Poll: Obama's Ratings on Afghanistan Drop

CBS News Survey Finds Support for War Continuing to Fall; Half Of Public Supports CIA Interrogations Probe

(CBS)  The public remains negative about U.S. progress in Afghanistan. As they have for months, most Americans say the war there is going badly, according to a CBS News poll released Tuesday.

Four in 10 now say they want U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan decreased, a percentage which has been rising since the beginning of 2009. In addition, President Obama's approval rating on handling Afghanistan has dropped eight points since April.

Critics of the Obama administration - most notably former Vice President Dick Cheney - have attacked Attorney General Eric Holder's appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the interrogation techniques of CIA officials during the Bush administration. Half of the American public, however, say the investigation is a good idea.

President Obama and the Afghan War

Less than half (48 percent) of those questioned now say they approve of President Obama's handling of the situation in Afghanistan, down from 56 percent in April. While a majority of Democrats still approve, just 31 percent of Republicans agree.

Fifty-two percent of Americans say the war in Afghanistan is going at least somewhat badly for the United States, and just 37 percent say it is going well.

This has changed little over the past few months, though Americans are more positive than they were last December, when 62 percent of those asked said the war was going badly.

Support for increasing U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan is declining, and more Americans would like to see the number of U.S. troops in the country decreased. Forty-one percent say they want American troops to start coming home, up from 33 percent in April and just 24 percent in February. Support for increasing the number of troops dropped from 39 percent in April to just 25 percent now.

The poll results are at odds with what NATO and U.S. commanders on the ground say they need. Military and civilian sources say top U.S. commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal is likely to request more troops for the Afghan war later this year.

Appointing a Special Prosecutor

According to the poll results, half of the public believes the Justice Department's appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate interrogation tactics used by the CIA is a good idea. Just 38 percent say it is a bad idea.

Views of this issue divide along party and ideological lines. Democrats and liberals support the appointment, while Republicans and conservatives agree with Former Vice President Cheney and say it was a bad idea.

Political Hotsheet: Cheney vs. The White House

Moderates and independents are more divided, though both groups tend to agree more with the investigation.

PDF: Read the Complete Poll

See Also -- Poll: Two-Thirds Confused by Health Reform

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This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,097 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone August 27-31, 2009. Phone numbers were dialed from random digit dial 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.

[wepunkancon]

The US needs to get out and let ouw Muslims Brothers live in Peace. The US needs to stop making War on Countrys that wants to live in Peace.

[tomd73]

this poll was based on one question
Who do you like better
1. Barrack Obama
2. Bernie Madoff

[tiredofthebs]

As well they should. We (U.S.) invaded Afghanistan because the refused to hand over Bin Laden. What would happen if another nation used Military Force in an effort to obtain someone who was granted political asylum here in the US? We didn't invade France, and many fugitives wanted in the US are members of the French Foreign Legion. This organization is KNOWN for it's REFUSAL to turn over fugitives. What's next .... Invade Morocco or Panama?

[hungry1968-16]

"The Republican and Democratic parties have delivered us into the hands of darkness."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave






http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporatocracy

"Corporatocracy or Corpocracy is a form of government where a corporation, a group of corporations, or government entities with private components, control the direction and governance of a country.

This belief is reinforced by two factors. First, corporations give to competing political parties and major political party candidates. This is seen as a corporation hedging their bets on the outcome of an election, and trying to get on the good side of whichever candidate is elected into office. Some say this is one of the hallmarks of a corporatocracy. Second, in many cases former corporate executives serve as powerful decision makers within government institutions often charged with the regulation of their former employers. Meanwhile, former government employees often accept high ranking positions within corporations thereby providing their new employers with access to governmental decision makers. This serves to create the appearance of a revolving door between corporations and the institutions established to regulate their behavior.

There are currently no governments designated by any governmental as a corporatocracy. Political progressives, however, have criticized governments for being de facto corporatocracies. Because governments tend to obscure the degree to which corporate interests are entangled in their affairs, an objective standard for declaring a government a corporatocracy is difficult. However many Western governments based on a capitalist system have been accused of being corporatocracies. Many corporations contribute abundantly to political candidates and causes. This creates a dependency of the politician on the corporation - in order to keep his power and wealth (i.e. continue receiving support for re-election bids), he might be obliged to "pay back" to the corporation using his political influence."

[searingtruth]

I think it's time that the great American people realize that the Democrats are not going to save us, or substantially change any of the heinous Bush Administrations policies.

Since Democrats and non-partisans such as myself graciously awarded them the House, Senate, and Presidency I have been aghast as I watched the Democrats act, and vote, almost identically to the Republicans. From illegal rendition, to secret prisons and torture, to giving away trillions of dollars to billionaires, to endless war, to denying the people universal health care, there is now almost no tangible difference between the Republicans and Democrats.

