A new Gallup poll shows a nearly even split in public opinion between Americans who support increasing the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan and those who want to decrease the number of troops there. Independents, in particular, are precisely divided. But the two political parties’ views are sharply opposed, and if President Obama decides to send 40,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, he will do so against the wishes of the overwhelming majority of Democrats.
In the new poll, 35 percent of those surveyed support a proposal to send 40,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan, and seven percent support sending a smaller number of troops — for a total of 42 percent who support an increase in troops. On the other hand, 44 percent of those surveyed support reducing the number of U.S. troops, while seven percent say they would like to see troop levels remain the same, and seven percent have no opinion.
There is a sharp partisan divide in opinion on Afghanistan. Sixty percent of Democrats favor reducing the number of U.S. troops, while 57 percent of Republicans favor the 40,000-troop increase. On the other end of the question, just 18 percent of Democrats support the 40,000-troop increase, while just 26 percent of Republicans favor reducing the number of troops. Eight percent of Democrats favor a smaller increase in troops, and six percent want to keep troop levels the same. For Republicans, six percent favor a smaller increase, and seven percent want to keep troop levels the same.
Independents are exactly split on the question. Thirty-six percent favor increasing the troops by 40,000, while seven percent want to see a smaller increase — for a total of 43 percent. On the other side, 43 percent favor decreasing the number of troops. (Eight percent want to keep troop levels the same.)
If President Obama were to decide to send 40,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, he would be acting against the wishes of nearly 75 percent of his own party (the 60 percent of Democrats who favor a decrease in troops plus the eight percent who favor a smaller increase and the six percent who want to keep troop levels the same). As far as public opinion goes, any increase in troops would depend on the support of a minority of Democrats and a majority of Republicans.
