Afghanistan

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Afghanistan See also: Terrorism | Allies and enemies

Polls listed chronologically. Data are from nationwide surveys of Americans 18 & older.

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Jan. 22-24, 2010. N=1,009 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"How important is it to you that the President and Congress deal with each of the following issues in the next year? Will it be extremely important, very important, moderately important, or not that important? The situation in Afghanistan."
						.
		Extremely Important	Very Important	Moderately Important	Not That Important	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	1/22-24/10	39	39	16	5	1
	5/16-18/09	35	42	17	5	1
	2/18-19/09	41	35	20	4	-
						.
"Do you favor or oppose the U.S. war in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	1/22-24/10	47	52	1		.
	12/16-20/09	43	55	3		.
	12/2-3/09	46	51	2		.
	11/13-15/09	45	52	3		.
	10/30 - 11/1/09	40	58	2		.
	9/11-13/09	39	58	3		.
	8/28-31/09	42	57	2		.
	7/31 - 8/3/09	41	54	5		.
	5/14-17/09	50	48	3		.
	4/3-5/09	53	46	1		.
	2/18-19/09	47	51	2		.
	12/1-2/08	52	46	2		.
	7/27-29/08	46	52	2		.
	1/19-21/07	44	52	4		.
	9/22-24/06	50	48	2		.
						.
"Regardless of how you feel about the war in general, do you favor or oppose President Obama's plan to send about 30,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan in an attempt to stabilize the situation there?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	1/22-24/10	61	38	1		.
	12/16-20/09	59	39	1		.
	12/2-3/09	62	36	2		.

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Dec. 16-20, 2009. N=1,160 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Do you favor or oppose the U.S. war in Afghanistan?" If oppose: "Which of the following statements comes closer to your view? You currently oppose the U.S. war in Afghanistan because you opposed the initial decision in 2001 to go to war in that country. OR, You favored the initial decision in 2001 to go to war in Afghanistan but events since then have made you change your mind." Options rotated. Combined responses.
						.
		Favor	Oppose Now: Opposed In 2001	Oppose Now: Favored In 2001	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	12/16-20/09	43	31	23	4	.
						.
"Regardless of how you feel about the war in general, do you favor or oppose President Obama's plan to send about 30,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan in an attempt to stabilize the situation there?" If oppose: "Do you think the U.S. should keep the same number of troops in Afghanistan as it currently has, or do you think the U.S. should reduce the number of troops in that country but keep some there, or do you think the U.S. should immediately withdraw all troops from Afghanistan?" Combined responses
						.
		Favor	Oppose: Keep Same Number	Oppose: Reduce Number	Oppose: Withdraw All	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/16-20/09	59	5	10	23	2
						.
"Who do you think is currently winning the war in Afghanistan: the U.S. and its allies, the insurgents in Afghanistan, or neither side?"
						.
		U.S. and Allies	Insurgents	Neither Side	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	12/16-20/09	18	14	67	1	.
	12/6-9/07	30	10	58	2	.
	8/2-3/06	28	10	58	5	.

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R). Dec. 11-14, 2009. N=1,008 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.1 (for all adults).
						.
"Do you generally approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing in handling the war in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	12/11-14/09	46	42	12		.
						.
"Do you think the war in Afghanistan against the Taliban and Al Qaeda has been very successful, somewhat successful, somewhat unsuccessful, or very unsuccessful?" Half sample (Form B), MoE ą 4.4
						.
		Very Successful	Somewhat Successful	Somewhat Unsuccessful	Very Unsuccessful	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/11-14/09	2	37	29	27	5
	9/17-20/09	8	38	26	23	5
	10/13-16/06	9	42	23	24	2
						.
"Do you feel more confident or less confident that the war in Afghanistan will come to a successful conclusion?" Half sample (Form A), MoE ą 4.4
						.
		More Confident	Less Confident	Depends (vol.)	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	12/11-14/09	30	58	5	7	.
	9/17-20/09	28	59	6	7	.
						.
"Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose increasing troop levels in Afghanistan?" 10/09 & earlier: "Would you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose increasing troop levels in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Strongly Support	Somewhat Support	Somewhat Oppose	Strongly Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/11-14/09	30	25	15	24	6
	10/22-25/09	28	19	15	28	10
	9/17-20/09	19	25	20	31	5
						.
"Please tell me which of the following concerns you more. That we will invest a lot of money and American lives in the war in Afghanistan and have little to show for it. OR, That we will not do enough to deal with the threat of Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and we will be more vulnerable as a result." Half sample (Form B), MoE ą 4.4
						.
		Invest a Lot, Little to Show	Will Not Do Enough	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	12/11-14/09	42	48	10		.
	9/17-20/09	45	44	11		.
						.
"As you may know, President Obama's plan for Afghanistan is to send an additional thirty thousand troops to the country. These troops will fight against the Taliban and Al Qaeda and increase training of the Afghan army. The additional troops will begin deploying now and all thirty thousand are expected to be in Afghanistan by the fall of 2010. Then, in the summer of 2011 U.S. troops will begin to withdraw from the country. Do you think this plan is definitely the right approach, probably the right approach, probably the wrong approach, or definitely the wrong approach for the war in Afghanistan? If you do not know enough to have an opinion, please say so."
						.
		Definitely Right	Probably Right	Probably Wrong	Definitely Wrong	Don't Know Enough
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/11-14/09	9	35	20	21	13
						.
"Do you think it is very likely, somewhat likely, somewhat unlikely, or very unlikely that U.S. troops will begin to withdraw from Afghanistan by the summer of 2011?" Half sample (Form B), MoE ą 4.4
						.
		Very Likely	Somewhat Likely	Somewhat Unlikely	Very Unlikely	Depends (vol.)/Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/11-14/09	12	27	27	29	5

