Americans Want to Defeat Terrorism in Afghanistan, but Fret Over Involvement

Americans are conflicted about the eight-year war in Afghanistan, with a majority saying the U.S. is doing the right thing in order to keep that nation from being a haven for terrorists, but they are not supportive of a troop increase and are pessimistic about the outcome, according to a Quinnipiac University poll conducted Sept. 29-Oct.5.

Another survey out today, an Associated Press/GfK poll conducted Oct. 1-5, shows that 57 percent oppose the war and 40 percent support it, with the support figure down four points from July. Those polled oppose a troop increase by 50 percent to 46 percent. Forty-six percent approve President Obama's handling of Afghanistan while 41 percent disapprove. The margin of error is 3.1 points.

In the Quinnipiac poll, voters said by 52 percent to 37 percent, with 11 percent undecided, that the U.S. was right to be fighting in Afghanistan. By 65 percent to 33 percent they said that they understood the reason the U.S. undertook the mission -- namely, as a response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the threat posed by a terrorist sanctuary in a Taliban-controlled country.

Sixty-five percent said eliminating any terrorist threat was worth American soldiers fighting and possibly dying for, while 28 percent said it was not.

Voters are less interested in the U.S. goal of establishing a stable democratic government in Afghanistan, with 52 percent saying that should not be the purpose of America's involvement, while 39 percent said it should. By 62 percent to 22 percent, they don't believe the U.S. will be successful in building a stable government there.

"The American people are deeply conflicted about the war in Afghanistan. Two-thirds of voters can tell you that the war is related to the 9/11 attacks and see the current effort there as worthwhile to prevent a reoccurrence," said Quinnipiac's Peter A. Brown. "But they don't want a prolonged military commitment, and there is obvious nervousness about requests from the military to send more troops to Afghanistan."

Only 38 percent favored a troop increase, a decision that is now on Obama's plate. Twenty-eight percent want troops decreased and 21 percent said the troop level should remain about the same. Obama told congressional leaders yesterday that he is still reviewing requests from military commanders for more troops, and that he would not substantially reduce the size of the American force. Sen. John McCain warned the president at the meeting, "Time is not on our side."

Voters trust Obama to make the right decision on troop levels by 55 percent to 38 percent. But their faith in the military to make the right recommendations -- even though their recommendations have been for more troops -- is higher, at 81 percent to 15 percent.

Fifty-one percent said an increase in American troops would not make the U.S. safer from terrorism, while 40 percent said it would.

Forty-nine percent do not think the U.S. will be successful in eliminating the terrorist threat in Afghanistan, compared to 38 percent who do, with 13 percent undecided. They don't believe a stable Afghan government will result from U.S. efforts by a 62 percent to 22 percent margin.

Twenty-eight percent are only willing to maintain U.S. troops there for another year, 21 percent would accept one to two years, 14 percent say two to five years and 30 percent say "as long as it takes." Fifty percent are concerned the U.S. will stay too long and 42 percent are worried that it will leave too soon. But they reject comparisons to Vietnam, with 56 percent rejecting the idea that the U.S. will get stuck in the same kind of a quagmire; 32 percent believe it will.