So today, after 25 years as a registered non-partisan voter, I changed my affiliation to The Green Party. It is time that the American people take a firm stand against all those who have turned this great nation into just another third world banana republic, and after much research and soul searching I believe The Green Party is our best hope.

So if you think the Republicans and Democrats are doing a good job, and you like the results of their rule, then by all means stay with them.

If, on the other hand, you feel as betrayed as I do then abandon them, and at least try something else. Otherwise, I promise you, nothing is ever going to change.
ST


"The Republican and Democratic parties have delivered us into the hands of darkness."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave

[specialty8]

Obam better get back on the Oprah show to get his numbbers up again. Just promise more handouts and maybe he will stop dropping like a rock in the polls. Looks like the party is just about over.

[specialty8]

Trap, Obama has no plan but to print and print. Beckie, I see you are not on here much anymore, are you joining the rest of them that see the big mistake they made? Thats ok, go independent and be rid of the whole bunch.

[trapbreaking]

Can anybody please post the official Obama exit plan for Afghanistan. I know that right now they are asking for another surge, but I want to know what the plan is for the exit.

Anybody?

.

[HGOODGUY]

Charlie---Shut the Hell Up!!!!

[fdx22]

Interviewing 1100 adults does not give a good idea of what the whole country thinks.

[trapbreaking]

Can anybody tell me exactly what Obama's exit plan is for Afghanistan?

.

[trapbreaking]

by charlie6334 - god damned you, america.

Is your real name Rev. Wright?

.

[HGOODGUY]

Would someone please tell me what a "positive outcome" in afghanistan means???
Would someone please tell me what a "positive outcome in Iraq means???
Wouldsomeone please tell me what a "positive outcome in Viet Nam would have meant???
Are you starting to get a message here folks???
The smart move=Get out and get out now!!!
The dumb move=Stay there and waste more American lives and then leave!!

[GuyfromUSA]

Why aren't you liberals slamming him for exrtending his vacation. I recall you blasting Bush for his.. Oh that's right because King Obama can do no wrong. That must be why his approval rating has dropped almost 20%... What a joker, voted in by a bunch of clowns.

[jwesel1]

With Bush, people wanted him to extend his vacations for ever aka good riddance

[schotzy81]

Obama has a plan on Afghanistan? I thought his entire foreign policy consisted of apologizing for America's greatness. Apparently, that's not working too well.

The US president's main responsibility is as commander in chief and responsible for defending the country. Obama's instead decided on focusing on taking over private industries and our lives. What a sad excuse for a president.

[231rebel]

Look ya-all, we haven't been in favor of any war since WWI and WWII. Of course that could be because Korea was a "conflict" and Vietnam was a "police action". What adjective are we going to put on Iraq and Afghanistan? I don't support the war either but I do support our men and women who are sent there (not by choice) to fight something that the previous administration "thought" was necessary. Why go into Iraq? Because it was just a strategy of "let's have the American people focus on this while we mess up finances, let illegals take what we have worked for, raise oil and necessities prices so the rich can get richer, lose the "middle class", and let bin Laden escape out the other end of a cave while we guarded only one end". The only reason the Republicans are whining about Obama is because they are like a bunch of Jr. high school kids. "Whaaaa, our party is ruling the country, we lost because we're rich oriented! Let's act even more immature and make everything look like Obama's fault and maybe we can get power back!" Well, guess what. take a look at Pennsylvania's budget-or lack of one- and guess what party is holding that one up! Plus the governor-who is a democrat but acts like a republican!

[trapbreaking]

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 30% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-one percent (41%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -11 (see trends).

Most voters now expect that the situation in Afghanistan will get worse over the next six months. That?s up fourteen points over the past month. At the same time, the number worried about a terrorist attack in the United States has declined.

Overall, 45% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. That?s down a point from yesterday and the lowest level of total approval yet measured for Obama. Fifty-three percent (53%) now disapprove.

[specialty8]

At this point, The Obungler administration is just clueless on everything. Have no idea whats going on, other than "print, baby, print".Obama is in well over his head and should hand the job over to a real man taht knows what he is doing. Do the country a favor Obama and resign now.

[slownewsday_5]

Why should he? Bush didn't. Never trust a politician to look out for you.

[zootsuithap]

Obamaman says this is a war of necessity (whatever that means) but there is no exit strategy, no "win" strategy, the surge won't work, there are no timetables, it's a failed policy, etc., etc.

[rocketjl]

I seriously don't think Obama likes or respects the military or veterans. He started off wanting soldiers wounded in combat to pay for medical attention through the soldier's insurance. I'm watching closely to see what he does with the military. He required the return of the 'Your Life, Your Choices' booklet to the VA. The booklet that leans toward ending your life soon(er), so the rest of us can move on.