Afghanistan

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Afghanistan ] [ Canada ] [ China ] [ Cuba ] [ Egypt ] [ Germany ] [ Haiti ] [ India ] [ Iran ] [ Iraq ] [ Israel/Palestinians ] [ Japan ] [ Korea ] [ Liberia ] [ Libya ] [ Mexico ] [ Northern Ireland ] [ Pakistan ] [ Russia ] [ Saudi Arabia ] [ Serbia/Yugoslavia/Kosovo ] [ Sudan ] [ Syria ] [ Venezuela ] [ Vietnam ]

Afghanistan See also: Terrorism | Allies and enemies | Obama's ratings on Afghanistan

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R). Jan. 12-15, 2013. N=1,000 adults nationwide.

"When it comes to Afghanistan, do you think the war was worth it or not worth it?" Half sample (Form A)

		Worth it	Not worth it	Depends (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	1/12-15/13	40	51	2	7

"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)

		Very successful	Somewhat successful	Somewhat unsuccessful	Very unsuccessful	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	1/12-15/13	7	55	22	13	3
	2/29 - 3/3/12	9	48	23	18	2
	5/5-7/11	7	55	23	11	4
	3/31 - 4/4/11	3	54	27	15	1
	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

Pew Research Center. Oct. 4-7, 2012. N=1,511 adults nationwide. 5/2/11: Co-sponsored by The Washington Post.

"How well is the U.S. military effort in Afghanistan going: very well, fairly well, not too well, or not at all well?" N=762 (Form 1), margin of error � 4.1.

		Very well	Fairly well	Not too well	Not at all well	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	10/4-7/12	8	32	35	18	5
	4/4-15/12	7	31	31	18	12
	3/7-11/12	13	38	25	16	9
	1/11-16/12	10	45	26	11	8
	6/15-19/11	10	43	28	12	7
	3/30 - 4/3/11	7	43	29	15	7
	12/1-5/10	8	39	28	15	10
	7/8-11/10	9	40	31	9	11
	6/16-20/10	8	40	32	13	7
	3/10-14/10	9	43	22	13	13
	12/9-13/09	7	39	32	11	10
	10/28 - 11/8/09	4	32	41	16	6
	1/7-11/09	7	38	34	11	10

"Do you think the U.S. should keep military troops in Afghanistan until the situation has stabilized, or do you think the U.S. should remove troops as soon as possible?" N=762 (Form 1), margin of error � 4.1. 4/11 & earlier: "Do you think the U.S. and NATO should keep military troops in Afghanistan until the situation has stabilized, or do you think the U.S. and NATO should remove their troops as soon as possible?"

		Stay until stabilized	Remove troops ASAP	Unsure
		%	%	%
	10/4-7/12	35	60	5
	4/4-15/12	32	60	8
	3/7-11/12	35	57	7
	1/11-16/12	38	56	6
	6/15-19/11	39	56	4
	5/5-8/11	43	49	8
	5/2/11	47	48	4

	3/30 - 4/3/11	44	50	6
	12/1-5/10	44	47	8
	7/8-11/10	47	42	11
	6/16-20/10	53	40	6
	2/20-24/08	61	32	7

"From what you've read and heard, do you think Barack Obama is removing U.S. troops from Afghanistan too quickly, not quickly enough, or is he handling this about right?" N=749 (Form 2), margin of error � 4.2. 2011: "From what you've read and heard, do you think Barack Obama will remove U.S. combat troops from Afghanistan too quickly, not quickly enough, or is he handling this about right?"

		Too quickly	Not quickly enough	About right	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	10/4-7/12	17	28	46	9
	2/8-12/12	20	22	53	5

	6/23-26/11	14	29	44	13
	2/22 - 3/1/11	12	30	50	9

Quinnipiac University Poll. July 1-8, 2012. N=2,722 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error � 1.9.

"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?"

		Doing the right thing	Should not be involved	Unsure
		%	%	%
	ALL	31	60	9
	Republicans	45	47	7
	Democrats	25	67	8
	Independents	28	63	9

	10/25-31/11	31	60	8
	8/16-27/11	35	58	7
	7/5-11/11	39	55	6
	5/31 - 6/6/11	40	52	8
	5/2-3/11	46	47	7
	4/26 - 5/1/11	34	60	6
	3/22-28/11	41	50	9
	1/4-11/11	41	51	8
	11/8-15/10	44	50	6
	8/31 - 9/7/10	49	41	10
	7/13-19/10	48	43	9
	5/19-24/10	49	42	9
	4/14-19/10	56	36	8
	3/22-23/10	55	37	8
	2/2-8/10	56	37	7
	1/5-11/10	59	35	6
	12/15-20/09	51	41	8

AP-GfK Poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Corporate Communications. May 3-7, 2012. N=1,004 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.9.

