Iraq, Iran, worst reputation in world; Canada, Sweden, Australia, best

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Canada, Sweden and Australia have occupied the forefront of countries that have the best reputation in the whole world, while Iraq, Iran and Pakistan dropped to the countries with the worst reputation, according to a survey conducted by the a US Reputation Foundation late Tuesday.   The report, published by Agance France Press (AFP), said the survey had covered 50 world states, regarding the quality of life, security and public services, with Canada, Australia and Sweden taking the forefront, whilst Iraq, Iran and Pakistan occupying the worst reputation.   “The survey covered 42,000 people in 50 world countries about “their people’s trust, appreciation and admiration, about the quality of life, security and concern for the environment in each country in question,” the report said.   It stressed that “Canada had won the first place, Sweden the second and Australia, the third, followed by Switzerland and New Zealand, whilst France ranked 8th and Japan 12th, along with the United States that ranked in the middle and China in the last third.”   “The countries that received many points in the poll were those that experienced solidarity of their democratic systems and their high Gross National Product (GNP), standards of life, political governance and evolving attitudes about the neutrality of international political unrest,” the report stressed.   The report shed light on Iraq as result of its occupation that ranked it “very low, as well as Iran and Pakistan,” pointing out to rampant corruption and cronyism in government institutions in the water and electricity supplies, which is much worse than their level during the regime of former President Saddam Hussein, that toppled after Iraq’s occupation by the US and Britain in 2003.   It confirmed that the massive financial fraud in government agencies has severely damaged the standard of living of the Iraqi people, where, according to UN statistics confirm that half of the Iraqi people are living under the poverty line.   SKH (FT)   321