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Public Opinion Snapshot: A War Worth Fighting

Evidence continues to accumulate that the public has a far different view on Afghanistan than on Iraq. The public thinks the war in Iraq was a mistake and wishes to see our troops withdrawn. Yet the public does not think the war in Afghanistan was a mistake; in fact, they want to see stronger action taken. Consider these data from a late July Gallup/USA Today poll.

When asked whether the United States made a mistake sending troops to Afghanistan, the public overwhelmingly (68-28) says we didn’t.

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When asked whether the United States should send additional troops to Afghanistan to fight Al Qaeda and the Taliban, the public overwhelmingly (59-38) says we should.

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The public makes its priorities on Afghanistan clear relative to Iraq by strongly endorsing (57-36) the idea that troops should be moved from Iraq to Afghanistan to further the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

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These findings indicate that the public doesn’t want to give up the fight against terrorism, but it does want to see that fight conducted efficiently and effectively. That’s a point of view the Bush administration and its conservative supporters could learn a lot from.

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