AP-GfK Poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media. Dec. 10-14, 2009. N=1,001 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.1.
						.
"How important are the following issues to you personally: not at all important, slightly important, moderately important, very important, or extremely important? How about the situation in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Extremely Important	Very Important	Moderately Important	Slightly Important	Not at All Important
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/10-14/09	30	39	20	7	4
	11/5-9/09	34	36	16	6	4
	10/1-5/09	36	36	16	7	4
	9/3-8/09	29	38	20	7	5
	7/16-20/09	25	37	25	6	5
	4/16-20/09	28	36	24	6	6
						.
"And please tell me if you approve, disapprove or neither approve nor disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling each of the following issues. How about the situation in Afghanistan?" If unsure: "If you had to choose, do you lean more toward approving or disapproving of the way Barack Obama is handling the situation in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Neither	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	12/10-14/09	52	40	8	-
	11/5-9/09	42	48	10	-
	10/1-5/09	46	41	14	-
	9/3-8/09	46	40	13	1
	7/16-20/09	55	32	13	-
	4/16-20/09	60	26	12	2
						.
"Do you favor or oppose the war in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure	Refused
		%	%	%	%
	12/10-14/09	39	57	3	1
	11/5-9/09	39	57	3	1
	10/1-5/09	40	57	2	1
	7/16-20/09	44	53	3	1
						.
"Would you favor or oppose sending more troops to Afghanistan?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure	Refused
		%	%	%	%
	12/10-14/09	42	56	2	-
	11/5-9/09	43	54	3	1
	10/1-5/09	46	50	4	1
						.
"Over the next year, do you expect the situation in Afghanistan to get better, get worse or stay about the same?"
						.
		Get Better	Get Worse	Stay About the Same	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	12/10-14/09	31	23	44	2

*ABC News/Washington Post* Poll. Dec. 10-13, 2009. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.5 (for all adults).
						.
"Do you approve or disapprove of the way Obama is handling the situation in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	12/10-13/09	52	44	4		.
	11/12-15/09	45	48	6		.
	10/15-18/09	45	47	7		.
	9/10-12/09	55	37	7		.
	8/13-17/09	60	33	7		.
	7/15-18/09	62	30	8		.
	4/21-24/09	63	26	11		.
						.
"Who do you trust to do a better job handling the situation in Afghanistan: Obama or the Republicans in Congress?" Half sample, MoE ą 5
						.
		Obama	Republicans in Congress	Both (vol.)	Neither (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/10-13/09	47	35	1	14	4
	11/12-15/09	46	41	1	9	3
						.
"All in all, considering the costs to the United States versus the benefits to the United States, do you think the war in Afghanistan has been worth fighting, or not?" 10/09: "All in all, considering the costs to the United States versus the benefits to the United States, do you think the war in Afghanistan was / has been worth fighting, or not?" -- "was" and "has been" each asked of half the sample. 9/09 & earlier: "All in all, considering the costs to the United States versus the benefits to the United States, do you think the war in Afghanistan was worth fighting, or not?"
						.
		Worth Fighting	Not Worth Fighting	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	12/10-13/09	52	44	4		.
	11/12-15/09	44	52	4		.
	10/15-18/09	47	49	4		.
	9/10-12/09	46	51	3		.
	8/13-17/09	47	51	3		.
	7/15-18/09	51	45	4		.
	3/26-29/09	56	41	4		.
	2/19-22/09	50	47	3		.
	12/11-14/08	55	39	5		.
	7/10-13/08	51	45	4		.
	2/22-25/07	56	41	3		.
						.
"Do you support or oppose Obama's decision to send approximately 30,000 additional U.S. military forces to Afghanistan? ... Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?"
						.
		Strongly Support	Somewhat Support	Somewhat Oppose	Strongly Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/10-13/09	36	22	10	30	2
						.
"How confident are you that Obama's new strategy for Afghanistan will succeed: very confident, somewhat confident, not so confident or not confident at all?"
						.
		Very Confident	Somewhat Confident	Not So Confident	Not at All Confident	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/10-13/09	11	41	25	20	3
						.
"Obama has said U.S. forces will start withdrawing from Afghanistan in summer 2011. Do you think they should start withdrawing sooner than that, later than that, or is this schedule about right?"
						.
		Sooner	Later	Schedule About Right	Withdraw Now (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/10-13/09	31	19	39	1	9
						.
"Regardless of when you think the U.S. withdrawal should begin, do you support or oppose Obama having set a specific deadline for this to occur?"
						.
		Support	Oppose	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	12/10-13/09	42	55	3		.
						.
"Do you think the United States must win the war in Afghanistan in order for the broader war on terrorism to be a success, or do you think the war on terrorism can be a success without the United States winning the war in Afghanistan?" Options rotated
						.
		Must Win in Afghanistan	Victory There Not Required	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	12/10-13/09	56	36	8		.
	9/10-12/09	48	45	7		.
	2/19-22/09	50	41	9		.
	12/11-14/08	51	40	9		.
	7/10-13/08	51	42	7		.
						.
"Regardless of when a withdrawal begins, do you expect that a large number of U.S. forces will remain in Afghanistan for many years, or do you think that will not happen?" If will remain: "Is this something you would SUPPORT or OPPOSE?" Combined responses
						.
		Will Remain: Support	Will Remain: Oppose	Will Not Happen	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	12/10-13/09	37	33	24	5	.
						.
"How do you feel today about the Taliban having given support to Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda before the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001? Would you say you're extremely angry about that, very angry, somewhat angry, or not so angry?"
						.
		Extremely Angry	Very Angry	Somewhat Angry	Not So Angry	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/10-13/09	39	34	18	8	2