"Do you favor or oppose the war in Afghanistan?"

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure	Refused
		%	%	%	%
	5/3-7/12	27	66	6	1
	5/5-9/11	37	59	4	-
	9/8-13/10	37	62	2	-
	8/11-16/10	38	58	3	1
	3/3-8/10	46	50	3	1
	1/12-17/10	43	54	3	-
	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

"Do you think the continued presence of U.S. troops in Afghanistan is doing more to help or more to hurt Afghanistan's efforts to become a stable democracy?"

		More to help	More to hurt	Unsure	Refused
		%	%	%	%
	5/3-7/12	48	36	14	1

Fox News Poll conducted by Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R). April 22-24, 2012. N=915 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error � 3.

"Do you approve or disapprove of the U.S. withdrawing military troops in Afghanistan?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/22-24/12	78	16	6

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. April 5-8, 2012. N=1,003 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 4.

"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
		%	%	%
	4/5-8/12	30	66	4
	3/7-10/12	35	60	5
	6/2-5/11	43	54	3
	3/10-13/11	31	64	5
	12/9-12/10	34	60	5
	7/7-11/10	43	53	4
	6/3-6/10	44	53	3
	4/22-25/10	45	52	3
	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

"Considering everything, do you think most Afghans support or oppose what the United States is trying to do in Afghanistan?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/5-8/12	22	62	15
	3/7-10/12	30	55	15

"You may have heard about the recent incident in which a U.S. soldier has been accused of killing 17 Afghan civilians. Do you think this attack on civilians was an isolated incident, or do you think it indicates broader problems with the way the U.S. military monitors the mental health of service members?"

		Isolated incident	Indicates broader problems	Both (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	4/5-8/12	44	43	3	9

"In general and apart from this incident, do you think the U.S. military should do more to monitor the mental health of service members, or is it doing enough now?"

		Should do more	Doing enough	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/5-8/12	79	14	7

"Do you think the military should limit the amount of time service members can be deployed to combat areas, or do you think limits on deployments are not needed?"

		Should limit	Limits not needed	Depends (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	4/5-8/12	80	15	2	3

CNN/ORC Poll. March 24-25, 2012. N=1,014 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.

"Do you favor or oppose the U.S. war in Afghanistan?"

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/24-25/12	25	72	3
	11/18-20/11	35	63	3
	10/14-16/11	34	63	3
	6/3-7/11	36	62	2
	5/2/11	42	52	5
	1/21-23/11	40	58	1
	12/17-19/10	35	63	2
	10/5-7/10	37	58	5
	9/21-23/10	39	58	3
	9/1-2/10	41	57	2
	8/6-10/10	37	62	1
	5/21-23/10	42	56	2
	3/19-21/10	48	49	3
	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
	10/16-18/09	41	57	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

"As you may know, the U.S. plans to remove all of its troops from Afghanistan in 2014. If you had to choose, would you rather see the U.S. remove all of its troops earlier than that, or wait until 2014 to withdraw all of its troops, or keep some troops in Afghanistan beyond 2014?"

		All earlier than 2014	All in 2014	Keep some beyond 2014	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	3/24-25/12	55	22	22	1

"In general, how would you say things are going for the U.S. in Afghanistan: very well, moderately well, moderately badly, or very badly?" N=504 (Form A), MoE � 4.5

		Very well	Moderately well	Moderately badly	Very badly	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	3/24-25/12	1	36	39	22	1
	5/2/11	5	56	27	9	3
	12/17-19/10	2	42	35	21	1
	9/21-23/10	4	40	35	19	2
	3/19-21/10	4	51	29	14	2
	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

"Do you think the United States is winning or not winning the war in Afghanistan?" N=510 (Form B), MoE � 4.5

		Winning	Not winning	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/24-25/12	34	61	5
	6/3-7/11	47	46	6
	8/6-10/10	31	66	3
	8/28-31/09	35	62	4
	2/18-19/09	31	64	5
	12/1-2/08	36	60	4

CBS News/New York Times Poll. March 21-25, 2012. N=986 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.

