Afghanistan

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                            November 25, 201351% Want All U.S. Troops Out of Afghanistan Next Year
The United States has proposed a security deal to Afghanistan that would leave some U.S. troops in that country after next year, but just over half of U.S. voters want all troops out of Afghanistan by then. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the United States should withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by 2014 and leave Afghan troops to fight the Taliban on their own. Thirty-eight percent (38%) would rather some U.S. troops remain in the country after next year. Ten percent (10%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 21-22, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

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                            October 15, 2013New Low: 19% Believe U.S. Can Still Win War in Afghanistan
As the war in Afghanistan continues into its 13th year, voter confidence in U.S. efforts there is lower than ever. Most voters now want U.S. troops out of the embattled country immediately.
Just 19% of Likely U.S. Voters believe it’s still possible for the United States to win the war in Afghanistan, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Fifty-four percent (54%) don’t think it’s possible for the United States to win the war. Twenty-seven percent (27%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 10-11, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            May 14, 201325% Think U.S. Can Still Win in Afghanistan
Half of U.S. voters continue to favor an immediate withdrawal of all American forces from Afghanistan, as fewer voters than ever think the United States can really win there.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 50% of Likely U.S. Voters think the United States should immediate withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan. Just 32% oppose a complete withdrawal, while 18% more are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 
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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on May 11, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            September 6, 201231% Think Victory Possible in Afghanistan
Half of all voters still support an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and are evenly divided as to whether that nation is a vital national security interest for our nation.  
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that a plurality (49%) of Likely U.S. Voters favor an immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, while 30% are opposed. Twenty-one percent (21%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 1-2, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            May 4, 2012Most Favor Afghanistan Withdrawal by 2014 But Fear U.S. Will Stay Too Long
Most voters favor President Obama’s plan to withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Afghanistan by 2014 but worry that the United States will not withdraw from its longest-running war quickly enough. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 56% of Likely U.S. Voters support the president’s plan for withdrawal by 2014 with some troops left behind for training purposes and to help protect the democratically elected government of Afghanistan. Thirty-one percent (31%) oppose the plan the president announced in Afghanistan this week, while 13% are not sure about it. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on May 2-3, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            March 19, 201253% Favor Immediate Withdrawal of All U.S. Forces From Afghanistan
Most voters now favor the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters support the complete pullout of U.S. forces from what has become America’s longest-running war. Just 31% are opposed, while 16% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on March 15-16, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            February 13, 2012Voters Are Gung-Ho for Use of Drones But Not Over the United States
Voters strongly approve of President Obama's decision to use unmanned drones to go after terrorists, but they're much less excited about the use of such aircraft for surveillance on the home front.
The president recently acknowledged that the United States has a secret drone program for killing al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists, and the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just nine percent (9%) of Likely U.S. Voters oppose such a program.  Seventy-six percent (76%) approve of the use of the unmanned aircraft to kill terrorists. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 10-11, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            February 7, 201267% Favor Ending U.S. Combat Role in Afghanistan by Next Year
Voters strongly favor the Obama administration’s plan to wrap up U.S. combat action in Afghanistan by the middle of next year, and most think there’s a good chance the plan will succeed as proposed. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of Likely U.S. Voters favor ending the U.S. combat military mission in Afghanistan by the middle of next year. Just 22% are opposed to ending combat actions by then. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on February 2-3, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
January 17, 201217% Think Talks with Taliban Could Bring War in Afghanistan To A Satisfactory Close
The Obama administration is reportedly considering negotiating with the fundamentalist Taliban to help bring the war in Afghanistan to an end, particularly following reports of Marines urinating on dead Taliban fighters. But most voters don’t believe negotiations with the enemy could end the war in Afghanistan satisfactorily.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 17% of Likely U.S. Voters feel it’s possible negotiations with the Taliban could bring the war in Afghanistan to a satisfactory conclusion.  Fifty-six percent (56%) disagree and do not think negotiations with the group that America drove from power could wrap up the war satisfactorily. Twenty-six percent (26%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on January 15-16, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            December 19, 2011Just 29% Now Think U.S. Can Win War in Afghanistan
Confidence that the United States can win the war in Afghanistan has fallen to an all-time low. Most voters also are more worried that the United States will remain in Afghanistan too long but trust the military commanders on timing more than President Obama. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 29% of Likely U.S. Voters now think it is still possible for the United States to win the war in Afghanistan, down from 34% a year ago at this time and down from 51% in December 2009.
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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on December 16-17, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            December 1, 201159% Want US Troops Home from Afghanistan
As trouble with neighboring Pakistan shines a new spotlight on a troubled region, most voters are ready to bring U.S. troops home from Afghanistan.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of Likely Voters nationwide want the troops to come home either immediately or within a year. Twenty-nine percent (29%) oppose any firm timetable and 12% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 28-29, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            October 13, 2011Voters Still Expect Little Improvement In Afghanistan
Voters continue to give a mixed response about the future of the war in Iraq, but remain more negative about the U.S. conflict in Afghanistan.
September 13, 2011Voters Remain Pessimistic About Iraq, Afghanistan
Confidence among U.S. voters that the situations in Iraq and Afghanistan will get better in the near future remains near all-time lows.
September 10, 201110 Years After 9/11: 50% See al Qaeda as Weaker, But 61% Think Another Attack Likely
As Americans nationwide recognize the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, they do so feeling stronger than ever that the organization behind those attacks is being defeated.
August 17, 2011New Low: Only 15% Now Expect Situation in Afghanistan To Improve Over Next Six Months
Voter confidence about the short-term course of the war in Afghanistan has fallen to its lowest level in nearly two years, while confidence about the direction in Iraq over the next six months has dropped to the lowest point in almost five years of surveying.
August 11, 201159% Want Troops Home from Afghanistan
Support for bringing home U.S. troops from Afghanistan is on the rise as few American voters think we have a clearly defined mission anymore in that troubled country.
July 15, 2011Just 22% Now Expect Situation In Afghanistan To Improve
Voter optimism about U.S. involvement in Afghanistan has slipped back to levels measured before the killing of Osama bin Laden.
June 26, 201148% Say Al Qaeda Weaker Now Than Before 9/11
Nearly one-half (48%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the al Qaeda terrorist organization is weaker today than it was before the September 11, 2001 attacks on America.
June 24, 201151% Want All U.S. Troops Out of Afghanistan Within A Year
President Obama this week announced that the United States will withdraw 10,000 troops from Afghanistan this year and will bring another 23,000 home by the end of next summer. But most voters don't think the president has gone far enough.
June 10, 2011Voters Grow Pessimistic Again About Afghanistan, Iraq
With&nbsp;troop withdrawals from Afghanistan scheduled to begin next month, the brief burst of optimism about the war there following the killing of Osama bin Laden appears to be over.