Fewer Americans Support Afghanistan War Under Impression That Afghans Don’t Support It Either
- Posted on March 11, 2012 at 8:12pm by
Erica Ritz
- Print »
- Email »
Recent polls are showing less and the less support for the war in Afghanistan among the American people.
According to the Washington Post, referring to a March 7-10 poll, “60 percent of Americans see the war as not worth its costs, nearly double the 35 percent saying the decade-long effort has warranted the expense and lost lives. There has been consistent majority opposition to the war for nearly two years.”
(Photo: Reuters)
But the Washington Post speculates that there is a new “driver” behind the current lack of support for the war— the perception that Afghans themselves either don’t support, or resent, our efforts.
“Just 30 percent of Americans sense that most Afghans endorse what the United States is trying to do, and two-thirds of those who see Afghans as behind U.S. initiatives there, want American troops to stay in the country until the Afghan army has been trained as a capable fighting force. It’s a mirror-image among those who see the Afghans as opposing the U.S. role: here, two-thirds want a troop withdrawal, regardless of the Afghans’ capacity,” according to the Washington Post.
Hamid Karzai, the president of Afghanistan, endorsed a “code of conduct” for women last week that closely resembles standards imposed upon women under the Taliban. Many see such actions as a disheartening step backward, and are reluctant to continue putting American lives at stake for people who may disregard or dislike our efforts.
Watch the “Real News from The Blaze” team discuss the issue, below:
Popular Stories
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 688 Comments
‘Jumah at the DNC’ Speaker: ‘Muslims Visited America Prior to Columbus’ & ‘It Was a Muslim’ Who Guided Him to the ‘New World’ 537 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 469 Comments
Obama: RNC Like Watching ‘Black-and-White TV’ Because Romney ‘Did Not Offer a Single New Idea’ 374 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 334 Comments
Faith
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 308 Comments- Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More
- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 316 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 218 Comments- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 148 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 302 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 308 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (48)
Depressed_American
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 11:40amAfter 10 years, we have tried to free them of the Taliban’s vicious rule, however, the Afgahn people don’t want to be free to choose their own destiny. Let the Taliban retake control of the Afgahn government. The Afgahn‘s don’t want to think for themselves. Democracy and Freedom are against the teachings of the Quran. STOP wasting the Blood of our sons and daughters trying to “save” these people, they don’t want to be “saved.” PULL OUR TROOPS OUT NOW!!!
Report Post »JRook
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 11:54amSupport what? This is not a war. There is no real objective. What exactly would winning look like? What exactly would be different if we win? Similar to Iraq we have Americans basking in our military might against two countries that have weapons that mirror those used in WWI. The fact that we can’t even manufacture a victory in 8 plus years is rather lame.
Report Post »Patriot nurse
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 12:28pmI think like you,they have been given the chance to form their own destiny.You can’t help someone who will not help themselves.Lets get out NOW !!! Bring our men and women back and all our equipement too !! Don’t leave a single hair off the head of one soldier.God help them now !!
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 12:30pmJRook
Iraq in the 1nd gulf War had T55 & T72s. These were not weapons of WWI. Iran manufactured the majority of the IEDs that killed our troops. Nothing about this looks like WWI. In WWI they combatants did not have RPG7s.
You cannot manufacture victory when you do not have the will. A good 3rd of us have the will. 20% to 30% of us don not have the will.
Harry Reid “The war is lost”
Code Stink
Cindy Sheehan
& all the other traitors.
North Vietnamese General Giap was told by a someone that the NVA lost every engagement with the U.S. Army. He replied it didn’t matter.
These wars more like the Vietnam War than WWI. The only difference is that a Democrat president is in charge at the end then at the start. But when there was a Republican president ion charge there were plenty of protests which greatly encouraged the enemy.
The 1st ingredient & a necessary one for victory is WILL. We have a divided house. We will never have the will.
We had the will power in WWII, but uncle Joe said it was okay. Therefore there were not as much protest as there would have been. The left are traitors.
We need to disengage form the left so they can face nature & other nations solely on their own.
Report Post »Hickory
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:44pmThey are animals…………… we are wasting the lives of our troops, our money and our time.
Report Post »beaubird
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 11:20amYeah ! We need to bring them home so we can use them to fight our war with our gov. and the communist here.!!!!!!!!!!!!! I dont think our men and women would throw US under the bus. We have got to get these commies and marxist out and NOW. obama does not need to be impeached that would take to long. FIRE HIM and NOW, if ppl do not know what this freak is doing they never will. But we do and we cannot let them take our country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »AmericanStrega
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 11:12amBring our military home and STOP GIVING THESE AMERICAN-HATING PIGS MONEY!
