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US voters: Pull out of Afghanistan immediately
Tue May 10, 2011 5:18PM
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American voters feel more strongly than ever that U.S. troops should be brought home from Afghanistan right away or a timetable should be set to bring them back within a year.
A new Rasmussen Reports nation telephone survey finds that 35% of likely U.S. voters now favor the immediate withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, the highest level of support to date. Twenty-one percent (21%) more support the establishment of a firm timetable to bring the troops home within a year. Rasmussen Reports
HIGHLIGHTS
The combined total of 56% is up four points from the beginning of March, up 13 points from 43% last September, and up 19 points from September 2009. Rasmussen Reports
Of potential political significance is the fact that opposition to the nation's longest war is by far largest among members of Obama's own Democratic Party, 70% of whom favor immediate withdrawal or a firm timetable. LA Times
Among independents, that number is 54% and a growing 42% among Republicans, who once gave Obama his strongest support in that area. LA Times
An NBC News Poll released late Monday shows that views of how the president is handling the economy have dropped since April to their lowest levels since Obama took office. Politico
A month ago, 45 percent of Americans said they approved of his handling of the economy. That number is now down to 37 percent, while disapproval has risen six percentage points to 58 percent. Politico
FACTS & FIGURES
The Obama administration initially said the U.S. would begin withdrawing troops this July, but later postponed the start of the withdrawal to 2014. Raw Story
Limited foreign troop withdrawals are due to begin in July ahead of a complete pull-out of international combat troops in 2014. Al Jazeera
As of April 26, 2011, at least 1,445 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count. AP
The annual cost for a soldier in the Afghanistan war is $1.1 million versus the inflation adjusted $67,000 per year for troops in World War II and $132,000 in Vietnam. NY Times
UNAMA reports that 2010 was the bloodiest year since the war began in terms of the civilian death toll. Civilian casualties have increased by 31% since last year. The number of children killed in the war is up 55 percent from last year. UNAMA
From January 1 to December 31, 2010, at least 2,421 civilian Afghans were killed and over 3,270 were injured in conflict-related security incidents across Afghanistan. This means that everyday 6-7 noncombatants were killed and 8-9 were wounded in the war. ARM
HJ/SM/MMN
Tue May 10, 2011 5:18PM
Share | Email | Print
American voters feel more strongly than ever that U.S. troops should be brought home from Afghanistan right away or a timetable should be set to bring them back within a year.
A new Rasmussen Reports nation telephone survey finds that 35% of likely U.S. voters now favor the immediate withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, the highest level of support to date. Twenty-one percent (21%) more support the establishment of a firm timetable to bring the troops home within a year. Rasmussen Reports
HIGHLIGHTS
The combined total of 56% is up four points from the beginning of March, up 13 points from 43% last September, and up 19 points from September 2009. Rasmussen Reports
Of potential political significance is the fact that opposition to the nation's longest war is by far largest among members of Obama's own Democratic Party, 70% of whom favor immediate withdrawal or a firm timetable. LA Times
Among independents, that number is 54% and a growing 42% among Republicans, who once gave Obama his strongest support in that area. LA Times
An NBC News Poll released late Monday shows that views of how the president is handling the economy have dropped since April to their lowest levels since Obama took office. Politico
A month ago, 45 percent of Americans said they approved of his handling of the economy. That number is now down to 37 percent, while disapproval has risen six percentage points to 58 percent. Politico
FACTS & FIGURES
The Obama administration initially said the U.S. would begin withdrawing troops this July, but later postponed the start of the withdrawal to 2014. Raw Story
Limited foreign troop withdrawals are due to begin in July ahead of a complete pull-out of international combat troops in 2014. Al Jazeera
As of April 26, 2011, at least 1,445 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count. AP
The annual cost for a soldier in the Afghanistan war is $1.1 million versus the inflation adjusted $67,000 per year for troops in World War II and $132,000 in Vietnam. NY Times
UNAMA reports that 2010 was the bloodiest year since the war began in terms of the civilian death toll. Civilian casualties have increased by 31% since last year. The number of children killed in the war is up 55 percent from last year. UNAMA
From January 1 to December 31, 2010, at least 2,421 civilian Afghans were killed and over 3,270 were injured in conflict-related security incidents across Afghanistan. This means that everyday 6-7 noncombatants were killed and 8-9 were wounded in the war. ARM
HJ/SM/MMN
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