CBS News/New York Times Poll. Dec. 4-8, 2009. N=1,031 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the situation with Afghanistan?"
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	12/4-8/09	48	38	14	.	.
	11/13-16/09	38	43	19	.	.
	10/5-8/09	42	34	24	.	.
	9/19-23/09	44	35	21	.	.
	8/27-31/09	48	30	22	.	.
	4/22-26/09	56	21	23	.	.
	4/1-5/09	58	21	21	.	.
						.
"Do you think the U.S. is doing the right thing by fighting the war in Afghanistan now, or should the U.S. not be involved in Afghanistan now?"
						.
		Right Thing	Not Involved	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	12/4-8/09	49	39	12	.	.
	10/5-8/09	51	39	10	.	.
	9/19-23/09	47	42	11	.	.
						.
"What is your impression of how the war in Afghanistan is going for the United States right now: very well, somewhat well, somewhat badly, or very badly?"
						.
		Very Well	Somewhat Well	Somewhat Badly	Very Badly	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/4-8/09	1	29	43	17	10
	11/13-16/09	4	19	42	27	8
	9/19-23/09	3	32	38	15	12
	8/27-31/09	2	35	34	18	11
	7/24-28/09	3	30	39	18	10
	7/9-12/09	2	34	40	15	9
	6/12-16/09	2	28	40	15	15
	4/22-26/09	1	37	40	13	9
	4/1-5/09	3	33	37	15	12
	3/12-16/09	3	30	36	21	10
	12/4-7/08	2	25	44	18	11
	9/21-24/08	2	29	32	23	14
	8/15-19/08	3	25	40	18	14
	3/20-24/03	30	46	11	3	10
						.
"From what you know about the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, how much longer would you be willing to have large numbers of U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan: less than a year, one to two years, two to five years, five to ten years, or as long as it takes?"
						.
			12/4-8/09	9/19-23/09	.	.
			%	%	.	.
	Less than a year		32	31	.	.
	One to two years		25	24	.	.
	Two to five years		6	11	.	.
	Five to ten years		1	1	.	.
	As long as it takes		26	26	.	.
	Should leave now (vol.)		4	1	.	.
	Unsure		6	6	.	.
						.
"How likely do you think it is that the U.S. will be able to stop terrorists from using Afghanistan as a safe haven for their attacks against the U.S. and its allies: very likely, somewhat likely, not very likely, or not all likely?"
						.
		Very Likely	Somewhat Likely	Not Very Likely	Not at All Likely	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/4-8/09	11	37	26	16	10
						.
"So far, do you think Barack Obama has clearly explained his plan for Afghanistan, or hasn't he clearly explained his plan?"
						.
		Has Clearly Explained	Hasn't Clearly Explained	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	12/4-8/09	42	47	11	.	.
						.
"As you may know, Barack Obama announced that an additional 30,000 U.S. troops will be sent to Afghanistan in the coming months. Do you approve or disapprove of sending additional troops to Afghanistan?"
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	12/4-8/09	51	43	6	.	.
						.
"As you may know, Barack Obama has announced that he will begin bringing U.S. troops home from Afghanistan starting in the middle of 2011. Do you think it is a good idea for Barack Obama to set a date to begin withdrawing troops, or is it not a good idea to set a date?"
						.
		Good Idea	Not a Good Idea	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	12/4-8/09	41	55	4	.	.
						.
"Regardless of whether you think sending additional troops to Afghanistan is a good idea, do you think the United States can count on the government of Afghanistan to work toward stabilizing the country, or can it not count on the government of Afghanistan?"
						.
		Can Count On	Cannot Count On	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	12/4-8/09	26	61	13	.	.
						.
"In order to pay for the additional U.S. troops in Afghanistan, do you think the money should come from a tax increase, spending cuts in other areas of government, or should it be added to the budget deficit?"
						.
		Tax Increase	Spending Cuts	Added to the Deficit	Combination/ Other (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/4-8/09	10	53	19	6	12
						.
"Do you think sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan will make the U.S. safer from terrorism, less safe from terrorism, or will sending more troops to Afghanistan not affect the United States' safety from terrorism?"
						.
		Safer	Less Safe	Won't Affect Safety	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	12/4-8/09	39	8	45	8	.