"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
		%	%	%	%	%
	3/21-25/12	3	22	33	35	7
	11/6-10/11	4	44	31	11	10
	9/28 - 10/2/11	3	37	38	15	7
	6/24-28/11	6	47	27	13	7
	3/18-21/11	4	40	34	15	7
	2/11-14/11	3	33	36	19	9
	10/21-26/10	3	35	36	19	7
	9/10-14/10	2	36	34	21	7
	8/20-24/10	2	35	38	14	11
	7/9-12/10	2	29	41	21	7
	5/20-24/10	2	38	37	12	11
	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
	9/22-23/02	19	53	20	3	5
	9/2-5/02	14	58	16	3	8
	7/8-9/02	13	54	21	7	5
	6/18-20/02	14	51	21	8	6
	5/13-14/02	18	55	17	3	7

"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?"

		Is doing the right thing	Should not be involved	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/21-25/12	23	69	8
	11/6-10/11	36	53	11
	9/28 - 10/2/11	34	57	9
	6/24-28/11	35	58	7
	6/3-7/11	43	51	6
	3/18-21/11	39	53	8
	2/11-14/11	37	54	9
	9/10-14/10	38	54	8
	8/20-24/10	43	48	9
	12/4-8/09	49	39	11
	10/5-8/09	51	39	10
	9/19-23/09	47	42	11

"Regardless of whether you think taking military action in Afghanistan was the right thing to do, would you say the war in Afghanistan has been mostly a success for the United States, or not?"

		A success	Not a success	Mixed (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	3/21-25/12	27	59	6	8
	9/28 - 10/2/11	39	50	4	7

"The U.S. is expected to withdraw about a third of its troops in Afghanistan by the end of 2012 and all of its troops by the end of 2014. Which of the following comes closest to your opinion? The U.S. should withdraw all of its troops sooner, and not wait until the end of 2014. The U.S. should keep the timetable and withdraw all of its troops by the end of 2014. OR, The U.S. should stay in Afghanistan for as long as it takes to stabilize the situation there."

		Withdraw sooner	Keep the timetable	Stay as long as it takes	Withdraw now (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	3/21-25/12	44	33	17	3	3

"Since Osama bin Laden has been killed, do you feel you have a clear idea of what the war in Afghanistan is all about, that is, what we are fighting for?" 10/11: "Now that Osama bin Laden has been killed, do you feel that you have a clear idea of what the war in Afghanistan is all about, that is, what we are fighting for?"

		Yes	No	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/21-25/12	42	55	3
	9/28 - 10/2/11	50	43	7

USA Today/Gallup Poll. March 13, 2012. N=1,006 adults nationwide, interviewed via Gallup Daily tracking. Margin of error � 4.

"As you may know, the U.S. plans to withdraw all of its troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year 2014. Which would you prefer to see happen -- for the U.S. to stick to its timetable for withdrawing troops by 2014, speed up its withdrawal from Afghanistan, or keep troops in Afghanistan as long as it takes to accomplish its goals?" Options rotated

		Stick to timetable	Speed up withdrawal	Stay as long as it takes	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	3/13/12	24	50	21	4

"Have events in Afghanistan in recent months changed your mind about how long U.S. troops should be kept in Afghanistan, or not?" If yes: "Have events in recent months made you think U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Afghanistan earlier than you previously thought, or kept in Afghanistan longer than you previously thought?" Options rotated. Combined responses.

		Changed: Withdrawn earlier	Changed: Kept longer	Changed: Other (vol.)	Have not changed mind	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	3/13/12	27	6	2	60	5

"How worried are you that withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan too quickly will make Afghanistan a safe haven for terrorists plotting attacks against the U.S.: very worried, somewhat worried, not too worried, or not worried at all?"

		Very worried	Somewhat worried	Not too worried	Not worried at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	3/13/12	19	39	21	19	3

"How worried are you that keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan makes 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 worried at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	3/13/12	15	35	27	21	2

"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
		%	%	%
	3/13/12	59	35	6
	12/2/09	62	32	6

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. March 7-10, 2012. N=1,003 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 4.

