Most Americans see Afghan fight worth US bloodshed: poll

[progressiveGI]

Source: AFP

NEW YORK (AFP) – A solid majority of Americans are willing to see some of their countrymen die to achieve a terror-free Afghanistan, but US misgivings about sending more troops remain, a poll released Wednesday said.

Sixty-five percent of US voters "are willing to have American soldiers 'fight and possibly die' to eliminate the threat of terrorists operating from Afghanistan," according to the Quinnipiac University poll. Only 28 percent said otherwise.

But 49 percent of those surveyed said the United States will not be successful in crushing the Taliban insurgency as it gathers steam, against 38 percent who projected success in the US-led mission.

The findings came amid growing public anxiety and party divisions over the course of the eight-year war against a backdrop of rising troop deaths and an Afghan election widely seen as fraudulent.

While most said the war in Afghanistan was the "right thing" for Washington to do, they showed concern: 50 percent expressed worries the United States would stay "too long" in the war-torn country and 32 percent said America was "headed for another Vietnam."

Of those surveyed, 28 percent said a large US military contingent should be in Afghanistan for less than a year.

Another 21 percent supported US involvement for one to two years, while 14 percent said two to five years and 30 percent backed keeping US troops there for "as long as it takes."


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091007/ts_alt_afp/usafghanistanpoliticspoll

[drdtroit]

1. This certainly is a victory for the propaganda. n/t

[No Elephants]

16. Bingo.

[earcandle]

2. I don't believe this for a minute.

[fujiyama]

12. Why wouldn't you believe it?

Americans are fine with war, as long as it's someone else's son or daughter getting killed.

[NeoConsSuck]

24. And on another country's soil

How come on this war we don't get to see those cool CNN videos of buildings getting blown up? This war is not as fun as the Iraq war.

[Ozymanithrax]

3. You will always find a majority willing to send someone elses child to die...

Institute the draft and see what happens to that number.

[liquid diamond]

18. Spot fucking on.

I have yet to see consistent and popular protests these days that compare with those from the Vietnam era.

[mvd]

4. The way the question was worded..

I'm not surprised at all.

[Libertas1776]

5. I am really getting tired of these polls

Americans are getting tired of being in Afghanistan...but they also think fight is worth the bloodshed? Just your run of the mill MSM propaganda. I don't buy it for a second.

[KillCapitalism]

6. Worth it like Vietname was? n/t

[SemiCharmedQuark]

7. How many are willing to see *their* blood shed?

[rmp yellow]

10. +1 nt

[winyanstaz]

8. So the "majority" of Americans think its ok for our soldiers to die for this war?

Bullshit.
I say..send the assholes that think it is worth it for someone else to die for these poppy fields to the front line.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. It's the "terrorism" red herring

The Afghan fight was never about "terrorism." If it had been, an unannounced strike force would have gone into Afghanistan, captured or killed Osama bin Laden, and that would have been the end of it.

You don't make a big production number about invading Afghanistan and expect Osama bin Laden to stay put. It's like the cops trying to catch the burglars in the act but approaching the house with the sirens blaring and the lights flashing.

As for "liberating" the Afghan people from the Taliban, the U.S. ENCOURAGED Islamic radicalism in Afghanistan in the 1980s as a means of countering the Soviets.

If a Marxist government had been allowed to remain in Afghanistan without the U.S. AIDING the Islamic radicals (think knuckle-dragging Middle Eastern freepers) who didn't know Communism from Consumerism but sure didn't want any wife or daughter of theirs going around without a burqa, Afghanistan would have a secular government with equal rights for men and women (as the Soviet Central Asian republics, with their similar ethnic make-up) did.

[No Elephants]

17. Yep, terrorism, and very specific--"the ones who hit us on 911. "

Afghanis harbored terrorists. The same ones who funded. Dummya should have bombed Poppy Bush's house. Would have made more sense than bombing some Afghani goat herdherder's crib.

Supposedly, we have sleeper cells in the US. Doesn't that mean the US harbors terrorists? Should I be building a bomb shelter?

[tomm2thumbs]

11. 'another person's blood'-shed

always the case - someone else's blood, not mine... but ask them if it is important enough to forego fatty french fries, or not watch television, they'll sing a different tune.

[New Dawn]

13. Most Americans can't find Afghanistan on a map.

[TheWatcher]

14. Many Americans can't find their own Country on a map.

I do however think this Poll is pure Propaganda.

Then again, so many people have bought the Economic Propaganda.....

Even if it has a hint of truth in it, let's see how the Poll numbers change when most cowardly arm chair warriors have to shed their OWN Blood for this "Noble Cause."

The Stink of Shit Filled pants will make most wretch with second thoughts, I'm sure.

[countmyvote4real]

15. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. On so many levels.

I don't have to go into it all. Most of you know how insane this thinking is. And yet, many that remember Vietnam or Korea or Iraq still don't get it.

If you were on the sidelines, who would you root for? Really?

-Just commenting. Not persuading. Just saying.-

I'd rather our tax dollars go to Medicare for all here in the US than this BS.

[Vidar]

19. Hard ti believe. Sadly misplaced patriotism.

[and-justice-for-all]

20. Bullshit. nt

[classysassy]

21. " Send me your poor and dumb"

lets go to war.

[SWr]

22. hopefully

Your not insinuating that the only ones who join and wish to serve their country are

"poor and dumb".

[Blandocyte]

23. This just in-- 85% of Americans have IQs under 115

at least that's what we'd predict assuming a normal distribution of IQ scores. The majority aren't too bright.

[bvar22]

25. Not this American.

If the warmongers could define a single, specific, military objective, I would be willing to listen.

No specific military objective = no reason for a military presence.

No Military Objective + No Exit Strategy = Quagmire

It IS that simple.
Otherwise, how will we know when we WIN, and its time to come home?

The best course of action available:
Declare Bin Laden DEAD.
Declare VICTORY.
Bring everyone home.

[LuckyLib]

26. Talking heads on NPR last week said that Afghanistan will require "nation building" and that it will

take 10-15 years. Are we ready for that?

[bemildred]

27. Washington's imperial death-wish continues.

What is occurring in Afghanistan is not "nation building", it is "empire destroying". More stupidity is never a cure for past stupidity.