(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States appear disappointed with the way their government approached two different military operations, according to a poll by CBS News and the New York Times. 54 per cent of respondents think the Bush administration focused too much on the war in Iraq.

Conversely, only three per cent of respondents think the federal government concentrated too much on the conflict in Afghanistan, while 31 per cent believe the balance was about right.

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 977 soldiers—including 605 Americans—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).

The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein’s regime was launched in March 2003. At least 4,177 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and 30,600 troops have been wounded in action.

On Oct. 1, U.S. president George W. Bush discussed the situation in Afghanistan, saying, "There’s been progress when you consider the fact that millions of young girls go to school that didn’t have a chance to go to school before in Afghanistan. (...) There’s difficulties, of course, because killers can’t stand this progress. (...) And there’s been some tough fighting, and we honour our American troops who have sacrificed so that Afghanistan never becomes a safe haven again for extremists who would harm our citizens."

Polling Data

Over the last couple of years, do you think the Bush administration has focused too much on the war in Iraq and not enough on Afghanistan, or focused too much on Afghanistan and not enough on the war in Iraq, or has the balance been about right?

Source: CBS News / New York Times
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,133 American adults, conducted from Sept. 12 to Sept. 16, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

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