These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
62% Think Afghanistan Will Be A Harder Fight Than Iraq
Monday, December 14, 2009
Sixty-two percent (62%) of U.S. voters think it will be harder for America to make progress in Afghanistan than it was in Iraq.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 16% of voters disagree with that pessimistic assessment. But 22% are not sure.
President Obama recently announced his plan to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan by July 2011, but only 36% of voters believe it is even somewhat likely that all combat troops will be removed from the country before the end of his first term in the White House.
Fifty-eight percent (58%) say it's unlikely all combat troops will be out by late January 2013.
Those numbers includes 13% who say it is very likely and 19% who say it is not very likely the troops will be home by the end of the presidential term. Most voters are less certain of the outcome.
Overall, the numbers are little changed since the president's December 1 speech outlining his war strategy in Afghanistan.
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Fifty-three percent (53%) of voters support Obama's plan to send another 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, and nearly as many (47%) like his plan to begin withdrawing troops in 18 months. But put the two together, and 37% support the overall plan, while 38% oppose it .
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said that the United States is likely to have a military presence in Afghanistan for several more years. Forty-four percent (44%) of voters now have a favorable opinion of Gates, including 11% with a very favorable view of him. Gates is viewed unfavorably by 29%, with 10% who are very unfavorable. Twenty-seven percent (27%) aren't sure enough about the Defense secretary to have an opinion of him.
General David Petraeus, the top commander in the Middle East and Central Asia, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week that "achieving progress in Afghanistan will be hard and progress there likely will be slower in developing than was the progress in Iraq." But he added, "As with Iraq, in Afghanistan hard is not hopeless."
Men are more dubious about the pace of success in Afghanistan than women. Younger voters are slightly more optimistic than their elders.
Republicans are much more supportive of the war than Democrats. GOP voters also feel more strongly than Democrats and voters not affiliated with either party that it will be harder for the United States to make progress in Afghanistan than it was in Iraq.
Fifty percent (50%) of Democrats are confident that all combat troops will be removed from Afghanistan before the end of Obama's first term. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Republicans and 67% of unaffiliateds are not very or not at all confident of that.
Voters are almost evenly divided over what is the more important goal in Afghanistan - winning the war or ending it as quickly as possible. Most believe President Obama is looking to end the war as quickly as possible.
Fifty-one percent (51%) of all voters now say the United States can win the war in Afghanistan. Only 39% believed that prior to the president's speech.
Voter confidence in U.S. efforts if Afghanistan has reached its highest level of the year. Even then, however, just 34% believe the situation in Afghanistan will get better in the next six months, while 39% expect it to get worse.
In his speech, the president also outlined his plans to remove all combat brigades from Iraq by the end of next summer and the remaining troops by the end of 2011. Thirty-nine percent (39%) of voters think the situation in Iraq will get better over the next six months. Twenty-nine percent (29%) say it will get worse.
The president in his speech stressed how important it is for America's NATO allies to pitch in. Only 33% of voters are at least somewhat confident that NATO will do all it can to help the United States win in Afghanistan.
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To view the original report, please use this link: How Hard Will It Get?