Poll: Nearly 2 in 3 want troops in Afghanistan decreased
CBS
CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto
After 10 years of war in Afghanistan, nearly two-thirds of Americans want troop levels in the country to be reduced, a new CBS News poll shows.
Sixty-two percent said troop levels should be decreased immediately, according to the poll, conducted Sept. 28 - Oct. 2. Twenty-four percent want troop levels kept the same for now, while 7 percent want them increased. In 2009, as discussions to deploy additional troops to Afghanistan were underway, about a third supported increasing the number of U.S. troops there.
Americans were also asked when they think large numbers of troops should come home. The percentage who want large numbers to return from Afghanistan within a year stands at 38 percent, up from 33 percent in July 2010. Another 24 percent said they'd be willing to have troops there for one to two more years. Ten percent said they'd accept two to five more years, while 18 percent said they'd be willing to have troops there "as long as it takes," down from 26 percent in summer 2010.
President Obama deployed a 30,000-troop "surge" in Afghanistan in 2009. This past summer, he committed to pulling out 10,000 troops by the end of this year and another 23,000 by September 2012. That would leave roughly 68,000 American troops in Afghanistan to continue the decade-long war.
To mark the 10th anniversary of the war's beginning this week, "CBS Evening News" anchor and managing editor Scott Pelley is broadcasting reports on the war from Kandahar, Afghanistan, on Monday and Tuesday nights.
Just one in three Americans believe fighting there is the right thing for the U.S. to do, the poll shows, while 57 percent think the U.S. should not be involved in Afghanistan - similar to views last June. While Democrats and independents largely say the U.S. should not be involved there, a slim majority of Republicans, 51 percent, say it's the right thing to do.
Mr. Obama receives better marks for his handling of the war in Afghanistan than he does for his handling of domestic issues such as the economy. But even on that issue, fewer than half approve of his performance. In May, his approval rating on the issue rose to 61 percent after the killing of Osama bin Laden; it now stands at 47 percent, while 36 percent disapprove.
In the wake of the killing of bin Laden, U.S. objectives in Afghanistan are unclear to more than four in 10 Americans. Fifty percent of Americans say they do have a clear idea of U.S. goals there, but nearly as many, 43 percent, do not. More Republicans than Democrats or independents say they have a clear idea of U.S. goals there.
Clarity about U.S. goals in Afghanistan impacts views on whether the U.S. should be fighting there. Fifty percent of those who say they have a clear idea of U.S. goals think the U.S. is right in fighting there, but that drops to just 18 percent among those who do not have a clear idea of U.S. goals.
Military action against Afghanistan was begun in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Ten years later, Americans are mixed when it comes to the war's impact on terrorism directed at the United States. As many as 47 percent think it has made the U.S. safer from terrorism. However, 40 percent think it has had no impact, and 10 percent say it has made the U.S. less safe.
The public's views on the war's success are mixed. Fifty percent of Americans think the war in Afghanistan has not been a success for the U.S., while just 39 percent think it has been.
A majority of Americans, 53 percent, thinks the war in Afghanistan is going badly for the U.S. - but that's been the case for years now.
Looking back, there is no consensus about what the U.S. ought to have done about Afghanistan. Thirty-nine percent think the U.S. was right to remove the Taliban from power and remain in Afghanistan to help stabilize the country. Nearly as many, 32 percent, think the U.S. ought to have removed the Taliban from power and then left afterwards. One in four thinks the U.S. ought not to have gotten involved there at all.
Once U.S. troops leave, 28 percent of Americans expect there to be more violence in Afghanistan, but 52 percent think the level of violence will not change.
More from the poll:
Poll: Most want taxes on millionaires increased
Poll: Views of Congress (again) hit new low
Poll: 7 in 10 say Obama has not helped economy
Poll: Just 1 in 5 Americans happy with direction of country
Poll: Half of U.S. says Afghan war not a success
Read the complete poll (PDF)
This poll was conducted by telephone from September 28-October 2, 2011 among 1,012 adults nationwide. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
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Post 911 the global respect for the US has waned as a nation who the world grieved with for the loss of some 3000 innocent lives entered battles for which the objectives and opposition were poorly considered.
If the US is to return home then it is critical that they close out the battles that they commenced as well as possible and leave as quickly as possible and then ensure that the nations foreign policy is redefined for the long term.
For the USA to waste some $3 trillion dollars blowing up, rebuilding then blowing up a country that was not the main objective at the expense of rebuild it's own assets and the health of it's own people has seen the country choose to act radically contrary to the very needs of her people
My son's unit was deployed minus 1/3 of it's combat strength due to the politically motivated "draw down". Yet the mission wasn't changed and they are now so deep into the wilderness on the border that some of the villiagers haven't seen any military uniform since the Soviets were there.
The enemy is (as predicted) emboldened by our announced withdrawl, so attacks are up by almost 40%. My son's brigade has lost three times the KIA in 2 1/2 months than the brigade they replaced (a full strength brigade) lost in 9 months, that's right 3X. This is what happens when you tie the hands of the troops and then start stripping away their numbers.
The only way to end this is to withdraw every soldier and marine to form a tight perimeter around the airbases and bring everyone home at once. As it is, the great military strategist who occupies the oval office intends to bring even more home, without giving up ground. Apparently he hopes the bad guys will retreat into Pakistan as they always have in the past, the same line of thinking that told us the water at Pearl Harbor was too shallow for areal torpedoes. Thanks to wishey washey leadership the enemy smells blood, and my son is part of the rearguard to be sacrificed.
The only other way is to reinforce the troops and let them do the job as McChrystal wanted to.
By the way, I don't know why this website assigned the user name "VetoProof". I am, and always have been "JustAl".
Today, it can also be said, "The sun never sets on the American Military".
This imperialistic behavior has bankrupted us and it's only going to get worse. We need to stop being the self-appointed guardians of the world and recall all of our troops from everywhere.
It's time to finally abandon the WWII idea that we need bases everywhere. We don't and we cannot afford it any longer.
In 1939, before that other war no-one saw coming, the Brits were bankrupt and their military thanks to politicians was severely neglected.
For anyone who cares to read history, without the USA the outlook of WWII would have been different.
After WWII, GB was STILL bankrupt, but that did not prevent the Suez crisis. (Which Eisenhower stopped without troops from USA).
The Brits persisted with the colonialist game despite being broke. So they became less of a nation ref defence and Nato, (the only thing, thanks to US involvement, that stopped the Soviets occupying Europe).
Today, after following an example of would be Colonialism, the USA is now also almost bankrupt. Bankrupt of ideas too!
Has these forces moved into Afghanistan after GWBs B52s had bombed the Taliban outa there and used not military might, but enabled massive construction of roads/schools/hospitals/homes and all the trappings of modern society, then perhaps the Taliban WOULD have been defeated.
As it is, as soon as US trops leave, they will walk back in and take control.
I sure hope your son is well out of harms way before that happens, for history repeats itself.
The Soviets got out when they knew they were licked.
Because of the supposed "War on Terror" too many Young and brave US Citizens have paid the price for political misjudgements and mistakes! But, don`t lose sight of the fact that, unless the USA continues to police the world,democracy could well die across that world. The Syrian people, under fire last week, all ran towards the (sole) US newsperson. Why? She was from the USA!!
Think about it.
We have a reputation of HOPE around the world. We should not allow that to die because of Stupid politicians or left wing media!! Good luck to you and your family. You are the typical American Patriot!!