"Do you think the United States should keep its military forces in Afghanistan until it has trained the Afghan army to be self-sufficient, OR, do you think the United States should withdraw its military forces even if the Afghan army is not adequately trained?" Options rotated

		Stay until Afghan army self-sufficient	Withdraw	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/7-10/12	43	54	3

"Considering everything, do you think most Afghans support or oppose what the United States is trying to do in Afghanistan?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/7-10/12	30	55	15

CNN/ORC Poll. Nov. 18-20, 2011. N=1,019 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 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 oppose the U.S. war in Afghanistan because you think the initial decision in 2001 to go to war in Afghanistan was a mistake. OR, You oppose the U.S. war in Afghanistan because you think the war has been mismanaged." Combined responses.

		Favor	Oppose: A mistake	Oppose: Mismanaged	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	11/18-20/11	35	26	34	5

CBS News Poll. Nov. 6-10, 2011. N=1,182 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 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 numbers of troops in Afghanistan?"

		Increase	Keep the same	Decrease	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	11/6-10/11	8	27	58	7
	9/28 - 10/2/11	7	24	62	7
	6/3-7/11	8	22	64	6
	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

CNN/ORC Poll. Oct. 14-16, 2011. N=1,007 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.

"Do you think the United States made a mistake in sending military forces to Afghanistan, or not?"

		A mistake	Not a mistake	Unsure
		%	%	%
	10/14-16/11	41	57	2

"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?"

		A situation like Vietnam	Don't think so	Unsure
		%	%	%
	10/14-16/11	58	39	3
	10/5-7/10	52	39	9
	10/16-18/09	52	46	3

CBS News Poll. Sept. 28-Oct. 2, 2011. N=1,012 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.

"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?"

			9/28 - 10/2/11	7/9-12/10	12/4-8/09	9/19-23/09
			%	%	%	%
	Less than a year		38	33	32	31
	One to two years		24	23	25	24
	Two to five years		10	7	6	11
	Five to ten years		3	2	1	1
	As long as it takes		18	26	26	26
	Should leave now (vol.)		2	2	4	1
	Unsure		5	7	6	6

"Has the war in Afghanistan been longer than you expected, shorter than you expected, or has it been about as long as you expected?"

		Longer	Shorter	About as long	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	9/28 - 10/2/11	69	1	25	5

"As a result of the United States' military action in Afghanistan, do you think the United States is more safe from terrorism, less safe from terrorism, or hasn't it made any difference?"

		More safe	Less safe	No difference	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	9/28 - 10/2/11	47	10	40	3

"Which comes closer to your view about U.S. military operations in Afghanistan? The U.S. was right to remove the Taliban from power and stay in Afghanistan to help stabilize the country. The U.S. was right to remove the Taliban from power but then should have left Afghanistan soon after that. OR, The U.S. should never have gotten involved in Afghanistan in the first place."

		Right to remove and stay to help stabilize	Right to remove, but should have then left	Should never have gotten involved in first place	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	9/28 - 10/2/11	39	32	24	5

"The U.S. is expected to withdraw about a third of the number of troops currently stationed in Afghanistan by the end of 2012. When these troops are withdrawn, do you think there will be more violence in Afghanistan than there is now, less violence than there is now, or about the same amount of violence as there is now?"

		More	Less	About the same	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	9/28 - 10/2/11	28	13	52	7

Quinnipiac University Poll. July 5-11, 2011. N=2,311 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error � 2.

"Do you approve or disapprove of President Obama's decision to withdraw 33,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan by next summer?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/5-11/11	75	19	5

CBS News/New York Times Poll. June 24-28, 2011. N=979 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.

"Now that Osama Bin Laden has been killed, do you think that the United States has completed its primary mission in Afghanistan and the surrounding areas, or not?"

		Has	Has not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/24-28/11	36	58	6

"Barack Obama has announced a plan to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan beginning this year, with a reduction of 33,000 troops by the end of the summer of 2012, about a third of the number of troops currently there. Do you approve or disapprove of this plan for withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/24-28/11	79	17	4

"By the end of summer 2012, would you like to see more than a third of U.S. troops removed from Afghanistan, less than a third of U.S. troops removed, or about a third of U.S. troops removed from Afghanistan?"

		More than a third	Less than a third	About a third	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/24-28/11	59	10	26	5

"When the U.S. withdraws its troops from Afghanistan, do you think the threat of terrorism against the United States will increase, decrease, or stay the same?"

