In the online survey of a representative national sample of 1,012 American adults, 52 per cent of respondents oppose the military operation involving American soldiers in Afghanistan, while 38 per cent support it. Since February 2010, support for the mission has fallen by 16 points, while opposition has risen by 14 points.

Respondents in the Northeast (59%), women (53%) and Americans over the age of 55 (56%) are more likely to voice opposition to the Afghanistan military operation, along with Independents (65%) and Democrats (55%).

Americans are evenly split when assessing the decision to start the mission, with 38 per cent thinking the United States made a mistake in sending military forces to Afghanistan, and 38 per cent believing it did the right thing.

Only about two-in-five Americans (38%) are “very confident” or “moderately confident” that the Obama Administration will be able to “finish the job” in Afghanistan. Republicans (73%) and Independents (60%) are particularly skeptical about the way the current government will deal with this issue.

Only one-in-five Americans (19%) expect a clear military victory by U.S. and allied forces over the Taliban, while three-in-ten (31%) believe the world will see negotiated settlement from a position of U.S. and allied strength that gives the Taliban a small role in the Afghan government.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From March 21 to March 22, 2012, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,012 randomly selected American adults who are Springboard America panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of the United States. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of 1,001 Canadian adults, 40 per cent of respondents believe Canada made a mistake in sending military forces to Afghanistan in 2002, while 36 per cent think Canada did the right thing.

The federal government’s decision to keep 950 soldiers in Afghanistan until 2014 in a strictly non-combat role to help train the Afghan military is endorsed by a majority of Canadians (54%), including two thirds of respondents in British Columbia and Alberta (66%).

However, about three-in-five respondents (58%) disagree with extending Canada’s non-combat role after 2014.

Across Canada, two thirds of respondents (65%) disagree with the assertion that Afghanistan will never again become a safe haven for international terrorism, and a similar proportion (69%) believe the war in Afghanistan was not worth the human and financial toll.

Quebecers are more likely to call the mission in Afghanistan a mistake (52%), to disagree with an extension of Canada’s non-combat role (67%), and to state that the war was not worth the human and financial toll (77%).

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From January 27 to January 28, 2012, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,001 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

The online survey of representative samples in the three countries also shows that Canadians now illustrate the highest level of opposition to the military operation in Afghanistan over the past 12 months.

United States

A year ago, a majority of Americans (58%) supported the mission in Afghanistan, while about two-in-five (38%) opposed it.

Now, in a trend that began late last year, respondents are evenly split, with 47 per cent backing the mission, and 46 per cent opposing it. The level of rejection to the Afghan mission is highest in the Northeast and West (both at 49%) and lowest in the South (44%).

Britain

For more than a year, a majority of Britons has expressed opposition to the mission in Afghanistan. This month, only 31 per cent of respondents are backing the military operation, while 60 per cent are against it.

This month’s result matches the high level of opposition to the mission, which was recorded in October 2010. Respondents in London (63%) and Scotland (62%) are more likely to reject the military operation.

Canada

For the first time since the war began, three-in-five Canadians (63%) voice opposition to the mission in Afghanistan. Support for the military effort has dropped to the lowest level recorded (32%).

This month’s numbers represent a drastic shift from a survey conducted a year ago, where 47 per cent of Canadians backed the war. Even in Alberta, which has traditionally been supportive of the military operation in previous surveys, support has dropped to just two-in-five respondents (43%). Quebecers, as has been the case for the past year, remain staunchly opposed to the mission (75%).

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Communications & Media Relations
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@visioncritical.com

Methodology: From February 22 to February 28, 2011, Vision Critical conducted an online survey among 1,022 Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists, 1,006 American adults who are Springboard America panellists, and 2,019 British adults who are Springboard UK panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1% for Canada and the United States and 2.2% for Great Britain. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult population of Canada, the U.S. and Great Britain. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

The online survey of a representative national sample of 2,011 British adults also shows that more than half of Britons mistakenly believe that fewer than 300 UK soldiers have lost their lives in the Afghan conflict.

The Mission

This month, 34 per cent of respondents (+2 since October) support the military operation involving UK soldiers in Afghanistan, while 57 per cent (-3) are opposed.

Half of respondents (51%, +1) say they have a clear idea of what the war in Afghanistan is about, and a clear majority of Britons (57%, -3) believe the country made a mistake in sending military forces to Afghanistan.

When The War is Over

When asked about the eventual outcome of the war in Afghanistan, only eight per cent of respondents predict a clear victory by U.S. and allied forces over the Taliban. The top response—as has been the case throughout the year—is a negotiated settlement from a position of U.S. and allied strength that gives the Taliban a small role in the Afghan government (33%).

