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Support for Afghan Mission Drops in UK, Canada
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Public backing for the mission in Afghanistan is eroding in two countries, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 59 per cent of respondents in Britain oppose the military operation involving UK soldiers in Afghanistan, up six points since July.
In Canada, overall support for the mission stands at 37 per cent, down six points in three months. In the United States, public backing for the military commitment remains stable at 54 per cent.
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 1,445 soldiers—including 869 Americans, 221 Britons and 131 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).
In the United States, a debate on whether to send more troops to Afghanistan has dominated the airwaves in recent days. U.S. president Barack Obama is said to be considering an increase, but neither an actual number of soldiers nor a timetable for deployment have been established yet.
Yesterday, Democratic Massachusetts senator John Kerry—who serves as the chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee—discussed his views on the issue, saying, "The key in Afghanistan is we have got to figure out what is achievable, measured against the legitimate interests of the U.S., primary among which is al-Qaeda. In Afghanistan itself we have to resolve the question of whether the Taliban are per se a threat to us."
Polling Data
United States - Overall, do you support or oppose the military operation involving American soldiers in Afghanistan?
|
Oct. 2009 |
Jul. 2009 |
|
|
Support |
54% |
55% |
|
Oppose |
35% |
35% |
|
Not sure |
11% |
9% |
Canada - Overall, do you support or oppose the military operation involving Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan?
|
Oct. 2009 |
Jul. 2009 |
|
|
Support |
37% |
43% |
|
Oppose |
56% |
52% |
|
Not sure |
6% |
5% |
Britain - Overall, do you support or oppose the military operation involving UK soldiers in Afghanistan?
|
Oct. 2009 |
Jul. 2009 |
|
|
Support |
35% |
39% |
|
Oppose |
59% |
53% |
|
Not sure |
6% |
9% |
Source: Angus Reid Strategies
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,006 Canadian adults, 1,134 American adults, and 2,002 British adults, conducted from Oct. 5 to Oct. 10, 2009. Margins of error range from 2.2 per cent to 3.1 per cent.
