Afghanistan

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Afghanistan See also: Terrorism | Allies and enemies

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

CBS News Poll. Nov. 13-16, 2009. N=1,167 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the situation with Afghanistan?"
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	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	.	.
						.
"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
		%	%	%	%	%
	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 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

*ABC News/Washington Post* Poll. Nov. 12-15, 2009. N=1,001 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.5 (for all adults).
						.
"Do you approve or disapprove of the way Obama is handling the situation in Afghanistan?" Half sample, MoE ą 5
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	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
		%	%	%	%	%
	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		.
		%	%	%		.
	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		.
						.
"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

AP-GfK Poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media. Nov. 5-9, 2009. N=1,006 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
		%	%	%	%	%
	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
		%	%	%	%
	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
		%	%	%	%
	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
		%	%	%	%
	11/5-9/09	43	54	3	1
	10/1-5/09	46	50	4	1

Gallup Poll. Nov. 5-8, 2009. N=1,008 adults nationwide. MoE ą 4.
						.
"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
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/5-8/09	35	7	7	44	7

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).
						.
"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
		%	%	%	%	%
	10/22-25/09	28	19	15	28	10
	9/17-20/09	19	25	20	31	5
						.
"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		.
						.
"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 to Happen	Unlikely to Happen	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
						.
	"Afghanistan will have a democratic government that will not be overthrown by terrorists or the Taliban"
	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"
	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"
	10/16-18/09	33	66	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	.

CBS News Poll. Oct. 5-8, 2009. N=829 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"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	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	10/5-8/09	51	39	10	.	.
	9/19-23/09	47	42	11	.	.

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
						.
		Is Important	Is Not Important	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
						.
	"To weaken terrorists' ability to stage attacks against the United States"
	10/6/09	80	15	5	.	.
						.
	"To keep the Taliban from taking control of Afghanistan"
	10/6/09	69	24	8	.	.
						.
	"To build a stable democratic government in Afghanistan"
	10/6/09	51	41	8	.	.
						.
"From what you know or have read, do you think the United States' military action in Afghanistan is or is not making progress toward achieving each of the following goals. How about [see below]?" N=515 (Form B), MoE ą 5
						.
		Is Making Progress	Is Not Making Progress	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
						.
	"Weakening terrorists' ability to stage attacks against the United States"
	10/6/09	55	37	8	.	.
						.
	"Keeping the Taliban from taking control of Afghanistan"
	10/6/09	51	40	9	.	.
						.
	"Building a stable democratic government in Afghanistan"
	10/6/09	32	57	11	.	.
						.
"When the United States is considering different courses of military action, should U.S. military commanders make their positions publicly known, or should they only state their positions privately to the president and others in the chain of command?" Options rotated
						.
		Publicly	Privately	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	10/6/09	30	62	8	.	.

AP-GfK Poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media. Oct. 1-5, 2009. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.1.
						.
"If you had to choose, which should be the primary focus of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan: stabilizing the country, so that terrorists can't use the country as a haven over the longer term, OR, identifying and eliminating existing terrorist threats, worrying about longer-term stability later?"
						.
		Stabilizing the Country	Eliminating Threats	Neither (vol.)	Unsure	Refused
		%	%	%	%	%
	10/1-5/09	49	45	3	2	1

Clarus Research Group. Oct. 1-4, 2009. N=1,000 registered voters nationwide. MoE ą 3.1.
						.
"Do you think the war in Afghanistan has been very successful, somewhat successful, somewhat unsuccessful, or very unsuccessful in terms of defeating the Taliban and Al Qaeda?"
						.
		Very Successful	Somewhat Successful	Somewhat Unsuccessful	Very Unsuccessful	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	10/1-4/09	3	39	30	25	4
						.
"Do you think the war in Afghanistan is a conflict the United States will eventually win, do you think it's a conflict the U.S. will eventually lose, or do you think it's a conflict that will go on and on without a clear resolution?"
						.
		Eventually Win	Eventually Lose	No Clear Resolution	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	10/1-4/09	20	6	68	6	.
						.
"At this point, do you think President Obama should increase the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, keep the same number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan as there is now, or decrease the number of troops in Afghanistan and begin to get out?"
						.
		Increase	Keep the Same	Decrease	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	10/1-4/09	38	14	40	7	.