Bloomberg Poll conducted by Selzer & Co. Dec. 3-7, 2009. N=1,000 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.1.
						.
"[Do you approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as president?] ... Do you approve or disapprove of the job he is doing with managing the war in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	12/3-7/09	48	43	9	.	.
						.
"President Obama has ordered that 30,000 additional troops be sent to fight the war in Afghanistan. He also proposed a timetable to begin withdrawal of those additional forces in July 2011. Do you approve or disapprove of [see below]?"
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
						.
	"The decision to send additional troops"
	12/3-7/09	62	34	4	.	.
						.
	"The timetable for withdrawal"
	12/3-7/09	45	49	6	.	.
						.
"President Obama said the troop surge he has ordered in Afghanistan will cost $30 billion. Which of the following four options do you think is the best course to cover this cost: by increasing taxes on all Americans; by increasing taxes on just rich Americans such as individuals who earn more than $250,000 a year; by cutting government spending other than entitlements such as Social Security or Medicare; or by borrowing that increases the deficit?"
						.
		Increase Taxes On All Americans	Increase Taxes On Just the Rich	Cut Spending Other Than Entitlements	Borrow and Increase the Deficit	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/3-7/09	13	28	46	5	8

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Dec. 2-3, 2009. N=1,041 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3 (for all adults).
						.
"President Obama also announced that he plans to start removing U.S. troops from Afghanistan in the summer of 2011. Thinking specifically about that policy and not about Obama's decision to announce it at this time, do you favor or oppose Obama's plan to start removing troops from Afghanistan in 2011?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	12/2-3/09	66	32	2		.
						.
"And regardless of how you feel about the plan to start removing troops in 2011, do you think it was a good idea or a bad idea for Obama to announce that policy at this time?"
						.
		Good Idea	Bad Idea	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	12/2-3/09	39	59	2		.
						.
"And just your best guess -- do you think conditions in Afghanistan will or will not be good enough in the summer of 2011 for the U.S. to start removing troops?"
						.
		Will	Will Not	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	12/2-3/09	33	61	6		.
						.
"Do you think the safety and security of the United States are at stake in Afghanistan, or don't you think so?"
						.
		Are at Stake	Don't Think So	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	12/2-3/09	64	34	2		.
						.
"Who do you have more confidence in when it comes to handling the situation in Afghanistan: President Obama or the Democrats in Congress?"
						.
		President Obama	Democrats in Congress	Both (vol.)	Neither (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/2-3/09	44	31	4	20	2
						.
"What do you think is the most likely outcome for the U.S. in Afghanistan: a victory, a stalemate, or a defeat?"
						.
		Victory	Stalemate	Defeat	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	12/2-3/09	29	57	12	2	.
						.
"As you may know, it has been about three months since the general in charge of U.S. forces in Afghanistan formally requested additional troops. Which of the following statements comes closest to your view? You think Obama took too much time to make this decision. You think that amount of time was necessary for Obama to make a thorough review and explore the different options available."
						.
		Too Much Time	Amount of Time was Necessary	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	12/2-3/09	43	56	1		.
						.
"Just your best guess -- do you think each of the following is likely or unlikely to happen in Afghanistan in the next few years? . . ."
						.
		Likely	Unlikely	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
						.
	"Afghanistan will have a democratic government that will not be overthrown by terrorists or the Taliban"
	12/2-3/09	33	66	1		.
	10/16-18/09	31	68	2		.
						.
	"Afghan military and police will be able to ensure safety and security in Afghanistan without assistance from the United States"
	12/2-3/09	35	65	-		.
	10/16-18/09	31	69	-		.
						.
	"Afghanistan will be able to prevent terrorists from using the country as a base of operations for planning attacks against the United States"
	12/2-3/09	36	63	1		.
	10/16-18/09	33	66	1		.
						.
"Whose policies do you blame for the problems that the U.S. is currently facing in Afghanistan: the policies of George W. Bush or the policies of Barack Obama?"
						.
		Bush	Obama	Both equally/ Neither (vol.)	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	12/2-3/09	64	17	18	1	.
						.
"And if the current situation facing the U.S. in Afghanistan does not improve by the summer of 2011, whose policies would you blame for that: the policies of George W. Bush, or the policies of Barack Obama?"
						.
		Bush	Obama	Both equally/ Neither (vol.)	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	12/2-3/09	34	54	12	1	.
						.
"Do you think the United States' action in Afghanistan is morally justified, or not?"
						.
		Is	Is Not	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	12/2-3/09	63	35	1		.
						.
"Did you happen to watch or listen to any of Obama's speech on Afghanistan on Tuesday night, or not?"
						.
		Yes	No			.
		%	%			.
	12/2-3/09	42	58			.
						.
	Asked of those who watched speech (N=519, MoE ą 4.5): "Did the speech make you more likely or less likely to support Obama's policies in Afghanistan, or didn't it make any difference to you?"
						.
		More Likely	Less Likely	No Difference		.
		%	%	%		.
	12/2-3/09	34	16	50		.