Report Post »LukeAppling
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 10:42amThe Afghanis are an ignorant people who have no idea of the sacrifices America has made for these ignorant fools. I am fed up them as well and would be happy to never see another muslim in my life.
Report Post »We give our lives and our treasure for people too ignorant to appreciate our efforts. If they want to live in the 14th century I say -let them.
DeGrambo
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 10:31amWell the Afghan ‘s are falling right into the BHO trap; as are the americans polled. All this being sorry stuff for burning the (already-defiled) Koran’s. And now the sad story about the sgt. breaking down and taking out Afghan civilians, (which is terrible and there is NO excuse for). How soon will the pres fall over himself, and be apologizing again for this? When his tatics brought it all about. This might have been the last straw for us in Afghanistan. “Mission Accomplished”
Report Post »paleoman
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 9:49amNo more AMERICAN blood for muslem pig eared dogs.
Report Post »CodexMan
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 9:00amPull our solders out and send them all home. That place will never change. They’ll keep killing each other forever. Its all they know.. Its been like that for hundreds of years.
Report Post »Boycott the Media Let the People Decide
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 8:34am“60 percent of Americans see the war as not worth its costs”
So in other words 60 percent agree with Ron Paul’s foreign policy….and I thought this was supposed to be his weakness? About time people start waking up to the only logical foreign policy!
Report Post »little big man
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 9:23amPull them all out and drop the biggest Nuke we have in the middle of the country. put the fear of god into the rest.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 8:14amNation building in afganistan is not only hopeless, it is counterproductive. Think about it. They are a tribal country – they rely on local leaders. They have very little education and technology and so their worldview is limited to their local tribe. We know that even at a local level, women do not have rights and their girls are married at the age of 10. So what do you think will happen if that same society is given a strong central government??? Do you think there will be more freedom or less? A strong central government in that part of the world would only end in dictatorship and severe abuses of people’s rights.
We republicans are praying for a smaller central government in this country – but we go around the world giving countries bigger central governments….ironic isnt it
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 8:04amThe majority of americans wanted us out of Iraq as early as 2007 and the majority of americans want us out of Afganistan NOW. If only the republicans had a candidate who supported ending these two wars….Oh wait, his name is ron paul and he has been here all along. Ron Paul has been saying these things for over 4 years but the party refuses to consider him and you all reading this article just go along with it.
You want to win elections? Do what is right and dont listen to what the elitist republicans tell you. Stand for principles and not party platforms. If Ron Paul had the support of his own party, he would be the republican frontrunner and obama’s base of support would crumble.
Hosea 4:6 – My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge
Report Post »Resist_The_Few
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 7:58amWe went there for the right reasons, regardless of what anyone who says otherwise might think. I know this for a fact.
However, it’s time to bring our military home. We can’t leave the entire Middle East (we can’t abandon Israel), but we can pull most of our troops home from around the world and concentrate on ONLY those locations that are truly important to us. I think it’s rather obvious that if we leave them to their own devices, they’ll likely decimate their own populations through tribal warfare, which is just fine with me. We don’t have to spend US lives to control them, they’ve never been able to band together without trying to destroy each other and they never will. Right now all we’re doing is giving them someone to hate other than each other, which is working counter to our interests. Their land is completely unsuitable for sustaining a population, so let their society die a natural death. Quit wasting our resources over there…the Obama administration is accomplishing the same thing quite nicely from Pennsylvania Avenue.
Report Post »Johann
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 7:25amRon Paul has this one exactly right. Get the troops and American government officials out of the Middle East entirely and while we are at it get them out of Europe, Japan,and Korea. Let Johnny McCain et al who want to invade Syria do by themselves and stop using other peoples sons. The United States can no longer afford these endless wars which it has been waging for the past one hundred years.
Report Post »rangerp
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 7:52ambut Obama said Afghanistan was the right war at the right time. How can this be?
He also said that Iraq could not be won, but we did.
Years from now, historians will look back on American and scratch their head. During the war on terror, Americans had a choice. They could pick a new President who was a senior senator with a impressive military record, to include being a grad from the Naval Academy, and also surviving being a POW. Or, America could pick a junior/ no experience senator, with no record of any worthy accomplishment outside of being a community organizer. This junior senator had ties to socialist, anti American terrorists (he declared the run for his senateseat in the house of a terrorist), and strong mulsim ties.
