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Czech Oppose More Afghan Deployments
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The vast majority of people in the Czech Republic oppose more troop deployments in Afghanistan, according to a poll by STEM. 70 per cent of respondents are against sending an additional 350 Czech soldiers to the area.
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, prime suspect 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 978 soldiers—including three Czechs—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).
Just under 500 Czech soldiers have been serving in Afghanistan since March 2004.
On Oct. 1, the government led by Czech prime minister Mirek Topolanek approved the expansion of foreign military missions, including Afghanistan. According to the new plan, up to 745 soldiers would be sent to serve in the war on terror in 2009. The prime minister declared: "We have been gradually withdrawing troops from Iraq. We will participate in two big missions, in Kosovo and Afghanistan."
Polling Data
Do you support or oppose deploying an additional 250 Czech soldiers to Afghanistan?
|
Support |
30% |
|
Oppose |
70% |
Source: STEM
Methodology: Interviews with 650 Czech adults, conducted in October 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.