USA Today/Gallup Poll. Dec. 2, 2009. N=1,005 adults nationwide. MoE ą 4.
						.
"Next, we have some questions about Afghanistan. As you may know, President Obama has decided to increase the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan by 30,000 while also setting a timetable that calls for the U.S. to begin withdrawing troops from that country in 2011. In general, do you favor or oppose this plan?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	12/2/09	51	40	9	.	.
						.
"Now, thinking more specifically about the different aspects of the policy: What is your view of sending 30,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan? Do you think that number is too high, about right, or too low?"
						.
		Too High	About Right	Too Low	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	12/2/09	36	38	18	8	.
						.
"Now, thinking more specifically about the different aspects of the policy: Which comes closest to your view about setting a timetable for beginning to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan in 2011 -- you agree with that timetable, you think the U.S. should start withdrawing troops sooner than that, or you think it is too soon to set a timetable for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan?"
						.
		Agree with Timetable	Start Withdrawing Sooner	Too Soon To Set a Timetable	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	12/2/09	22	26	46	6	.
						.
"Some members of Congress have called for a special tax to pay for the costs of the war in Afghanistan, also called a 'war surtax.' Do you favor or oppose such a tax?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	12/2/09	24	68	8	.	.
						.
"How worried are you that the costs of the war in Afghanistan will make it more difficult for the government to address the problems facing the United States at home: very worried, somewhat worried, not too worried or not worried at all?"
						.
		Very Worried	Somewhat Worried	Not Too Worried	Not at All Worried	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/2/09	32	41	16	10	2
						.
"How worried are you that that withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan will make the United States more vulnerable to terrorist attacks: very worried, somewhat worried, not too worried or not worried at all?"
						.
		Very Worried	Somewhat Worried	Not Too Worried	Not at All Worried	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/2/09	19	36	27	16	2
						.
"Now, thinking in general about the goals for U.S. military policy in Afghanistan, do you think the United States is certain to achieve its goals in Afghanistan, likely to achieve its goals, not likely to achieve its goals, or certain NOT to achieve its goals in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Certain to Achieve	Likely to Achieve	Not Likely to Achieve	Certain Not to Achieve	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/2/09	7	41	36	9	7
						.
"Looking back, do you think sending troops to Afghanistan was the right thing or the wrong thing for the U.S. to do?"
						.
		Right Thing	Wrong Thing	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	12/2/09	62	32	6	.	.

USA Today/Gallup Poll. Nov. 20-22, 2009. N=1,017 adults nationwide. MoE ą 4.
						.
"Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the situation in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	11/20-22/09	35	55	9
	9/11-13/09	49	42	9
	7/17-19/09	56	34	11
						.
"Thinking now about U.S. military action in Afghanistan that began in October 2001: Do you think the United States made a mistake in sending military forces to Afghanistan, or not?"
						.
		Made a Mistake	Did Not Make a Mistake	Unsure
		%	%	%
	11/20-22/09	36	60	3
	8/31 - 9/2/09	37	61	2
	7/10-12/09	36	61	3
	3/14-15/09	42	52	6
	1/30 - 2/1/09	30	66	4
	8/21-23/08	34	63	3
	7/25-27/08	28	68	4
	8/3-5/07	25	70	5
	7/19-21/04	25	72	3
	1/7-9/02	6	93	1
	11/8-11/01	9	89	2
						.
"In general, how would you say things are going for the U.S. in Afghanistan: very well, moderately well, moderately badly, or very badly?" Options rotated
						.
		Very Well	Moderately Well	Moderately Badly	Very Badly	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/20-22/09	2	30	45	21	2
	8/31 - 9/2/09	4	34	45	16	2
	7/10-12/09	4	50	31	12	2
	3/14-15/09	3	35	37	17	8
	1/30 - 2/1/09	4	40	38	14	5
	8/21-23/08	6	35	39	16	4
	7/25-27/08	5	41	33	18	3
	9/15-17/06	6	43	30	16	5
						.
"Which of the following would you like to see President Obama do? Increase the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan by the roughly 40,000 the U.S. commanding general there has recommended. Increase the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan but by a smaller amount than the 40,000 the U.S. commanding general there has recommended. Keep the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan the same as now. OR, Begin to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan." Options rotated
						.
		Increase by 40,000	Increase by Less Than 40,000	Keep the Same Number	Reduce the Number	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/20-22/09	37	10	9	39	5
	11/5-8/09	35	7	7	44	7