		Increase	Decrease	Stay the same	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/24-28/11	26	6	65	3

Pew Research Center. June 15-19, 2011. N=1,502 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.5. 5/2/11: Co-sponsored by The Washington Post.

"Do you think the U.S. made the right decision or the wrong decision in using military force in Afghanistan?"

		Right decision	Wrong decision	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/15-19/11	57	35	8
	8/25 - 9/6/10	52	38	10
	1/7-11/09	64	25	11
	2/20-24/08	65	24	11
	12/6-10/06	61	29	10
	1/4-8/06	69	20	11

"Regardless of what you think about the original decision to use military force in Afghanistan, do you now believe that the United States will definitely succeed, probably succeed, probably fail, or definitely fail in achieving its goals in Afghanistan?"

		Definitely succeed	Probably succeed	Probably fail	Definitely fail	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/15-19/11	13	45	26	8	8
	5/5-8/11	19	43	18	6	13
	5/2/11	19	44	20	6	10
	12/1-5/10	9	40	30	9	11
	6/16-20/10	14	45	26	7	8
	3/10-14/10	12	46	22	7	12
	12/9-13/09	11	48	25	7	10
	1/7-11/09	13	49	23	6	9

"All things considered, how likely is it that Afghanistan will be able to maintain a stable government after most U.S. forces leave the country . . . ?"

		Very likely	Somewhat likely	Somewhat unlikely	Very unlikely	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/15-19/11	5	33	31	25	5

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. June 3-7, 2011. N=1,015 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.

"Which comes closest to your view about what the U.S. should now do about the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan? The U.S. should send more troops to Afghanistan. The U.S. should keep the number of troops as it is now. The U.S. should withdraw some troops from Afghanistan. OR, The U.S. should withdraw all of its troops from Afghanistan."

		Send more	Keep same number	Withdraw some	Withdraw all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/3-7/11	6	18	35	39	2
	5/2/11	4	28	34	30	3
	5/14-17/09	26	27	22	23	2

"Do you think the United States can or cannot win the war in Afghanistan?"

		Can	Cannot	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/3-7/11	54	42	4
	8/6-10/10	49	49	2
	8/28-31/09	59	40	1
	2/18-19/09	62	35	3

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. June 2-5, 2011. N=1,002 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.5.

"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
		%	%	%
	6/2-5/11	43	54	3
	3/10-13/11	31	64	5
	12/9-12/10	34	60	5
	7/7-11/10	43	53	4
	6/3-6/10	44	53	3
	4/22-25/10	45	52	3
	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 think the war in Afghanistan has or has not contributed to the long-term security of the United States?"

		Has	Has not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/2-5/11	57	39	4
	12/9-12/10	53	40	6
	7/7-11/10	53	44	3

"Do you think the United States should or should not withdraw a substantial number of U.S. combat forces from Afghanistan this summer?" Half sample

		Should	Should not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/2-5/11	73	23	4
	3/10-13/11	73	21	5

"Do you think the United States will or will not withdraw a substantial number of U.S. combat forces from Afghanistan this summer?" Half sample

		Will	Will not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/2-5/11	43	50	7
	3/10-13/11	39	53	8

AP-GfK Poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Corporate Communications. May 5-9, 2011. N=1,001 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 4.2.

"Do you approve, disapprove or neither approve nor disapprove of Barack Obama's decision to begin withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Afghanistan in July, 2011, and end U.S. combat operations there by 2014?" If unsure: "If you had to choose, do you lean more toward approving or disapproving of Barack Obama's decision to begin withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Afghanistan in July, 2011, and end U.S. combat operations there by 2014?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Neither
		%	%	%
	5/5-9/11	80	15	5

"Do you think the pace of the planned withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan is too fast, too slow, or about right?"

		Too fast	Too slow	About right	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	5/5-9/11	15	26	57	2

Gallup Poll. May 5-8, 2011. N=1,018 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 4.

"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
		%	%	%
	5/5-8/11	39	58	3
	3/25-27/11	42	53	5
	11/19-21/10	39	58	3
	7/27 - 8/1/10	43	52	4
	7/8-11/10	38	58	4
	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. This question co-sponsored by USA Today.