CBS News/New York Times Poll. Sept. 19-23, 2009. N=1,042 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Thinking about the last few weeks, how much attention have you been able to pay to news about the war in Afghanistan: a lot, some, not much, or no attention so far?"
						.
		A Lot	Some	Not Much	None	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	9/19-23/09	20	35	30	14	1
						.
"Would you say the situation in Afghanistan is getting better, getting worse, or is it staying about the same?"
						.
		Getting Better	Getting Worse	Staying About the Same	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	9/19-23/09	8	26	56	10	.
						.
"Which of the following do you think is the main goal of U.S. military action in Afghanistan right now? Is it to defeat the Taliban, kill or capture Osama bin Laden, or eliminate all terrorists from the country?"
						.
			%			.
	Eliminate all terrorists		44			.
	Defeat the Taliban		28			.
	Kill or capture Osama bin Laden		9			.
	All three (vol.)		6			.
	bin Laden and terrorists (vol.)		1			.
	Taliban and bin Laden (vol.)		1			.
	Unsure		11			.
						.
"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?"
						.
			%			.
	Less than a year		31			.
	One to two years		24			.
	Two to five years		11			.
	Five to ten years		1			.
	As long as it takes		26			.
	Should leave now (vol.)		1			.
	Unsure		6			.
						.
"As a result of the United States' military actions in Afghanistan, do you think the threat of terrorism against the United States has increased, decreased, or stayed about the same?"
						.
		Increased	Decreased	Stayed About the Same	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	9/19-23/09	17	27	51	5	.
						.
"If the U.S. withdrew its troops from Afghanistan, do you think the threat of terrorism against the United States would increase, decrease, or stay the same?"
						.
		Increase	Decrease	Stay the Same	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	9/19-23/09	43	9	42	6	.

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R). Sept. 17-20, 2009. N=1,005 adults nationwide.
						.
"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 A), MoE ą 4.4
						.
		Very Successful	Somewhat Successful	Somewhat Unsuccessful	Very Unsuccessful	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	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 B), MoE ą 4.4
						.
		More Confident	Less Confident	Depends (vol.)	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	9/17-20/09	28	59	6	7	.
						.
"Do you think that we should have an immediate and orderly withdrawal of all troops from Afghanistan, or not?" Half sample (Form B), MoE ą 4.4
						.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	9/17-20/09	38	55	7		.
						.
"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 A), MoE ą 4.4
						.
		Invest a Lot, Little to Show	Will Not Do Enough	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	9/17-20/09	45	44	11		.
						.
"I'm going to read you two statements, please tell me which comes closer to your point of view. Statement A: It is important for the U.S. to help build a strong, stable government in Afghanistan so that it doesn't again become a country where Islamic extremists can meet to plan attacks on the West. Statement B: There is too much political corruption and Taliban influence in Afghanistan for there to be a strong, stable government there so the U.S. should not devote time and troops to trying to do so." Half sample (Form B), MoE ą 4.4
						.
		Important for U.S. to Help	U.S. Should Not Devote Time, Troops	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	9/17-20/09	47	43	10		.

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. Sept. 15-16, 2009. N=900 registered voters nationwide. MoE ą 3 (for all registered voters).
						.
"Do you approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing on the following issues? Afghanistan."
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	ALL	51	32	17	.	.
	Democrats	64	20	16	.	.
	Republicans	37	47	16	.	.
	Independents	49	31	19	.	.
						.
"Do you support or oppose the U.S. war in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Support	Oppose	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	9/15-16/09	46	45	9	.	.
						.
"Do you support or oppose sending additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan?"
						.
		Support	Oppose	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	ALL	41	50	9	.	.
	Democrats	30	62	8	.	.
	Republicans	58	31	11	.	.
	Independents	35	58	7	.	.
						.
"Do you agree or disagree with the view that the military action being taken in Afghanistan is necessary to protect Americans from having to fight terrorists on U.S. soil?"
						.
		Agree	Disagree	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	9/15-16/09	58	33	8	.	.

Gallup Poll. Aug. 31-Sept. 2, 2009. N=1,026 adults nationwide. MoE ą 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
		%	%	%
	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
		%	%	%	%	%
	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

Ipsos/McClatchy Poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. Aug. 27-31, 2009. N=1,057 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Do you think we are winning, or not winning, the war in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Winning	Not Winning	No Opinion	Not Sure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	8/27-31/09	29	54	14	3	.
						.
"Do you favor, or oppose, sending additional combat troops to Afghanistan?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	No Opinion	Not Sure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	8/27-31/09	35	56	7	2	.

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Aug. 28-31, 2009. N=1,010 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3 (for all adults).
					.
"Do you think the United States is winning or not winning the war in Afghanistan?"
					.
		Winning	Not Winning	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	.
	8/28-31/09	35	62	4	.
	2/18-19/09	31	64	5	.
	12/1-2/08	36	60	4	.
					.
"Do you think the United States can or cannot win the war in Afghanistan?"
					.
		Can	Cannot	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	.
	8/28-31/09	59	40	1	.
	2/18-19/09	62	35	3	.