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. Nov. 17-18, 2009. N=900 registered voters nationwide. MoE ą 3 (for all registered voters).
						.
"Do you support or oppose sending additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan?"
						.
		Support	Oppose	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	11/17-18/09	42	45	12	.	.
	Democrats	27	61	12	.	.
	Republicans	61	28	11	.	.
	Independents	41	43	16	.	.
						.
	10/13-14/09	46	46	8	.	.
	Democrats	32	61	7	.	.
	Republicans	65	29	5	.	.
	Independents	40	50	10	.	.
						.
	9/15-16/09	41	50	9	.	.
	Democrats	30	62	8	.	.
	Republicans	58	31	11	.	.
	Independents	35	58	7	.	.

CBS News Poll. Nov. 13-16, 2009. N=1,167 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"From what you have seen or heard about the situation in Afghanistan, what should the United States do now? Should the U.S. increase the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, keep the same number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan as there are now, or decrease the number of troops in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Increase	Keep the Same	Decrease	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	11/13-16/09	32	20	39	9	.
	10/5-8/09	37	17	38	8	.
	9/19-23/09	29	27	32	12	.
	8/27-31/09	25	23	41	11	.
	4/1-5/09	39	18	33	10	.
	2/18-22/09	42	23	24	11	.
	1/11-15/09	34	28	26	12	.
						.
"As you may know, the Obama Administration is considering sending additional troops to Afghanistan. From what you have heard or read, do you think a troop increase would make the situation in Afghanistan better, make it worse, or would it have no impact on the situation in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Make It Better	Make It Worse	Have No Impact	Depends (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/13-16/09	36	22	31	4	7

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Nov. 13-15, 2009. N=1,014 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"If Barack Obama decided to send about 34,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan, would you favor or oppose that decision?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	11/13-15/09	50	49	1		.
						.
"And if Obama decided to send a smaller number of additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan, would you favor or oppose that decision?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	11/13-15/09	42	56	2		.
						.
"In general, how would you say things are going for the U.S. in Afghanistan: very well, moderately well, moderately badly, or very badly?"
						.
		Very Well	Moderately Well	Moderately Badly	Very Badly	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/13-15/09	2	30	42	24	2
	5/14-17/09	3	33	44	17	3
	3/9-11/07	5	35	34	21	4

*ABC News/Washington Post* Poll. Nov. 12-15, 2009. N=1,001 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.5 (for all adults).
						.
"If Obama decides to send more U.S. forces to Afghanistan, would you prefer that he send a smaller number of U.S. forces mainly to train the Afghan military; or that he send a larger number of U.S. forces to fight al Qaeda and the Taliban as well as to train the Afghan military?" Options rotated
						.
		Smaller Number	Larger Number	No Increase (vol.)	Decrease/Pull Out (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/12-15/09	45	46	3	2	4
						.
"As you may know, Obama is developing a strategy for Afghanistan that he's expected to announce in the next few weeks. How confident are you he will come up with a strategy that will succeed: very confident, somewhat confident, not so confident or not confident at all?"
						.
		Very Confident	Somewhat Confident	Not So Confident	Not at All Confident	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/12-15/09	17	38	23	20	1
						.
"In deciding U.S. policy in Afghanistan do you think Obama is giving U.S. military leaders too much influence, too little influence, or about the right amount?" Options rotated
						.
		Too Much Influence	Too Little Influence	About the Right Amount	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	11/12-15/09	9	35	51	6	.
						.
"What do you think would do more to increase the risk of a terrorist attack occurring here in the United States: withdrawing from Afghanistan, or remaining in Afghanistan, or is the risk of terrorism about the same either way?"
						.
		Withdrawing	Remaining	About the Same	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	11/12-15/09	23	12	64	2	.
						.
"How confident are you that the government of President Hamid Karzai will be a reliable partner for the United States in Afghanistan: very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not confident at all?" Half sample (Form A), MoE ą 5
						.
		Very Confident	Somewhat Confident	Not Too Confident	Not at All Confident	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/12-15/09	4	22	44	25	6
						.
"How confident are you that the government of President Hamid Karzai will be able to train an effective Afghan Army to take over security there at some point: very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not confident at all?" Half sample (Form B), MoE ą 5
						.
		Very Confident	Somewhat Confident	Not Too Confident	Not at All Confident	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/12-15/09	5	33	37	22	3