One-in-five respondents (19%) expect a negotiated settlement from a position of U.S. and allied weakness that gives the Taliban a significant role in the Afghan government, while 11 per cent foresee the Taliban ultimately defeating the U.S. and allied forces.

Obama’s Plan

Confidence in the Obama Administration being able to “finish the job” in Afghanistan fell by three points to 22 per cent, while two-thirds (67%) are not too confident or not confident at all in the U.S. federal government.

The Media and the Government

There was very little fluctuation in two questions since October, with more than half of respondents (52%, -1) stating that the media in the UK has provided the right amount of attention to Afghanistan, and just three-in-ten Britons (31%, +1) claiming that the UK Government has provided the right amount of information about the conflict.

Casualties

More than half of respondents (55%) believe that fewer than 300 British soldiers have died in Afghanistan since the conflict began in 2001. One-in-five (21%) accurately estimate that the number of casualties is between 301 and 400.

Analysis

Throughout 2010, Britons did not go through a significant shift towards support for the military mission in Afghanistan, despite going through a General Election and a change of government. Opposition to the war has consistently topped the 50 per cent mark, along with the feeling that committing troops in the first place was a mistake.

Prime Minister David Cameron has insisted that the British fighting forces will remain in Afghanistan until 2014. While the level of “strong opposition” to the war now outranks “strong support” by a 3-to-1 margin—instead of the 4-to-1 margin observed in October—the country does not appear ready to re-embrace the mission at this point.

Download Full Tables

Download Full Methodology Statement

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Communications & Media Relations
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From December 7 to December 9, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 2,011 randomly selected British adults who are Springboard UK panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 2.2% for the entire sample. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult population of Great Britain. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of 2,023 Canadian adults, more than half of respondents (56%, +1) oppose the military operation involving Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, while just over a third (36%, +1) support the mission. Strong opposition to the war remains highest in Quebec (48%) while Albertans (19%) and Atlantic Canadians (18%) are more likely to strongly support the mission.

Non-Combat Role in 2011

Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan is scheduled to end in July 2011. The federal government has announced that Canada will keep 950 soldiers in Afghanistan until 2014 in a strictly non-combat role to help train the Afghan military.

Almost half of Canadians (48%) agree with the decision to keep Canadian soldiers in a non-combat role in Afghanistan, while 44 per cent disagree with this course of action. Majorities of Albertans (62%) and British Columbians (56%) support the decision, while Quebecers (55%) and Atlantic Canadians (51%) are more likely to oppose it.

Three-in-five respondents who voted for the Conservative Party in the 2008 federal election (62%) support the non-combat mission, along with half of Green Party voters (51%) and half of Liberal Party voters (50%). Conversely, respondents who voted for the Bloc Québécois (68%) or the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the 2008 federal ballot (55%) are more likely to oppose the troops taking on a non-combat role after July 2011.

The Mission

One third of Canadians (32%, =) think Canada did the right thing in sending military forces to Afghanistan, while 45 per cent (-2) believe Canada made a mistake. Across the country, 53 per cent of respondents feel that they have a clear idea of what the war in Afghanistan is all about.

When the War is Over

A large proportion of Canadians (35%) remain undecided on what the most likely outcome of the war in Afghanistan will be. About three-in-ten (29%, 2) foresee a negotiated settlement from a position of U.S. and NATO strength that gives the Taliban a small role in the Afghan government.

Eight per cent of Canadians (+2) expect a clear victory by U.S. and NATO forces over the Taliban, while 14 per cent (-1) think that the Taliban will play a significant role in Afghanistan after the war is over, and a similar proportion (13%, -2) believe that U.S. and NATO forces will ultimately be defeated.

Obama’s Plan

Just over a quarter of Canadians (27%, -4) continue to express confidence in the Obama Administration being able to “finish the job” in Afghanistan, while three-in-five (62%, +5) are not too confident or not confident at all in the U.S. federal government.

The Media and the Government

Two-in-five Canadians (43%, -4) claim that the national media has provided the right amount of information about the Afghan mission. For a quarter of respondents (26%, +1), the media is paying too little attention to Afghanistan.

A majority of Canadians (56%, +1) state that the federal government has provided too little information about the conflict, while one-in-four (24%, -1) say the amount of information has been appropriate.

Casualties

At the time this survey was conducted, 153 Canadian soldiers had died in Afghanistan. Respondents to this survey were asked to enter a numeric response to articulate how many Canadian troops they thought had perished in Afghanistan since 2002.

More than a third of Canadians (36%) provided a response between 134 and 166 soldiers, while 32 per cent believe that fewer than 134 soldiers have died in Afghanistan, and an equal proportion (32%) estimated that more than 166 soldiers have died in the conflict.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Communications & Media Relations
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From December 3 to December 6, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 2,023 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 2.2%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of 1,000 American adults, 45 per cent of respondents express support for the military operation (-2 since October), while 45 per cent (-1) oppose it.

