A majority thinks we're losing in Afghanistan
I thought this was interesting from an NBC/WSJ poll (.pdf).
The 69% number on Iraq doesn't surprise me, but for some reason the Afghanistan number does.
From what you have heard or read, do you think the war in Afghanistan against al Qaeda and the Taliban is going extremely well, fairly well, not that well, or not well at all?
Extremely well .................................... 2
Fairly well............................................ 26
Not that well........................................ 28
Not well at all ...................................... 41
Not sure ............................................ 3
69% think Afghanistan isn't going well. 28% think it is.
The 69% number on Iraq doesn't surprise me, but for some reason the Afghanistan number does.
posted by mikevotes at
1:23 PM
6 Comments:
I'm glad to see it. At least people are paying a bit of attention. Now when Cheney says things like "And Iraq is going to be as big a success as Afghanistan" 69% of Americans will say "Holy shit, he really is deluded."
By
Reality-Based Educator, at 5:58 PM
I agree.
I'm wondering how much of this number is a bleed over.
And, as Afghanistan is the "right war," does this number exert significant pullback against Iraq?
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 6:43 PM
I think the Afghanistan number has a lot to do with the failure to capture or kill Bil Laden. Wright or wrong, a lot of Americans see that as the mission there. 5 and a half years later, it is still incomplete.
By
Praguetwin, at 9:04 PM
That's a good guess that never even occurred to me.
I guess it's because I don't ever actually expect this administration to catch him, and at this point, I view Afghanistan as a war against the Taleban and Pashtuns and only incidentally against Al Qaeda.
(If Afghanistan went back to the Taleban, Al Qaeda would certainly move back in, but they're not at all who we're fighting right now.)
I don't even factor Al Qaeda into the winning/losing equation of Afghanistan except as a consequence.
So, I never even would have thought of that very reasonable explanation.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 9:09 PM
If there really is an East-West religious clash between Islam and Christianity, then it's a hearts-and-minds PR war more than it's a military war.
By
Anonymous, at 9:25 AM
It wholly is. That's why Iraq was such a mistake. If we'd taken that $500 billion and funded clinics and teachers and agricultural development (not in the nasty IMF way,) the view looking back at us would be one of charity.
We could have joined over the loving similarities in the religions rather than emboldining fundamentalists on both sides.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 11:43 AM
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