*ABC News/Washington Post* Poll. Aug. 13-17, 2009. N=1,001 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.5 (for all adults).
						.
"Do you think the number of U.S. military forces in Afghanistan should be increased, decreased, or kept about the same?"
						.
		Increased	Decreased	Kept About the Same	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	8/13-17/09	24	45	27	4	.
	1/13-16/09	34	29	32	5	.
						.
"All told, do you think the United States is winning or losing the war in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Winning	Losing	Neither/ Tie (vol.)	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	8/13-17/09	42	36	13	9	.
						.
"As you may know Afghanistan is holding national elections next/this week, how confident are you that these elections will produce a government that can rule the country effectively: very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not confident at all?"
						.
		Very Confident	Somewhat Confident	Not Too Confident	Not at All Confident	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	8/13-17/09	3	31	39	25	2
						.
"How confident are you in the ability of the United States and its allies in Afghanistan to [see below]: very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not confident at all?"
						.
		Very Confident	Somewhat Confident	Not Too Confident	Not at All Confident	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
						.
	"Defeat the Taliban"
	8/13-17/09	19	40	22	18	1
						.
	"Provide effective economic development"
	8/13-17/09	11	50	24	13	2
						.
	"Encourage the creation of an honest and effective government"
	8/13-17/09	10	46	25	18	2

*ABC News/Washington Post* Poll. July 15-18, 2009. N=1,001 adults nationwide.
					.
"Do you think the United States is or is not making significant progress toward achieving success in Afghanistan?" Half sample, MoE ą 5
					.
		Is	Is Not	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	.
	7/15-18/09	46	42	12	.
	3/26-29/09	45	47	8	.

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. May 14-17, 2009. N=1,010 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"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
		%	%	%	%	%
	5/14-17/09	3	33	44	17	3
	3/9-11/07	5	35	34	21	4
						.
"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
		%	%	%	%	%
	5/14-17/09	26	27	22	23	2

AP-GfK Poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media. April 16-20, 2009. N=1,000 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.1.
						.
"Do you approve, disapprove or neither approve nor disapprove of Barack Obama's decision to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan?" If unsure: "If you had to choose, do you lean more toward approving or disapproving of Barack Obama's decision to send more troops to Afghanistan?"
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Neither	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	4/16-20/09	53	38	8	1	.

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. April 3-5, 2009. N=1,023 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Regardless of how you feel about the war in Afghanistan in general, do you favor or oppose President Obama's plan to send about 20 thousand more U.S. troops to Afghanistan in an attempt to stabilize the situation there?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	.	.	.
		%	%	.	.	.
	4/3-5/09	68	31	.	.	.
						.
"If Barack Obama announced a plan to send even more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, would you favor or oppose that plan?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	4/3-5/09	45	52	2	.	.
						.
"Do you feel that you have a clear idea of what the war in Afghanistan is all about -- that is, what are we fighting for?"
						.
		Have a Clear Idea	Don't Have a Clear Idea	.	.	.
		%	%	.	.	.
	4/3-5/09	66	34	.	.	.
						.
"Do you think other countries that are allies of the United States are doing enough or not doing enough to help the U.S. military effort in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Doing Enough	Not Doing Enough	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	4/3-5/09	20	78	2	.	.
						.
"Suppose that U.S. troops in Afghanistan locate enemy soldiers in the neighboring country of Pakistan. Do you think the U.S. should or should not take military action in Pakistan without getting permission from the government of that country in advance?"
						.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	4/3-5/09	37	61	2	.	.

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. April 1-2, 2009. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.5.
						.
"Do you agree or disagree with Barack Obama's recent decision to increase U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Agree	Disagree	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	4/1-2/09	61	29	10	.	.

*ABC News/Washington Post* Poll. March 26-29, 2009. N=1,000 adults nationwide.
					.
"Would you support or oppose the U.S. negotiating with elements of the Taliban if they agreed to suspend attacks on U.S., NATO and Afghan forces?" Half sample, MoE ą 5
					.
		Support	Oppose	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	.
	3/26-29/09	41	53	6	.
					.
"Do you think the U.S. should focus more on economic development in Afghanistan or more on defeating the Taliban militarily?" Options rotated. Half sample, MoE ą 5.
					.
		Economic Development	Defeating Taliban	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	.
	3/26-29/09	41	51	8	.

Pew Research Center Poll. March 9-12, 2009. N=1,308 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Do you approve or disapprove of Barack Obama's decision to send an additional 17,000 troops to Afghanistan?"
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	3/9-12/09	53	38	9	.	.