Pew Research Center survey. Oct. 28-Nov. 8, 2009. N=2,000 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Now thinking about Afghanistan: Do you think the United States' initial decision to use force in Afghanistan was the right decision or the wrong decision?"
						.
		Right Decision	Wrong Decision	Unsure
		%	%	%
	10/28 - 11/8/09	56	34	10
						.
"How well is the U.S. military effort in Afghanistan going: very well, fairly well, not too well, or not at all well?"
						.
		Very Well	Fairly Well	Not Too Well	Not at All Well	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	10/28 - 11/8/09	4	32	41	16	6
	1/7-11/09	7	38	34	11	10
						.
"Over the next year, do you think the number of troops in Afghanistan should be increased, decreased, or kept the same as it is now?"
						.
		Increased	Decreased	Kept the Same	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	10/28 - 11/8/09	32	40	19	8
	1/7-11/09	33	39	20	8

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 2009. N=1,018 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3 (for all adults).
					.
"Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the situation in Afghanistan?"
					.
		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	.
	10/30 - 11/1/09	42	56	2	.
	8/28-31/09	49	46	5	.
	3/12-15/099	67	29	5	.
					.
"Do you favor or oppose the U.S. war in Afghanistan?"
					.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	.
	10/30 - 11/1/09	40	58	2	.
	9/11-13/09	39	58	3	.
	8/28-31/09	42	57	2	.
	7/31 - 8/3/09	41	54	5	.
	5/14-17/09	50	48	3	.
	4/3-5/09	53	46	1	.
	2/18-19/09	47	51	2	.
	12/1-2/08	52	46	2	.
	7/27-29/08	46	52	2	.
	1/19-21/07	44	52	4	.
	9/22-24/06	50	48	2	.
					.
"Would you favor or oppose sending more troops to Afghanistan?"
					.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	.
	10/30 - 11/1/09	42	56	2	.
	10/16-18/09	39	59	2	.
					.
"As you may know, Barack Obama has been considering whether to send more troops to Afghanistan. Do you think Obama has taken too long to make that decision, or don't you think so?"
					.
		Taken Too Long	Don't Think So	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	.
	10/30 - 11/1/09	49	50	1	.
					.
"When it comes to decisions about military strategy and troop strength in Afghanistan, do you think Obama should follow the recommendations of the generals in charge of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, or should Obama take other matters into account as well?"
					.
		Follow Generals	Other Matters as Well	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	.
	10/30 - 11/1/09	52	48	1	.
					.
"Do you think that, within the next 12 months, there will or will not be a stable democratic government in Afghanistan that can maintain order in the country without assistance from U.S. troops?" N=506 (Form A), MoE ą 4.5
					.
		Will	Will Not	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	.
	10/30 - 11/1/09	8	90	1	.
					.
"Do you think that, eventually, there will or will not be a stable democratic government in Afghanistan that can maintain order in the country without assistance from U.S. troops?" N=512 (Form B), MoE ą 4.5
					.
		Will	Will Not	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	.
	10/30 - 11/1/09	32	64	4	.

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R). Oct. 22-25, 2009. N=1,009 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.1 (for all adults).
						.
"As you may know, the Obama administration has said it will not make a firm decision about whether to send more troops to Afghanistan until after that country's upcoming runoff election when the president of Afghanistan will be determined and the political situation in that country is clearer. Do you support or oppose this decision?" Half sample (Form B), MoE ą 4.4
						.
		Support	Oppose	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	10/22-25/09	58	37	5		.
						.
"I'm going to read you several possibilities for next steps in Afghanistan. For each one please tell me whether this would be acceptable to you or not acceptable to you. . . ."
						.
		Acceptable	Not Acceptable	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
						.
	"Sending an additional ten thousand U.S. troops and focusing on fighting insurgents in some areas and putting additional emphasis on training for Afghanistan's army and police"
	10/22-25/09	55	36	9		.
						.
	"Not sending any additional U.S. troops and focusing on attacking specific al Qaeda camps and leaders along the border with Pakistan using troops already in Afghanistan"
	10/22-25/09	46	43	11		.
						.
	"Withdrawing nearly all U.S. troops already in Afghanistan and focusing on attacking specific al Qaeda camps and leaders along the Pakistani border with unmanned aircraft and commando teams"
	10/22-25/09	45	45	10		.
						.
	"Sending an additional forty thousand U.S. troops and focusing on fighting insurgents across the country and protecting the Afghan people"
	10/22-25/09	43	49	8		.
						.
"When it comes to making major decisions on overall military strategy and the number of troops needed, such as in Afghanistan, who do you have more confidence in to make the right decisions: the president and secretary of defense OR the generals running operations in the country?" Half sample (Form B), MoE ą 4.4
						.
		President and Secretary of Defense	Generals In the Country	Some of Both (vol.)	Neither (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	10/22-25/09	25	62	9	2	2