America chose a path to destruction. They elected an Anti American, socialist, who will destroy America.
Report Post »Willik
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 8:01amAgree with Dr. Paul except: Leave the Pin Stripes there. They represent an Administration that loves Karzai. Let THEM carry their OWN protection! The whole damn country isn‘t worth another GI’s/Marine’s life!
Report Post »Moozmom
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:43amToo bad, sad country. Tribal and always at war. No peace and no money, terrain is not conducive to supporting a population. Let’s bring the boys and girls back home and put them to work on the Mexican border and getting the current regime under control in Washington. The military can act as escorts removing those communists and marxists currently residing at Pennsylvania offices directly to airports and to China and Russia. That is truly where they belong.
Report Post »Ron Staiger
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:07amEveryone talks about the situation in Afghanistan as if the US and Afghanistan are just two different countries. They are not JUST different countries, they are two different worlds. In the US, 99% of the people use a bathroom or an outhouse- the other <1% are occupiers who use the street or a police car for their "business"- but the Afghans burn their S#!T in the streets. In the US if you marry a girl who is 10 years old, you go to jail but in Afghanistan you do so with the blessing of the girl's family. In the US people cherish the idea of religious freedom, while in Afghanistan the people cherish the thought of beheading infidels. In the US Christians and Jews worship a loving God, while in Afghanistan the people worship the devil in a cult known as islam. Time to pull out, let the Afghans kill each other, and if their little hell on earth gets out of hand to the point where its violence reaches our shores or our interests, carpet bomb the bastards!
Report Post »LibertarianRight
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 2:25amWe went in with no understanding of Afghan culture, with the express purpose of forcing them to change. The attacks on the US and the West, including 9/11, were motivated by a belief that the US (along with its military bases in the Middle East) was participating in a war against Islam by supporting secular dictators like the al-Sauds. The answer was to GTFO from the Middle East and save American lives – letting the Arabs sort themselves out however they like. Instead, we go to war, prop up a secular government in two nations that recognize no separation of Church and State, and destroy our credibility even further with Muslims by the day. Face it, we should have captured bin Laden by using Letters of Marque and Reprisal and stop messing around in foreign lands for no reason.
Report Post »MastrSSG
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:05amThere is nothing in this post that is accurate but it does exemplify and support the total misinformation and misunderstanding of Americas role in the world. I will say one thing however, while our fight isn’t over oil, if the US would drill dig and suck up its own natural resources it would change the entire world structure and would automatically make Capitalism the predominant infrastructure in the world. That’s why socialists and communists push for Global warming, or climate change. That’s why the EPA has the power it does. That’s why fighting communism is so important on every front. That‘s why you should care if our President hangs out with Marxist’s and Communists. Its the same reason people don’t question his words or actions, they simply don’t believe it can happen here.
We at war and its going to get much worse before it gets better and I fear for our Microwave society that expects instant gratification and instant results demanding that everything be clean and sanitized for your digestion.
WWII ….US POPULATION 125 MILLION 16 MILLION SERVED
Report Post »WAR TODAY….US POPULATION 315 MILLION 1.4 MILLION SERVING….You tell me whats wrong with this picture?
BSdetector
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 7:41am@libertarianright
“The attacks on the US and the West, including 9/11, were motivated by a belief that the US people are not Muslims.”
You had a little typo in your post. Don’t worry, I fixed it for you.
Report Post »Kisha
Posted on March 11, 2012 at 11:55pmThey don’t want us there.
We don’t want to be there.
What’s the problem???
Send our troops home, before they kill more of our children!
Report Post »Boycott the Media Let the People Decide
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 8:32amThank you for supporting Ron Paul’s foreign policy!
Report Post »libertytreecaretaker
Posted on March 11, 2012 at 11:54pmIf you send our troops to war for over a decade without a clear definition of victory,they will start to loose their minds. This president and even the one before him have used our military not as a precision weapon but a short fat billy club. This all comes down to leadership and the commander in cheif is a community organiser! If we as a nation don’t send this P.O.S. back to the slums of Chicago he will by ignorance send the entire world into a tail spin!
Report Post »Arizona Don
Posted on March 11, 2012 at 11:21pmWhat we are doing now has nothing to do with the war, it is called Nation Building. We do not need to do that there. Furthermore, we cannot do that there! No one can.
