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Most Americans say Afghan war not worth fighting
WASHINGTON -- A majority of Americans say the war in Afghanistan is not worth fighting and oppose sending more US troops to fight a growing insurgency, a poll showed. The survey results show US public support sliding for the war as Afghans prepare to vote Thursday in a pivotal election and amid speculation that the top US commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, will request more troops.
But President Obama has staked himself on the idea that Afghanistan is the good war, the necessary war, and has committed himself to sticking it out, no cut and run. Once again he has put himself on the wrong side of public opinion, canny politician that he is.
Not just Bambi but most of the progressive Left said that this was the 'good war'. At least while Bush was president. They aren't saying much of anything now, and they aren't protesting much about our continued involvement in Iraq. Why, it's almost as if the wars were just an excuse to attack Bush. So much for 'fierce moral urgency' ...
Asked if the war has been worth fighting, 51 percent said it was not, while 47 percent endorsed the mission, according to the Washington Post-ABC News poll. In July, a narrow majority backed the war as worthwhile.

Only 24 percent said more US forces should be deployed, while 27 percent said the troop levels should be kept the same and 45 percent said the troop commitment should be reduced. In a January survey, only 29 percent said the number of troops should be cut back.

It was the second poll this month that revealed public support slipping for the war. In a CNN-Opinion Research Corporation survey released earlier this month, 54 percent opposed the US-led fight, with only 41 percent in favor.

The latest Washington Post poll, carried out between August 13-17, showed Americans had doubts that Thursday's elections would result in an effective Afghan government. Only 31 percent said they were confident that the vote would produce a government that could rule effectively while a 64 percent majority said they were not confident of such an outcome.

Despite signs of public anxiety, a majority of 60 percent approve of how President Barack Obama has handled the war, while 33 percent disapproved, the poll said.

Opinion was divided as to whether the United States was winning the war, with 42 percent saying Washington was winning while 36 percent said the US was losing.

Opposition to the war has grown among those who form Obama's core of support -- liberals and Democrats, the survey said. Nearly two-thirds of staunch Democrats now feel "strongly" that the war was not worth fighting, it said.

And support for the war among voters who identify themselves as liberals has dropped dramatically. Strong approval for Obama's approach to the war among liberals has fallen 20 points and 63 percent of liberals want troop levels reduced.

Public unease has been reflected in Congress, where some of Obama's fellow Democrats have voiced worries about the open-ended US commitment. Support for the war is running strong among Republicans, however, with 70 percent saying the war was worth fighting, according to the poll.

The survey was based on a sample of 1,001 adults and has a margin of error of three points, according to the Washington Post website.
Posted by: Steve White 2009-08-20
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=277049