CNN Poll: Afghan War More Unpopular Than Ever

Major Opposition and Pessimism Having Little Political Impact, So Far

As it enters its 10th year, support for the ongoing War in Afghanistan has reached a new low today, with a new CNN/ORC poll showing only 37% of Americans approving of the conflict at this point, down from 44% just two months ago.

The polling data also revealed that 52% of Americans believe that the war has turned into another Vietnam, a belief which is likely a function of massive escalations by the Obama Administration and the subsequent record death tolls among US troops.

Though the war has not been a popular once at all during the Obama Administration’s first term, it did see a minor bounce after the December escalation announcement, which came with a July 2011 drawdown date that some saw as the beginning of an exit from the nation. As officials have disavowed the date and violence has risen precipitously, however, that bounce (which saw 53% approval in the early spring) evaporated and opposition toward the war has grown.

Despite Americans being firmly in opposition to the war, however, it isn’t much of a political issue according to recent polls. The CNN poll showed only 9% thought the wars were an issue, while a New York Times poll showed only 3% thought it was.

Rather Americans are focusing chiefly on the shabby state of the domestic economy, and sadly have yet to notice any link between the economic downturn and the massive overseas adventures. With large numbers of key politicians also squarely on the side of continuous war, neither issue will likely be address until the voting public manages to put two and two together and realizes the link between the major expense of overseas occupations and a domestic government struggling to make ends meet.

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.