CNN Poll Shows Overwhelming US Opposition to Afghan War

Majority See Afghanistan as the Next Vietnam

A new CNN/ORC International Poll shows that the opposition to the US occupation of Afghanistan has grown to a record high, with 63 percent of the American public now firmly opposed to the conflict and only 34 percent still supportive.

CNN was quick to point out that the poll did not indicate regret for the 2001 invasion, saying the survey still showed a small majority believing it was “not a mistake” to invade in the wake of 9/11.

But the open-ended nature of the war and its repeated escalation has destroyed public opinion, and another question showed a solid majority of 58 percent of Americans believe Afghanistan has turned into another Vietnam.

The latest poll shows opposition that tops the previous record, in December 2010. Early in 2011 US officials began claiming major progress was being made in the war, and while those claims of progress are still coming in it is clear that people no longer believe the claims.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.