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Britain, Canada Differ from U.S. on Afghan War
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in the United States remain supportive of their country’s military engagement in Afghanistan, but people in Britain and Canada are considerably less enthusiastic about the mission, according to a three-country poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 55 per cent of American respondents support the military operation in Afghanistan, but only 43 per cent of Canadians and 39 per cent of Britons concur.
In fact, 53 per cent of respondents in Britain—and 52 per cent in Canada—oppose the military operation in Afghanistan.
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 1,243 soldiers—including 738 Americans, 186 Britons and 125 Canadians—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 month, British prime minister Gordon Brown reiterated his commitment to the mission, saying, "Despite the tragic losses, morale remains high—and I can report the assessment of commanders on the ground: that the current operations are succeeding in their objectives. They are having a marked impact on the Taliban in central Helmand, will improve security for the population in the run up to the elections, and will allow longer term work on governance and development to begin."
Polling Data
Canada - Overall, do you support or oppose the military operation involving Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan?
United States - Overall, do you support or oppose the military operation involving American soldiers in Afghanistan?
Britain - Overall, do you support or oppose the military operation involving Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan?
|
CAN |
USA |
BRI |
|
|
Support |
43% |
55% |
39% |
|
Oppose |
52% |
35% |
53% |
|
Not sure |
5% |
9% |
9% |
Source: Angus Reid Strategies
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,007 Canadian adults, 1,000 American adults, and 1,887 British adults, conducted from Jul. 15 to Jul. 18, 2009. Margins of error range from 2.2 per cent to 3.1 per cent.
