WASHINGTON, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Most Americans believe the war in Afghanistan so far has been unsuccessful and oppose sending more troops, according to a new nationwide poll conducted by Clarus Research Group, a nonpartisan polling and research firm based in Washington, D.C.

A solid majority of voters surveyed believe the conflict will "go on and on without a clear resolution." Sixty-eight percent of the poll's respondents think the U.S. will neither win nor lose the war, while 20 percent think we will eventually win it and 6 percent expect that we will lose it.

Forty percent of the poll's respondents said they want the U.S. to decrease troop presence and begin to get out, 38 percent support an increase in troops, and 14 percent want the number of troops to remain the same as it is now.

Of Democrats polled, 61 percent want to decrease troop levels and begin to get out and only 17 percent support adding more troops. On the other hand, 54 percent of Republicans and 47 percent of Independents favor increasing US troops in Afghanistan.

"Should President Obama decide to send more troops to Afghanistan, he will do it in the face of strong opposition from voters in his own party," said Ron Faucheux, president of Clarus Research Group. "At a time when American public opinion is highly polarized, this situation presents a tough political equation for the president."

According to the Clarus Poll:

• Winning the War
  • 55 percent say the war so far has been unsuccessful in defeating the Taliban and Al Qaeda; 42 percent say it has been successful.
  • 61 percent of Democrats, 56 percent of Independents, and 41 percent of Republicans say the war in Afghanistan has so far not been successful.
    

• Troop Level Support: Big differences by age, gender, race
  • Voters 45 and older: 43 percent favor sending more troops to Afghanistan and 36 percent want to reduce the number of troops and begin to get out.
  • Voters under 30: 62 percent want to decrease troops fighting the war in Afghanistan and 24 percent support increasing the number of US troops.
  • 45 percent of men and 33 percent of women support adding troops.
  • 14 percent of Hispanics, 16 percent of blacks and 45 percent of whites back sending more troops to Afghanistan
    

The poll was conducted by Clarus Research Group on October 1-4, 2009. Sample size was 1,000 registered voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent. The survey was conducted through live telephone interviewing. Questions reported here were asked by Clarus for its own use and were not sponsored or paid for by any client.

The following are the exact survey questions and the order in which they were asked, along with the nationwide results (rounded to nearest percentages):

Do you think the war in Afghanistan has been very successful, somewhat successful, somewhat unsuccessful, or very unsuccessful in terms of defeating the Taliban and Al Qaeda?

3% Very Successful

39% Somewhat successful

30% Somewhat unsuccessful

25% Very unsuccessful

4% Don't know/no answer

Do you think the war in Afghanistan is a conflict the United States will eventually win, do you think it's a conflict the U.S. will eventually lose, or do you think it's a conflict that will go on and on without a clear resolution?

20% Eventually win

6% Eventually lose

68% Will go on and on

6% Don't know/no answer

At this point - do you think President Obama should increase the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, keep the same number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan as there is now, or decrease the number of troops in Afghanistan and begin to get out?

38% Increase troops

14% Keep the same

40% Decrease troops

7% Don't know/no answer

For more information about Clarus Research Group, go to www.ClarusRG.com.

SOURCE Clarus Research Group

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