		Very well	Moderately well	Moderately badly	Very badly	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	5/5-8/11	6	45	33	12	4
	3/25-27/11	3	44	35	14	4
	11/19-21/10	3	42	38	16	2
	7/27 - 8/1/10	1	33	42	20	4
	7/8-11/10	1	36	43	17	4
	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
	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 comes closer to your view? The U.S. has accomplished its mission in Afghanistan and should bring its troops home. OR, The U.S. still has important work to do in Afghanistan and should maintain its troops there." Options rotated. This question co-sponsored by USA Today.

		Bring troops home	Maintain troops there	Unsure
		%	%	%
	5/5-8/11	59	36	5

NBC News Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R). May 5-7, 2011. N=800 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.5.

"Do you feel more confident or less confident that the war in Afghanistan will come to a successful conclusion?" Half sample (Form B)

		More confident	Less confident	Depends (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	5/5-7/11	38	50	6	6
	3/31 - 4/4/11	31	60	2	7
	8/5-9/10	23	68	3	6
	12/11-14/09	30	58	5	7
	9/17-20/09	28	59	6	7

"President Obama has pledged to start reducing American troop levels in Afghanistan this year, but a recent plan by the U.S. and its NATO allies see some combat troops remaining there until 2014. Do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove or strongly disapprove of leaving some American troops in Afghanistan until 2014?"

		Strongly approve	Somewhat approve	Somewhat disapprove	Strongly disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	5/5-7/11	17	35	20	26	2
	3/31 - 4/4/11	15	37	19	27	2
	12/9-13/10	19	34	16	29	2

"Now, thinking about the recent death of Osama bin Laden, which statement comes closest to what you think about Osama bin Laden's death? Statement A: The Unites States should remove our troops from Afghanistan because bin Laden's death indicates the Taliban and Al Qaeda are less of a threat and our presence there is no longer necessary. Statement B: The United States should keep our troops in Afghanistan because bin Laden's death does not change the overall mission of securing Afghanistan and the Taliban and Al Qaeda still remain a continuing threat." Options rotated

		Remove our troops	Leave our troops there	Depends (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	5/5-7/11	20	72	3	5

Pew Research Center. May 2, 2011. N=654 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 4.5. Co-sponsored by The Washington Post.

"Does Osama bin Laden's death make you more confident or less confident that the U.S. can achieve its goals in the war in Afghanistan, or doesn't it affect your views either way?"

		More confident	Less confident	Doesn't affect views	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	5/2/11	46	5	45	3

Pew Research Center. March 30-April 3, 2011. N=1,507 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.5.

"In the long run, how likely is it that Afghanistan can become a country that is stable enough to withstand the threat posed by the Taliban or other extremist groups: very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely, or not at all likely?"

		Very likely	Somewhat likely	Not too likely	Not at all likely	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	3/30 - 4/3/11	10	39	29	16	5
	10/28 - 11/8/09	10	36	29	18	8

USA Today/Gallup Poll. Jan. 14-16, 2011. N=1,032 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 4.

"I'm going to read a list of actions Congress could take this year. Please say whether you strongly favor, favor, oppose or strongly oppose Congress doing each of the following this year. How about speed up the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan?"

		Strongly favor	Favor	Oppose	Strongly oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	1/14-16/11	41	31	19	6	3

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. Dec. 9-12, 2010. N=1,001 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.5.

"Who do you trust to do a better job handling the situation in Afghanistan: Obama or the Republicans in Congress?"

		Obama	Republicans	Both (vol.)	Neither (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/9-12/10	41	39	3	11	6
	12/10-13/09	47	35	1	14	4
	11/12-15/09	46	41	1	9	3

"Obama has added 30,000 additional U.S. troops to their force in Afghanistan, and other NATO countries have added 7,000 more. Is this increase in U.S. and NATO forces something you support strongly, support somewhat, oppose somewhat, or oppose strongly?"

		Support strongly	Support somewhat	Oppose somewhat	Oppose strongly	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/9-12/10	22	26	24	24	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	About right	Withdraw now (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/9-12/10	27	12	54	1	6
	7/7-11/10	31	18	45	1	5
	12/10-13/09	31	19	39	1	9

USA Today/Gallup Poll. Nov. 19-21, 2010. N=1,037 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 4.