USA Today/Gallup Poll. Feb. 20-22, 2009. N=1,013 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Turning now to the situation in Afghanistan: As you may know, this week Barack Obama ordered the deployment of 17,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan. Do you approve or disapprove of this decision?"
						.
		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	2/20-22/09	65	33	2	.	.
						.
"Do you think the United States will or will not be able to establish a stable enough situation in Afghanistan so that it can withdraw most U.S. troops from that country within the next three years?"
						.
		Will	Will Not	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	2/20-22/09	49	46	4	.	.

*ABC News/Washington Post* Poll. Feb. 19-22, 2009. N=1,001 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3 (for all adults).
						.
"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. Half sample.
						.
		Must Win in Afghanistan	Victory There Not Required	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	2/19-22/09	50	41	9		.
	12/11-14/08	51	40	9		.
	7/10-13/08	51	42	7	.	.
						.
"Do you support or oppose Obama's decision to send approximately 17,000 additional U.S. military forces to Afghanistan?"
						.
		Support	Oppose	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	2/19-22/09	64	33	3		.

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Feb. 18-19, 2009. N=1,046 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
					.
"Regardless of how you feel about the war in Afghanistan in general, do you favor or oppose President Obama's plan to send about 17,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan in an attempt to stabilize the situation there?"
					.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	.
	2/18-19/09	63	36	1	.

USA Today/Gallup Poll. Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2009. N=1,027 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"If you had to choose, which do you think is better for the U.S.? To keep a significant number of troops in Afghanistan until the situation there gets better, even if that takes many years. OR, To set a timetable for removing troops from Afghanistan and to stick to that timetable regardless of what is going on in Afghanistan at the time." Options rotated
						.
		Stay Until Gets Better	Timetable for Withdrawal	Unsure
		%	%	%
	1/30 - 2/1/09	48	47	5
						.
"What should be the primary goal for the United States in Afghanistan: building a stable democratic government in Afghanistan, or weakening terrorists' ability to stage attacks against the United States?" Options rotated
						.
		Building a Democratic Government	Weakening Terrorists	Both Equally (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	1/30 - 2/1/09	30	54	11	5
						.
"If the United States and its allies withdrew their forces from Afghanistan, do you think Afghanistan will or will not fall under control of the Taliban?"
						.
		Will	Will Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	1/30 - 2/1/09	70	21	9

*ABC News/Washington Post* Poll. Dec. 11-14, 2008. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3 (for all adults).
						.
"Thinking about the next 12 months, would you say you feel optimistic or pessimistic about the situation in Afghanistan?" Options rotated. Half sample.
						.
		Optimistic	Pessimistic	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	12/11-14/08	49	47	4		.
						.
"Overall, do you think the U.S. military action in Afghanistan against the Taliban and Al Qaeda has been successful or not successful?"
						.
		Successful	Not Successful	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	12/11-14/08	44	51	5		.
	7/10-13/08	44	51	5	.	.
	10/02	70	24	6	.	.

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Dec. 1-2, 2008. N=1,096 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
					.
"Would you favor or oppose a plan to reduce the number of U.S. combat troops from Iraq and increase the number of U.S. combat troops in Afghanistan?"
					.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	.
	12/1-2/08	55	42	3	.
	7/27-29/08	56	42	2	.

CBS News/New York Times Poll. Sept. 21-24, 2008. N=936 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Over the last couple of years, do you think the Bush Administration has focused too much on the war in Iraq and not enough on Afghanistan, or focused too much on Afghanistan and not enough on the war in Iraq, or has the balance been about right?"
						.
		Too Much On Iraq	Too Much On Afghanistan	Balance About Right	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	9/21-24/08	54	3	31	12
	3/7-11/07	44	3	41	12

AP-GfK Poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media. Sept. 5-10, 2008. N=812 likely voters nationwide. MoE ą 3.4.
						.
"Do you favor, oppose, or neither favor nor oppose increasing U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Neither	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	9/5-10/08	51	41	5	3

USA Today/Gallup Poll. July 25-27, 2008. Adults nationwide.
					.
"Would you favor or oppose sending additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan to fight al Qaeda and Taliban terrorist operations in that country?" N=506, MoE ą 5 (Form A)
					.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/25-27/08	59	38	3
	8/3-5/07	56	38	6
					.
"Would you favor or oppose moving U.S. troops from Iraq to Afghanistan in order to fight al Qaeda and Taliban terrorist operations in Afghanistan?" N=501, MoE ą 5 (Form B)
					.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/25-27/08	57	36	7
	8/3-5/07	52	37	10

Pew Research Center survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Feb. 20-24, 2008. N=1,508 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"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
		%	%	%
	2/20-24/08	65	24	11
	12/6-10/06	61	29	10
	1/4-8/06	69	20	11
						.
"From what you have read or heard, how well is the U.S. military effort in Afghanistan going . . . ?"
						.
		Very Well	Fairly Well	Not Too Well	Not at All Well	Unsure
		%	%	%