The Mission

The proportion of people in the United States who think that engaging the military in Afghanistan was a mistake stands at 38 per cent, six points higher than in April and June. Two-in-five Americans (40%, +3) believe that that the U.S. did the right thing in sending soldiers to Afghanistan.

More than half of respondents (54%, +3) claim that they do not know what war in Afghanistan is all about, whereas 46 per cent (-3) say they do.

When the War is Over

The level of undecided respondents in this question has risen to 39 per cent—and only 16 per cent of Americans (-3) expect the U.S. and allied forces to deliver a clear military victory over the Taliban. One-in-four (24%, -4) predict a negotiated settlement from a position of U.S. and allied strength that gives the Taliban a small role in the Afghan government. Fewer respondents foresee either a negotiated settlement from a position of U.S. and allied weakness that gives the Taliban a significant role in the Afghan government (14%, +2) or a military defeat of U.S. and allied forces by the Taliban (7%, +1).

Obama’s Plan

Three-in-five Americans (60%) express little confidence in the administration of President Barack Obama to “finish the job” in Afghanistan. Only three-in-ten Americans (30%) have confidence in Obama on this particular file.

The Media and the Government

One third of Americans (33%) believe the country’s media has not provided enough information about the war in Afghanistan, while a similar proportion (32%) say it has presented the right amount of information. Only 17 per cent of respondents think the media has focused too much on Afghanistan.

Half of Americans (49%) believe the federal government has supplied too little information about the war in Afghanistan. Considerably fewer respondents think the administration has provided the right amount of information (26%) or too much (8%).

Casualties

At the time this survey was conducted, 1,413 American soldiers had died in Afghanistan. Respondents to this survey were asked to enter a numeric response to articulate how many soldiers they thought had perished in Afghanistan since 2001.

Only six per cent of Americans provided a response between 1,334 and 1,666 soldiers. More than a third of respondents (35%) believe that fewer than 1,000 soldiers have died in Afghanistan, while almost half (47%) estimated that more than 2,000 soldiers have died in the conflict.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Communications & Media Relations
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From December 3 to December 5, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,000 randomly selected American adults who are Springboard USA panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult population of the United States. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

Public support for Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan has hit a low point, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of 1,009 Canadian adults, just over a third of respondents (35%, -4 since August) support the military operation involving Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan—the lowest level recorded over the past two years. More than half of respondents (55%, +2) oppose the war.

The Mission

The level of “strong opposition” to the war outranks the level of “strong support” by a 3-to-1 margin (34% to 11%). Practically half of Quebecers (49%) say they “strongly oppose” the operation.

Almost half of Canadians (47%, -4) think Canada made a mistake in sending military forces to Afghanistan, while one third (32%, -6) believe it was the right thing to do. The only area where a plurality of respondents stands by Canada’s decision is Alberta (43% to 38%). Across the country, 53 per cent of respondents feel that they have a clear idea of what the war in Afghanistan is all about.

When the War is Over

There was little fluctuation on the question related to the outcome of the war. More than a quarter of respondents (27%) expect to see a negotiated settlement from a position of U.S. and NATO strength that gives the Taliban a small role in the Afghan government.

Only six per cent foresee a clear victory by U.S. and NATO forces over the Taliban, 15 per cent believe that the Taliban will play a significant role in Afghanistan after the war is over, and the same proportion (15%) think that U.S. and NATO forces will ultimately be defeated.

Obama’s Plan

Three-in-ten Canadians (31%, -1) continue to express confidence in the Obama Administration being able to “finish the job” in Afghanistan. It is important to note that the level of confidence in the way the U.S. government will deal with the conflict is much higher in Quebec (33%) than in Western Canada (23% or less).

The Media and the Government

Around half of Canadians (47%, -1) say that the national media has provided the right amount of information about the Afghan mission. For a quarter of respondents (25%, -3), the media is paying too little attention to Afghanistan.

A majority of Canadians (55%, -2) claim that the federal government has provided too little information about the conflict, while one-in-four (25%, -1) say the amount of information has been appropriate.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Communications & Media Relations
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From October 13 to October 14, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,009 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

Public opposition to Britain’s involvement in Afghanistan has reached a high point, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.

The online survey of a representative national sample of 2,003 British adults also shows that respondents maintain negative views on the likely outcome of the war n Afghanistan.

The Mission

This month, 32 per cent of respondents (down one point since August) support the military operation involving UK soldiers in Afghanistan, while 60 per cent are opposed (up three points).

