Among Dems: Most want Afghanistan troop reduction. 29% in favor of any surge. 67% oppose any surge

[mcablue]

President Obama appears to be ready to increase troop levels in Afghanistan. Reports say that he is not willing to send the 40,000 requested by a top general.

How popular will any troop increase be among Democrats? Independents are split and Republicans overwhelmingly want the 40,000 asked by the general. Let's examine the sentiments among Democrats according to a Gallup poll conducted last week:


link: http://www.gallup.com/poll/124490/In-U.S.-More-Support-Increasing-Troops-Afghanistan.aspx

[polichick]

1. So he's going with what Republicans want - quelle surprise!

[mcablue]

2. Not really

Republicans want their 40,000. I don't know what the President will announce, but if we stick to preliminary reports, the 30,000 will not necessarily make Republicans happy either.

[IndianaGreen]

3. The issue is not the number of troops. The issue is that the US is continuing this war

This war is kaput!

[girl_interrupted]

5. The only time anyone is interested in what Dem voters

have to say, its before an election, when they want your vote, that's what i'm learning. After that...you're on your own kids.

[polichick]

6. It's par for the course. Slap Dems in the face, reach out to the right...

...and the policy ends up being half-baked.

WHEN will this guy ever learn?!

[ClarkUSA]

8. Most Democrats wanted the Iraq war in 2002. Guess Bush was "going with what" Dems wanted then.

:eyes:

[ShortnFiery]

21. Yes, because he lacks the moral courage to stand up to Darth Cheney and his ilk.

Even General Petraeus admits that al Quaeda is NOT in Afghanistan but has migrated back to their home areas in Pakistan. REMEMBER - the Taliban had nothing to do with 9/11. Therefore, Obama wants us to interject our troops in THE MIDDLE OF A CIVIL WAR between the illegitimate THUG Government of Karzai vs. the tribal native people (Taliban) of that area? The foregoing is INSANITY.

Now that al Qaeda is out of Afghanistan we need to pull ALL our troops to the periphery. Why? There's no love lost between the Taliban and al Qaeda. I seriously doubt that even if the Taliban win this civil war against Karzai, they'll let al Qaeda back into Afghanistan.

Haven't we punished the Taliban and INNOCENTS in Afghanistan enough for being irresponsible "hotel owners?"

Do you want your children to go KILL and DIE for an illegitimate government of Hamid Karzai? I don't want anymore shedding of American blood in this MOST UNHOLY of civil wars.

Does anyone doubt for ONE MINUTE that each Afghani citizen KNOWS that another attack on American soil will bring more "hell on earth" to their beloved country?

Yet, after we escalate, don't be surprised if we are hit because every day we occupy these nations America and Americans are LESS SAFE. When we are hit, the American public will be so afraid that they will elect war-hawk republicans for the next generation.

If Obama escalates troop strength in Afghanistan, both America and the ME will suffer as the de-centralized al Qaeda will activate "cells" all over the WORLD.

Stand up to the War hawk Democrats and the GOP Mr. President.

Get. Out. Now.

[KansasVoter]

4. Not here on the DU. If Obama wants a surge then most here want a surge.Obama is always right!

[ClarkUSA]

9. Where was your outrage last year when Candidate Obama campaigned on this issue?

:eyes:

[mcablue]

10. People change their minds as new information arrives

Just like Obama wanted the torture photos released, only to change his mind later. Opinions are fluid.

Sort of like people learned that the WMD claims were lies after 2002, when even Democrats supported the Iraq war. Then Democrats changed their mind. Not only a single DU'er, but the majority of Democrats.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. Craven people refuse to live up to their words all the time too

I did not support the Iraq war for a moment, personally. Foolishness is also fluid in DC, it flows like a mighty river.

