(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Few adults in five nations that have provided military assistance in Afghanistan believe the mission is proceeding adequately, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. Only 22 per cent of respondents in Canada think the war against militant groups in Afghanistan has been mostly a success.

Italy is next on the list with 18 per cent, followed by Britain with 16 per cent, Germany with 15 per cent, and France with 12 per cent. More than 60 per cent of German, Italian, British and French respondents—as well as 49 per cent of Canadians—think the military effort in Afghanistan has been a failure so far.

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 652 soldiers—including 70 Britons, 69 Canadians, 21 Germans, 10 French and nine Italians—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).

On Aug. 22, British prime minister Gordon Brown and German chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the current state of affairs. Brown declared: "I believe there is a united international interest in making sure that the Taliban do not restore control in Afghanistan. The benefits of young children being able to go to school, 5 million more children at school, girls getting education for the first time are obvious to see, but of course this demands a coordinated international effort."

Merkel added: "Our countries have different responsibilities that are part and parcel of the same mission, that is a mission that has to continue, and wherever an increase of our efforts and engagement and commitment is required, be that in the police, in reconstruction efforts, then we have to attend to that."

Polling Data

(Your country) has contributed troops to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) mission in Afghanistan. So far, do you think the war against militant groups in Afghanistan has been mostly a success or mostly a failure?

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