ABC World News from Kabul Jan. 11 and 12 (note the poll of Afghans)/Update: What the Pushkins think

Take a look:

Diane Sawyer will anchor ABC's "World News" from Afghanistan tonight and Tuesday, her second trip abroad since taking the helm of the evening newscast less than a month ago.

In her fifth trip to the country, which she last visited in April 2007, Sawyer will report on the status of the war effort as part of ABC's "Afghanistan: Where Things Stand" series. Her coverage will include an interview with Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal. "Good Morning America Weekend" anchor Bill Weir, embedded with U.S. forces, also will report.

According to a poll of more than 1,500 Afghans conducted as part of the "Where Things Stand" series, optimism about the country's future has risen [emphasis added] but complaints about corruption are more pervasive than ever [story here on poll]...

As for the interview with Gen. McChrystal (with video excerpt):

Gen. Stanley McChrystal Says Tide Is Turning in Afghanistan
First Elements of Surge Has Blunted Taliban Momentum

Update: Conclusion of a post on the poll from Terry Glavin (much worth the read, delightful title, what?):

Afghanistan: A Quagmire Of Confidence, Progress And Optimism.
...
Some 88 per cent of Afghans rate their police as excellent, good or fair.

NYT, January 9: "Afghans Losing Hope After 8 Years Of War."

In the real world, Afghans haven't been feeling this plucky in five years:

Bets on the coverage the Canadian media will give the poll? Not much as of 1600 ET.

Meanwhile the comment for all time, at the National Post version of Mr Glavin's piece:

...
by RogersJi

Jan 11 2010
3:54 PM

I doubt whether any of the polls included the areas under the control of the Taliban or even Kandahar. The Pushkins probably have a different view...

Silly me. I thought the Pushkins left in 1989--what an erudite, literary bunch we Canadians are.

Upperdate: The Globe and Mail runs a full story on the poll, good on them. The Toronto Star mentions it at the end of this story. Canwest News also relegates the poll to the second half of a story--and then spends half that space debunking it. Neither the Star nor Canwest mentions the poll in the headline.

Plus more from Adrian MacNair.