[ClarkUSA]

13. Are you saying Kansas Voter was for it before she was against it?

:rofl:

[mcablue]

14. Maybe. She would have to answer that question herself n/t

[ClarkUSA]

15. I doubt it since nothing has changed in the region that would lead to a change of opinion.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3870206
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124182556238902393.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8384994.stm

In fact, these recent sources all bolster the reasons why Candidate wanted and why President Obama presently wants to "finish the
job" in Afghanistan and why he has the support of both the Afghanistan President and the Pakistani PM to do so, especially since
fighting will take place along the mountainous Af-Pak border region where the Al-Qaida leadership is ostensibly hiding.

[mcablue]

17. I would say things have changed for the worse since

2008 was the deadliest year in Afghanistan for our soldiers. That news broke in 2009, of course.
Karzai committed a huge fraud and we found out that his brother is CIA.

Besides, I don't think you have asserted that the DU member in question is on record supporting Obama's promise to increase troops. He/she seems to simply have said nothing about the promise.

[ClarkUSA]

20. I agree with all you have said.

:hi:

[avaistheone1]

23. Obama should have changed his mind once he saw the economy tank

and he backed giving trillions of dollars to Wall Street in cash and guarantees.

[ClarkUSA]

26. Why? What does Lehman Bros. failing have to do with national security concerns?

With your rationale, then I guess you think it was okay for Bush II to go ahead with invading Iraq because of the economy was
doing well in 2002?

:rofl:

And once again, TARP was conceived by BushCo, not Pres. Obama. That said, the WH and their economic team tagged safeguards
and conditions to the money lent in February 2009 (2 weeks after Pres. Obama took office) that has netted taxpayers over $70 billion
in interest payments so far. As a taxpayer, I'm pleased. :)

In your 24/7 zeal to attack anything and everything Obama, you never bother to acknowledge historical fact, do you? That's the only
way you can operate, because otherwise, the facts would get in your way because they don't support a thing you're saying.

[KansasVoter]

19. Then why are most dems against it now but supported Obama???

[ShortnFiery]

22. Because we were hoping that he'd come to his senses once al Qaeda had been

chased out of Afghanistan.

We have succeeded in pushing al Qaeda out of Afghanistan and should now withdraw. But now there's a NEW MISSION: to prop up the illegitimate Karzai government against the Taliban (and the people who will side with the Taliban).

Why will the people side with the Taliban? Because Karzai is a THUG and they want US "the occupiers" out of their country.

It's called NATIONALISM and it even applies to the women, children and old men in this war torn land. They hate the occupiers ... if you were in their place, would you not feel the same?

[stevenleser]

24. Actually, most people agree that the people of Afghanistan are more interested in tribes

and that is why they will not support a Karzai or any other central government. THere is no sense of nationalism there one way or another. There are many questions I have on Afghanistan, but that is not one of them.

[ClarkUSA]

28. You're not answering my original question.

:)

[harun]

25. It isn't last year.

[HughMoran]

11. Yay team!!11!!!

[krawhitham]

16. You must be reading a different DU

[chill_wind]

7. K & R for reality.

[knightinwhitesatin]

18. Hmmm

Most Republicans are chicken hawks, most republicans want more troops in Afghanistan. Obama is sending more troops to Afghanistan

Most Democrats do not want more troops to Afghanistan, 29% of Democrats do want more troops to Afghanistan and are agreeing with most Republicans.



I can only conclude that 29% of Democrats are chickenhawks. Unless of course you all who support the surge are going to enlist and join me on our oh so glorious mission to bring justice to those evil taliban heathens. Only by killing more of them and more of us will we defeat them forever. :crazy:

I guess I can take comfort in the fact that a majority of Democrats have enough sense to realize what a mistake this is.

[freddie mertz]

27. Democrats are haters!

Don't they know this escalation was a campaign promise?

What if we pull out and there is an attack on the NY subway?

They must all love the terrorist and hate the president!

Don't they know that if he were president in 1912, the Titanic would not have struck that iceberg?

:patriot: