Poll: U.S. public backs Afghanistan troop plan

Poll: U.S. public backs Afghanistan troop plan
By Susan Page - USA TODAY
Posted : Monday Feb 23, 2009 15:50:14 EST

WASHINGTON — Americans by 2-1 approve of President Obama’s decision to send 17,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan despite skepticism over whether they can succeed in stabilizing the security situation there within the next few years.

A USA TODAY-Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday shows a reservoir of support for Obama’s first major military decision as president. Two-thirds express approval of his order to expand the U.S. deployment to Afghanistan by 50 percent; one third disapprove.

Half of those surveyed say they’d support a decision to send another 13,000 troops, which would fulfill the request by U.S. commanders to nearly double the U.S. force in Afghanistan even as troops are being withdrawn from Iraq.

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