"As you may know, President Obama plans to complete withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year 2014. Which comes closest to your view? You agree with the timetable of removing U.S. combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014. You think the U.S. should complete withdrawing combat troops from Afghanistan before the end of 2014. OR, You think the U.S. should not set a timetable and keep combat troops in Afghanistan as long as needed to achieve its objectives there." Options rotated

		Agree with timetable	Should be withdrawn sooner	Should not set a timetable	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	11/19-21/10	20	38	40	2

"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 worried at all
		%	%	%	%
	11/19-21/10	31	37	21	10

Bloomberg National Poll conducted by Selzer & Co. Oct. 7-10, 2010. N=721 likely voters nationwide. Margin of error � 3.7.

"Turning to the war in Afghanistan: Do you think the U.S. can win the war or do you think it is a lost cause?"

		U.S. can win	It is a lost cause	Unsure
		%	%	%
	10/7-10/10	31	60	9

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Oct. 5-7, 2010. N=1,008 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.

"Who do you think is currently winning the war in Afghanistan: the U.S. and its allies, the insurgents in Afghanistan, or neither side?" N=501 (Form A), MoE � 4.5

		U.S. and its allies	Insurgents	Neither side	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	10/5-7/10	18	9	71	2
	12/16-20/09	18	14	67	1
	12/6-9/07	30	10	58	2
	8/2-3/06	28	10	58	5

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Aug. 25-26, 2010. N=1,029 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.7.

"Do you think the United States is winning or losing the war in Afghanistan?"

		Winning	Losing	Neither (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	8/25-26/10	27	41	14	18
	6/23-24/10	26	46	19	9

"Do you think the United States should stick with the current plan and start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in July 2011 regardless of conditions on the ground there, OR change plans and only start removing troops then if conditions permit it, OR start withdrawing from Afghanistan sooner than is planned?"

		Stick with current plan	Withdraw only if conditions permit	Withdraw sooner than planned	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	8/25-26/10	27	33	32	8

AP-GfK Poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media. Aug. 11-16, 2010. N=1,007 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 4.5.

"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
		%	%	%	%
	8/11-16/10	19	29	49	3
	12/10-14/09	31	23	44	2

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Aug. 6-10, 2010. N=1,009 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.

"How much confidence do you have in the ability of the government of Afghanistan to handle the situation in that country? Are you very confident, somewhat confident, not very confident, or not confident at all?"

		Very confident	Somewhat confident	Not very confident	Not confident at all
		%	%	%	%
	8/6-10/10	6	23	35	36

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R). Aug. 5-9, 2010. N=1,000 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.1.

"If the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan how much of a threat do you think this would be to American national security? Would it be a very serious threat, fairly serious threat, just a somewhat serious threat, or not so serious threat?"

		Very serious	Fairly serious	Just somewhat serious	Not so serious	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	8/5-9/10	51	21	19	8	1

Quinnipiac University Poll. July 13-19, 2010. N=2,181 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error � 2.1.

"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?"

		Doing the right thing	Should not be involved	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/13-19/10	48	43	9
	5/19-24/10	49	42	9
	4/14-19/10	56	36	8
	3/22-23/10	55	37	8
	2/2-8/10	56	37	7
	1/5-11/10	59	35	6
	12/15-20/09	51	41	8

"Do you think eliminating the threat from terrorists operating from Afghanistan is a worthwhile goal for American troops to fight and possibly die for or not?"

		Is worthwhile	Is not worthwhile	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/13-19/10	59	34	7
	4/14-19/10	61	31	8
	12/1-6/09	64	30	6
	11/9-16/09	65	29	7
	9/29 - 10/5/09	65	28	7

"Do you think the United States will be successful in eliminating the threat from terrorists operating from Afghanistan or not?"

		Will be successful	Will not be successful	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/13-19/10	35	55	9
	12/1-6/09	38	52	11
	11/9-16/09	36	53	11
	9/29 - 10/5/09	38	49	13

CBS News Poll. July 9-12, 2010. N=966 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.

"Do you think the United States should or should not set a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan?"

		Should	Should not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/9-12/10	54	41	5

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. June 29-30, 2010. N=900 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error � 3.

"I'm going to read you the names of several individuals. Please tell me whether you have a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of each one. If you've never heard of someone, please just say so. . . ."

		Favorable	Unfavorable	Can't say	Never heard of
		%	%	%	%

	Stanley McChrystal
	6/29-30/10	25	17	16	42

	David Petraeus
	6/29-30/10	47	8	14	32

"How much overall confidence do you have in the following individuals: a great deal, some, not much, or none at all? General David Petraeus."