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Oct. 16-18, 2009. N=1,038 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Would you favor or oppose sending more troops to Afghanistan?" If oppose: "Do you think the U.S. should keep the same number of troops in Afghanistan as it currently has, or do you think the U.S. should reduce the number of troops in that country but keep some there, or do you think the U.S. should immediately withdraw all troops from Afghanistan?" Combined responses
						.
		Send More	Keep Same	Reduce	Withdraw All	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	10/16-18/09	39	8	21	28	3
						.
"Do you consider the war in Afghanistan to be part of the war on terrorism which began on September 11, 2001, or do you consider it to be an entirely separate military action?" N=540 (Form A), MoE ą 4
						.
		Part of War On Terrorism	Entirely Separate	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	10/16-18/09	61	37	1		.
						.
"Thinking about the current situation, do you think it is or is not necessary for the United States to keep its troops in Afghanistan NOW in order to prevent additional acts of terrorism in the U.S.?" N=498 (Form B), MoE ą 4.5
						.
		Is Necessary	Is Not Necessary	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	10/16-18/09	60	39	1		.
						.
"Do you think the war in Afghanistan has turned into a situation like the United States faced in the Vietnam War, or don't you think so?"
						.
		Has	Has Not	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	10/16-18/09	52	46	3		.

*ABC News/Washington Post* Poll. Oct. 15-18, 2009. N=1,004 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.5 (for all adults).
						.
"Do you think the Obama Administration does or does not have a clear plan for handling the situation in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Does	Does Not	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	10/15-18/09	31	63	6		.
						.
"U.S. military commanders have requested approximately 40,000 more U.S. troops for Afghanistan. Do you think Obama should or should not order these additional forces to Afghanistan?"
						.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	10/15-18/09	47	49	4		.
						.
"For each item I name, please tell me if you see it as something the United States should or should not try to do in Afghanistan. [See below.] Is that something the United States should or should not try to do in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
						.
	"Preventing the establishment of al Qaeda terrorist bases in Afghanistan"
	10/15-18/09	75	22	3		.
						.
	"Preventing the Taliban from returning to power in Afghanistan"
	10/15-18/09	75	21	4		.
						.
	"Providing economic development aid to improve living conditions for ordinary Afghans"
	10/15-18/09	59	39	2		.
						.
	"Establishing a stable democratic government in Afghanistan"
	10/15-18/09	59	38	3		.
						.
	"Attacking leaders of the Taliban, al Qaeda and similar groups across the border in Pakistan"
	10/15-18/09	68	28	4		.
						.
"If the U.S. determines that elements of the Taliban do not support terrorism against the United States, should it allow them to regain power in Afghanistan, or should the U.S. try to keep all elements of the Taliban out of power there?"
						.
		Allow to Regain Power	Keep Out of Power	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	10/15-18/09	18	79	4		.
						.
"Given what you've heard, do you think the Afghan presidential election was free and fair, or do you think there was widespread vote fraud in the election?"
						.
		Free and Fair	Widespread Vote Fraud	Fraud, But Not Widespread (vol.)	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	10/15-18/09	13	66	4	18	.
						.
"Do you think the United States is heading for the same kind of involvement in Afghanistan as it had in the Vietnam war, or do you think the United States will avoid that kind of involvement this time?"
						.
		Same as Vietnam	Will Avoid That	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	10/15-18/09	35	58	7		.
	3/7-10/02	18	77	5		.

Marist College Marist Poll. Oct. 7, 8 & 12, 2009. Nationwide.
						.
"Do you approve or disapprove of how President Barack Obama is handling the war in Afghanistan?" N=913 registered voters, MoE ą 3.5
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	10/7, 8 & 12/09	43	45	12	.	.
	6/1-3/09	57	24	19	.	.
	4/21-23/09	63	25	12	.	.
	4/1-3/09	57	23	20	.	.
						.
"Do you think the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan should be increased, decreased, or kept about the same?" N=1,026 adults, MoE ą 3
						.
		Increased	Decreased	Kept About the Same	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	10/7, 8 & 12/09	39	33	19	9	.

USA Today/Gallup Poll. Oct. 6, 2009. N=1,007 adults nationwide. MoE ą 4 (for all adults).
						.
"Would you favor or oppose a decision by President Obama to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	10/6/09	48	45	7	.	.
	9/22-23/09	41	50	9	.	.
						.
"Do you think that each of these is, or is not, an important reason to keep U.S. troops in Afghanistan? How about [see below]?" N=492 (Form A), MoE ą 5