taken in the run-up to the fifth anniversary of the US occupation and published on Monday said their lives were good.

The figure was 39 per cent in the last poll in August 2007. However, only 33 per cent of Sunnis were satisfied, as compared with 62 per cent of Shias and 73 per cent of Kurds.

Sixty-two per cent believes security in home areas had improved, compared to 43 per cent the previous year, but half still insist that security is the main problem.

Sixty-one per cent thinks that the US military presence makes the security situation worse, down from 72 per cent last year. The number who want an immediate US withdrawal has fallen from 47 to 38 per cent while 35 per cent wants US forces to stay until the situation is stabilsed.

A second poll found that more than two-thirds of Iraqis believe US forces should depart although one-third say they want the US and Britain to assume a greater role in rebuilding Iraq.

Conflict-induced

The release of the results of these opinion surveys coincided with the publication of a 15-page report on conditions in Iraq by the International Committee of the Red Cross. It says, “Because of the conflict, millions of Iraqis have insufficient access to clean water, sanitation and health care.”

Water is of poor quality due to a shortage of chlorine for purification and buying potable water from private sources can cost an average family one-third of its $150 monthly income. Broken sewage pipes are contaminating drinking water.

The report further says, “The electricity supply network has been deteriorating over the past year,” causing water and sewage plants to shut or operate at reduced capacity.

This creates accute discomfort during summer months when temperatures rise to 55 Celsius during daytime. In some areas of Baghdad there is only one hour of current a day. Buying six hours of power from a neighbourhood generator can cost $50 a month.

“The Iraqi healthcare system is now in worse shape than ever...More than 2,200 doctors and nurses have been killed and more than 250 kidnapped since 2003.” Thousands have fled the country. There are 172 public hospitals with 30,000 beds, far short of the 80,000 beds required.  Most are sub-standard, equipment is 25 years old, and medicines are in short supply. Because of poor security, the sick and injured “are often cut off from access to medical care”.