		A great deal	Some	Not much	None at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/29-30/10	29	36	7	6	21

"Do you support or oppose the U.S. military action in Afghanistan?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/29-30/10	62	31	7
	9/29-30/09	64	27	9

"Thinking about Afghanistan, do you think it is possible to achieve stability in the region, or not?"

		Is possible	Is not possible	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/29-30/10	33	58	10
	10/13-14/09	31	59	10

"Do you think General McChrystal deserved to be fired from his post as the top commander in Afghanistan, or not?"

		Deserved to be fired	Did not deserve	Not aware (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/29-30/10	42	36	5	17

"Do you believe what happens in Afghanistan matters to your security here in the United States?"

		Yes	No	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/29-30/10	76	20	4
	12/8-9/09	83	14	3

"Do you think the United States should stick with the announced July 2011 date to start removing troops from Afghanistan regardless of conditions in Afghanistan or should the U.S. remove its troops from Afghanistan in July 2011 only if the conditions permit it?"

		Stick with July 2011	If conditions permit it	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/29-30/10	34	58	8

"Do you believe President Obama is -- or is not -- prepared to do whatever it takes to win in Afghanistan?"

		Is	Is not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/29-30/10	40	49	11

USA Today/Gallup Poll. June 25-26, 2010. N=1,044 adults nationwide, interviewed via Gallup Daily tracking. Margin of error � 4.

"Turning back to Barack Obama, how would you rate the job President Obama is doing of handling the situation in Afghanistan: very good, good, poor or very poor?"

		Very good	Good	Poor	Very poor	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/25-26/10	8	42	28	16	5

"As you may know, President Obama has set a timetable to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan no later than July 2011. Do you favor or oppose this timetable?"

		Favor timetable	Oppose timetable	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/25-26/10	58	38	5

"As you may know, President Obama has set a timetable to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan no later than July 2011. Do you favor or oppose this timetable?" If oppose: "Do you oppose the timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan because you think the U.S. should begin withdrawing troops before July 2011, you think the U.S. should not begin withdrawing troops until sometime after July 2011, or you do not think the U.S. should set any timetable for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan?" Options rotated. Combined responses.

		Favor timetable	Oppose timetable: Should begin earlier	Oppose timetable: Should begin later	Oppose timetable: Shouldn't set timetable	Oppose timetable: Unspecified reason
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/25-26/10	58	7	1	29	1

"Next, how closely are you following the news about President Obama's decision to remove General Stanley McChrystal from command of U.S. forces in Afghanistan: very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely or not at all?"

		Very closely	Somewhat closely	Not too closely	Not at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/25-26/10	28	35	22	15	1

"Do you approve or disapprove of President Obama's decision to remove General McChrystal as commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/25-26/10	53	30	17

"Next, we'd like to ask you about various actions President Obama could have taken in this matter. Regardless of whether you approve or disapprove of Obama's decision to remove General McChrystal, based on what you know or have read about the matter, which of the following would have been the best way for President Obama to handle it: remove General McChrystal from his command, reprimand him but not remove him, or not take any action against General McChrystal?" Options rotated

		Remove from command	Reprimand, not remove	Not take any action	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/25-26/10	38	37	12	14

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. June 23-24, 2010. N=964 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.8.

"Do you approve or disapprove of Barack Obama's decision to relieve General Stanley McChrystal of his command in Afghanistan?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	ALL	50	35	15
	Republicans	32	55	13
	Democrats	68	18	14
	Independents	49	34	17

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. June 3-6, 2010. N=1,004 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.5.

"All told, do you think the United States is winning or losing the war in Afghanistan?"

		Winning	Losing	Neither/ Tie (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/3-6/10	42	39	12	7
	8/13-17/09	42	36	13	9

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Feb. 17-18, 2010. N=1,009 adults nationwide. Margin of error � 3.6.

"As I read you some different issues and problems, please tell me who you think has the better approach to dealing with each one: Barack Obama or Republicans in Congress. Who do you think has the better approach on . . . ?"

		Barack Obama	Republicans in Congress	Same (vol.)	Neither/ Other (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%

	"The war in Afghanistan"
	2/17-18/10	46	27	2	12	13

Afghanistan continued

HOME | TABLE OF CONTENTS | SEARCH THE SITECopyright � 2013 POLLING REPORT, INC., and polling/sponsoring organizations