What everyone seems to have been worried about lately is how the West perceives us. But what do we think about the West and 9/11? As far as we know, no systematic polls have so far been conducted in Egypt or the Arab World -- by Egyptians or Arabs themselves -- to examine this matter. It is tempting to wonder if this was a coincidental lapse, or a subconscious desire not to know what the poll respondents would disclose. In a modest attempt to close this gap of crucial knowledge, Al-Ahram Weekly has conducted a straw poll about 11 September, one year later. Our team sampled the opinions of 150 people selected randomly, but not according to exact statistical procedures, from a variety of locations and social classes, including North Coast resorts and Cairo's back streets. Of those polled, some 52 per cent said the United States "deserved it", while 35 per cent felt sympathy with the victims. Since we have given the respondents the option to give more than one answer to this question in particular, the range of sympathy with the victims was actually wider than these figures suggest. Most of the 50 per cent who said the United States deserved what happened, also expressed compassion with the victims. Opposition was high to the US-led war against terror. About 68 per cent of those polled agreed it was a "means of asserting the US's global dominance". Some 93 per cent felt that this war had only brought chaos and increasing violence to the world. Many were not happy with Arab governments' reactions to US policies. Some 63 per cent said the governments should have taken clearer action in opposition to the US war on terror. Our sample does not aspire to fully represent Egyptian public opinion, although we have made every effort to make it as representative as possible of the country's social composition. About 35 per cent of the respondents were under 20 years of age, as opposed to the actual ratio of 49 per cent for this age group. Our sample is also skewed towards the educated. Only 25 per cent of the Egyptian population hold a high school or higher degree, while our sample's share of that category was 75 per cent. Note: Totals sometimes number more than 100 per cent because, on some of the questions, respondents were allowed to select more than one answer. QUESTION 1: How would you describe your feelings when you saw the destruction of New York's twin towers? They deserved it: 52% Sympathy for the victims: 35% Afraid of the future: 24% Admiration for the culprits: 28% Anger at the culprits: 10% QUESTION 2: Who do you think is responsible for the attacks? Israeli intelligence/Mossad: 39% We'll never know: 25% Al-Qa'eda or other Islamic militants: 19% Others: 19% QUESTION 3: How do you view the American war on terror? A means of asserting the US's global dominance: 68% A war against Arabs and Muslims: 51% A justified response to the attacks: 15% QUESTION 4: How do you view the results of the American war on terror? Descent into chaos and increasing violence: 93% The end of democracy and human rights: 48% Success in eradicating terrorism and a more peaceful world: 1% QUESTION 5: How do you view the future of radical Islamists? Their popularity will increase: 51% They are becoming weak and isolated: 31% 11 September was their death blow: 11% QUESTION 6: What do you feel should have been Arab and Islamic governments' position on the US war on terror? Oppose: 63% Support: 10% Remain neutral: 22% Related articles: 9/11 Supplement -- 12 - 18 September 2002 9-11 - WAR COVERAGE -- Archives
