Aiding Afghanistan

As President Obama’s war council continues deliberations on Afghanistan, Americans are giving mixed signals about the effort. A new poll from Quinnipiac University finds that 52 percent agree that the United States is doing the right thing by fighting the war in Afghanistan, while 37 percent said the United States should not be involved. Nearly two-thirds in the poll said eliminating the threat from terrorists operating there was a worthwhile goal for American troops to fight and die for. In another question, however, 39 percent said building a stable democratic government there was a similarly worthwhile goal. Only 22 percent thought we could be successful building a democracy there. Americans have always welcomed more democracies around the world. They are not confident that we know how to create them.

Source: Quinnipiac University, September 29 to October 5, 2009.