Report Post »noland
Posted on March 11, 2012 at 11:12pmThier religion is thier Government. No they will never change!! It”ll take an act of GOD to change thier hearts, and not the god of hate and murder….
Report Post »jespasinthru
Posted on March 11, 2012 at 10:58pmThe French tried to conquer Afghanistan, and they failed miserably. The Russians tried to conquer Afghanistan, and they failed miserably. Now the Americans are trying to conquer Afghanistan, and we are failing miserably. And why has so much blood and treasure been wasted on this primitive piece of Third World sand? It’s all about the Opium. Throughout history, superpowers have tried in vain to seize control of that valuable crop. To no avail. Today, almost all of Afghanistan’s opium is being sold to and processed in China. And they’re laughing at us.
Report Post »Restored One
Posted on March 11, 2012 at 11:20pmBring the troops home now. No more boots on the ground in the Middle East. time to play the M.A.D card. There is no other way. No more talks, no more sanctions. We need to protect our borders, our air space, our coast line. The enemy is already here, there is no more reasons to go to their home land and spend money fixing what we are forced to destroy all for them to live with the freedoms that we have. They will never be free over there and it is not our responsibility to ensure that. Our Freedom HERE must be our focus!! I am not much of a Ron Paul supporter, but this I have agree with him on. Enough already.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on March 11, 2012 at 11:46pmYou forgot the British!
Report Post »justangry
Posted on March 11, 2012 at 10:50pmWhile Ann Marlowe seems knowledgeable I’m skeptical of her credentials. Why not bring in some people who were there everyday fighting or working with the locals? She may be right; I’d just like to see some other viewpoints. I guess I would have rather seen Buck’s friend interviewed. Someone who did three tours in Afghanistan vs. someone with a BA in Philosophy from Harvard and a MS in Finance from Columbia. Really it’s an ivory tower intellectual that started researching and writing about Afghanistan once the war broke out. Real News needs real experts. I guess Michael Sheuer is no longer the foremost authority once it was known he supported Ron Paul.
We needed to go in and kick their butts, but stop with the nation building. Agent Orange the poppy fields and gtfo!!
Report Post »DaveOregon
Posted on March 11, 2012 at 10:41pmThe Afghani‘s really don’t want us there except those who “want” something from us. That does not mean they are our friends and would not hesitate to turn on us in a heart beat. Are some for us – sure, but it’s obvious the majority are not – at least the majority are not kicking thier own brothers ass to knock the crap off and come into the 21st Century. So – since you can’t win the hearts and minds – leave. Otherwise – fess up and state we are using Afghanistan as real world training for our soliders and testing of new armaments. Not sure that will get the US populations backing – but at least you could see the reason – you know – real live fire excercises!
Report Post »Mtremblay
Posted on March 11, 2012 at 10:28pmCant support it with the current POTUS continually apologizing and turning on his own brave men and women in the military. Bring them home
Report Post »rose-ellen
Posted on March 11, 2012 at 11:19pmwhen will they release the name of that american murderer of men women and children?at least he‘s being detained and hopefully he’ll be convicted by his fellow americans. and spend years in prison for killing afghans.if there were real justice alot of americans including the psychopth alan west would be tried and convicted as murderers too.oh well at least finally one american terrorist isn’t getting away with it. i stand with the afghan people. don’t care how backward they are.they’re the victims here.
Report Post »libertytreecaretaker
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 12:03amRose
Report Post »Go squat in squaller with the Afghan people as well. Your right they should be left alone to their savage way of life. Maybe after 1000 years they will evolve from savage to a half step up as a liberal!
To denagrae the only Americans in this country willing to put their life on the line for a waste bag like you is unthinkable.
lukerw
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 12:03amLet’s try to reason out why we are there! It is NOT for anything of Value; it is not for the Opium; it is not to fight an Enemy! Then it has to be Strategy: and, the only thing there is Rocks and Location! East of Iran… North of Pakistan… West of China… all being potential THREATS!
Report Post »beebacksoon
Posted on March 11, 2012 at 10:28pmWe should have exited when bin Laden was murdered by our president’s go! Get out now, and move on.
Report Post »destrecht
Posted on March 11, 2012 at 10:50pmI agree.
Report Post »Espada
Posted on March 11, 2012 at 10:22pmThe basic Afghan will fight to the death for his right to live in squalor, defend his fragile ego (called “honor”), and beat his female family members to death with his bare fists.
Other than that, they are useless pimples on the derriere of the Earth.
Report Post »