Worldwide survey: war in Iraq has increased threat of terrorism

LONDON
The majority of those who responded to a 33-country survey believe that the U.S. and British military intervention in Iraq that began in March 2003 has increased the threat of terrorism in the world, according to a BBC poll published Tuesday.

Sixty percent of those surveyed believe that the invasion of Iraq has contributed to increasing the threat of terrorism in the world, while 12% believe the opposite, and 15% believe that nothing has changed since then, according to the poll, carried out by BBC Radio and reported by AFP.

The countries where respondents were most critical included China, where 85% of those surveyed believe that the terrorist threat is greater now; South Korea (84%); and Egypt (83%). In the UK, 77% of those surveyed share this opinion, as do 75% of Iraqis and 55% of U.S. Americans.

In Spain, 79% of respondents believe the threat is greater, and in France, 67% agree, while in Germany, it is 80%; Italy, 81%, and Russia, 58%.