Three-in-ten Britons (60%, +6) believe the country made a mistake in sending military forces to Afghanistan. Half of respondents (50%, +4) claim to have a clear idea of what the war in Afghanistan is about.

When The War is Over

When asked about what they believe will be the most likely outcome of the conflict in Afghanistan, only eight per cent of Britons predict a clear victory by U.S. and allied forces over the Taliban, and 31 per cent foresee a negotiated settlement from a position of U.S. and allied strength that gives the Taliban a small role in the Afghan government.

In addition, one-in-five respondents (20%) expect a negotiated settlement from a position of U.S. and allied weakness that gives the Taliban a significant role in the Afghan government, and 11 per cent believe the Taliban will ultimately defeat the U.S. and allied forces.

Obama’s Plan

One-in-four Britons (25%, -2) are very or moderately confident that the Obama Administration will be able to “finish the job” in Afghanistan, while a clear majority (65%, +2) are not too confident or not confident at all.

The Media and the Government

More than half of respondents (53%, +1) claim that the media in the UK has provided the right amount of attention to Afghanistan, while 20 per cent think it has been too little, and 15 per cent believe it has been too much.

Only three-in-ten Britons (30%, +1) think that the UK Government has provided the right amount of information about the war in Afghanistan, while half (49%, -3) say it has been too little.

Analysis

Prime Minister David Cameron recently presented a package of military budget reductions, which will not affect the current state of affairs in Afghanistan. However, as the months go by, animosity towards the mission and the decision to send troops in the first place continues to mount. Three-in-five Britons both oppose the conflict and believe the government made a mistake in ordering the deployment of soldiers in the first place.

The main gap in public opinion lies in the high level of “strong opposition” to the war, which outranks “strong support” by a 4-to-1 margin.

Download Full Tables

Download Full Methodology Statement

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Communications & Media Relations
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From October 14 to October 17, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 2,003 randomly selected British adults who are Springboard UK panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/-2.2%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult population of Great Britain. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

People in the United States appear skeptical about the military operation involving American soldiers in Afghanistan and—for the first time—are evenly divided on whether the war was the right course of action, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of 1,003 American adults, 47 per cent of respondents express support for the operation (unchanged since August), while 45 per cent (+3) oppose it.

The Mission

The proportion of people in the United States who think that engaging the military in Afghanistan was a mistake remains at 37 per cent.

Now, the same proportion of respondents (37%) feels that the U.S. did the right thing in deploying soldiers to Afghanistan, down seven points since February.

Half of respondents (51%) claim that they do not know what war in Afghanistan is all about, whereas 49 per cent say they do.

When the War is Over

While more than a third of respondents (35%) are undecided when asked about the future of Afghanistan, only one-in-five (19%) expect a clear military victory by U.S. and allied forces over the Taliban. Fewer respondents (6%) believe the Taliban will defeat U.S. and allied forces, and 12 per cent foresee a negotiated settlement from a position of U.S. and allied weakness that gives the Taliban a significant role in the Afghan government. Almost three-in-ten Americans (28%) think the war will end with a negotiated settlement from a position of U.S. and allied strength that gives the Taliban a small role in the Afghan government.

Obama’s Plan

The proportion of respondents who express little confidence in the administration of President Barack Obama to “finish the job” in Afghanistan dropped from 65 per cent in August to 59 per cent this month. Still, just about three-in-ten Americans (28%) express confidence in Obama.

The Media and the Government

One third of Americans (33%) believe the country’s media has not provided enough information about the war in Afghanistan, while a slightly smaller proportion (30%) say it has provided the right amount of information. Only 19 per cent of respondents think the media has focused too much on Afghanistan.

As was the case two months ago, 53 per cent of Americans believe the federal government has provided too little information about the war in Afghanistan. Considerably fewer respondents think the administration has provided the right amount of information (23%) or too much (9%).

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Communications & Media Relations
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From October 15 to October 17, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,003 randomly selected American adults who are Springboard USA panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult population of the United States. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

In contrast, 57 per cent of Britons oppose the mission.

Afghanistan has been the main battleground in the war on terrorism. The conflict began in October 2001, after the Taliban regime refused to hand over Osama bin Laden without evidence of his participation in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Al-Qaeda operatives hijacked and crashed four airplanes on Sept. 11, 2001, killing nearly 3,000 people.

At least 2,004 soldiers—including 331 Britons—have died in the war on terrorism, either in support of the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom or as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Earlier this week, British Prime Minister David Cameron, who has just completed his first 100 days in office, declared: "Afghanistan is what keeps me up at night—making sure that we succeed."

Polling Data

Overall, do you support or oppose the military operation involving UK soldiers in Afghanistan?

Complete Poll (PDF)