McChrystal’s Might

The military is the most highly rated institution in American life. Rich and poor, young and old, and black and white all rate the institution highly. In a new poll conducted by Quinnipiac University, 81 percent of those surveyed said they trusted the U.S. military to make the right recommendations about U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan. Large majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents agreed. In a separate question, 55 percent trusted President Obama to make the right decisions about the Afghanistan war. Several Republican lawmakers have called for General Stanley McChrystal to testify, but thus far Defense Secretary Robert Gates has resisted the calls. One reason may be the popularity disparity between the military and the president.

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