Afghan war support in US hits all-time low

KABUL war among Americans has hit an all-time low, a new opinion poll revealed on Saturday, claiming the conflict was more unpopular than the US military campaign in Iraq.

As the ebbing support crosses political lines, the drop is more perceptible among Republicans, according to the Washington Post/ABC poll. Three years back 69 percent of Republicans favoured the war, while 29 percent opposed it.

But now 51 percent of them voice aversion to the war — the lowest support for the Afghan mission ever recorded in the poll, even lower than the Iraq war on the same question. “A full two-thirds, 67 percent, say that the Afghan war has not been worth fighting.”

The study notes the backing tends to increase in the winter, when fighting slows, and fall again in the summer. The soaring costs for the US with little obvious return is cited as another likely factor.

“US casualty rates have jumped rapidly since President Obama increased troops numbers – a move that initially spiked public support – but gains have been difficult to maintain,” it adds.

Political corruption, American casualties and the insider attacks are the worst stories emanating from the war-torn country. In early 2012, a video surfaced showing Marines urinating on dead fighters and NATO.

In March 2012, the poll recalls, an American service member killed 16 civilians, nine of them children, in a village of southern Kandahar province, triggering a storm of protests.

PAN Monitor/mud