A CNN/Opinion Research poll, conducted Oct. 30 - Nov. 1, said 58 percent oppose the war while 40 percent favor it, about the same as mid-September. Fifty-six percent oppose sending more troops as President Obama's generals have requested, while 42 percent favor it. In mid-October, 59 percent opposed sending more troops while 39 percent supported it.

Obama has been criticized for taking too much time in deciding on the request for more troops, which Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, requested in September. But the public is split on that question with 50 percent not thinking so, while 49 percent saying Obama has taken too long.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen were "coalescing" around a proposal to send about 30,000 more troops. McChrystal has asked for about 40,000.

Americans disapprove of Obama's handling of Afghanistan by 49 percent to 36 percent, a reversal from July when they approved of it by a 47 percent to 33 percent, according to a Pew Research Center poll, conducted Oct. 28 - Nov. 8,

The Pew poll found a decline in the number of Americans who thought the U.S. effort in Afghanistan was going well. Thirty-six percent now say it is going very or fairly well while 57 percent believe it is not going too well or not well at all. In January, the public split on that question at 45 percent each.

Fewer Americans now believe the initial decision to use force in Afghanistan was the right one. Fifty-six percent say it was the right decision compared to 64 percent in January.

Among Democrats, the percentage of self-described conservatives or moderates who believe the initial decision was right dropped from 59 percent in January to 49 percent in the current poll, while the number of liberals who thought it right dropped from 53 percent to 49 percent.

There were fall-offs, too, among Republicans and independents on that question. Seventy-six percent of conservative Republicans still believe the initial decision was right, but that compares to 85 percent who thought so in January. The percentage of moderate and liberal Republicans who thought it was right dropped from 75 percent to 62 percent. And the number of independents who thought it was right decreased from 65 percent to 55 percent.