Another poll released today by CNN and Opinion Research Corporation (PDF) showed opposition to the war in Afghanistan continues to rise among Americans. Last month’s release of the same poll pointed to 54% of Americans against the war, and the number has now risen to 57%.
In spite of the opposition to the war, a majority of Americans (59%) believe that the war is still winnable, though apparently many feel the cost of the hypothetical victory is no longer worth it.
2009 is already the deadliest year for international troops in Afghanistan, passing the previous year’s record mark with four months remaining. Each month this summer has also set the month-long record, passing the previous one by a considerable margin as the war spirals out of control.
The hope that August’s national election would provide some stability also appears to be fading, as low voter turnout and reports of widespread voter fraud have made the Obama Administration’s claim that they were a great “success” a difficult sell.
The new poll comes as Gen. Stanley McChrystal is pressing for the US to adopt yet another “new strategy,” involving another significant escalation on top of the one the Obama Administration moved forward with less than six months ago.
What does "opposition" mean? A poll? This so called opposition to the war in Afghanistan takes no political form. It is irrelevant. American opinion is irrelevant as far as these wars go.
There is no anti-war movement in this country to speak of. Our apathetic alcohol sodden and already debt enslaved students, a group that is often a major force in politics in other countries and a force for change- is wholly useless in this country.
On the national level our incumbent federal politicians are all but insulated from popular opinion on everything that matters. And as far as power goes- Congress only gets weaker and more toothless with each passing year as the Executive branch and its netherworld of "intelligence" and "Defense" bureuacracies assume ever more lawless power.
For years now- either sizable minorities or majorities of Americans have opposed the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and they are without a voice on the national level. There isn't one major national political leader who is anti war. Not one. Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich are marginalized- at best.
I find that amazing. Large numbers of Americans are against these wars- and yet- that position has no heavy hitting champion on the national scene.
The candidates we do get to pick from are all pro-war to one degree or another. 100 percent of Americans could be for withdrawing all troops from overseas tomorrow and we would still end up with federally vetted candidates that would "debate" the wars on how best to run them- and not stop them.