Record low support for Afghan war spells trouble for Obamacrats

kamikazi89 · 12-30-2010, 06:43 AM

Record-low support for Afghanistan war shows Obama's vulnerability - CSMonitor.com

Quote:

merican public support for the US-led war in Afghanistan has reached a record low, according to the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll.
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The poll, released Thursday, found a record 60 percent of Americans say the war has not been “worth fighting.” Of those 60 percent, 43 percent feel that way “strongly,” also a record for the ABC News/Washington Post poll. In all, 34 percent feel the war has been worth fighting, either strongly or somewhat.

The poll demonstrates the political risks to President Obama, whose administration released Thursday the one-year review of its revised strategy in Afghanistan. In remarks to reporters at the White House, Mr. Obama reported “significant progress” in the US-led effort’s core goal, which is “disrupting, dismantling, and defeating al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan and preventing its capacity to threaten America and our allies in the future.” But Obama also called the gains “fragile.”

IN PICTURES: Winning hearts and minds in Afghanistan

Now the longest-running war in US history, launched soon after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Afghanistan was bequeathed to Obama by his predecessor, President George W. Bush. But one year into the US-led “surge,” which saw a boost of some 30,000 troops into Afghanistan, it’s now Obama’s war – with all the attendant political risks.

Americans are split evenly on the surge, 48 percent for, 48 percent against. Obama’s overall handling of the war also gets a mixed review – 45 percent approval, 46 percent disapproval, according to the ABC News poll. In partisan terms, Republicans are far more supportive of the war than Democrats, but Republicans support Obama’s handling of the war less than Democrats do.

A Christian Science Monitor/TIPP poll released earlier this month found a similar result: Fifty-two percent of Democrats called Obama’s handling of the war either “good” or “excellent,” versus 16 percent of Republicans and 28 percent of independents.

Obama’s not-bad overall ratings for handling of the Afghanistan war may reflect his pledge to start withdrawing US forces next summer, the ABC News analysis suggests. Fifty-four percent of Americans support that time frame, up 15 points from when it was first announced a year ago, according to ABC News.

But among his own Democratic base, Obama is walking on egg shells. US military leaders warn that the start of the withdrawal in July 2011 is “conditions based,” and they have placed more emphasis on their goal of turning over security responsibility to the Afghans in 2014 rather than the 2011 deadline. If it begins to look like not much is going to change next July, that could spark a primary challenge to Obama from his left. So far, the likeliest possibilities – former Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean and outgoing Sen. Russ Feingold (D) of Wisconsin – say they’re not running. But one or both could change their minds, and other antiwar candidates could emerge.

The most aggressive advocates from the antiwar left staged rallies around the country Thursday, including one in Washington. Members of the groups CODEPINK and Veterans for Peace chained themselves to the White House fence, leading to dozens of arrests. One of those arrested was Daniel Ellsberg, the antiwar activist best-known for leaking the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War. Before the rally, Mr. Ellsberg held a press conference and expressed support for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and for the US Army private suspected of giving Wikileaks classified documents that were then publicly released.

IN PICTURES: Winning hearts and minds in Afghanistan

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the tide is turning(finally) there's no reason to wait untill 2014, because they say so? the people foot the bill and supply the labour, not the other wzay around

stoneric · 12-30-2010, 10:39 AM

Maybe we can get McGovern to run against obombsaway.

OldMan&TheWeed · 12-30-2010, 12:54 PM

This could only hurt Obama if the Republicans become the Peace Party, and there's little chance of that.

kamikazi89 · 12-31-2010, 04:50 AM

i don't see a second term in Obamas future..he will have totally lost the base by 2012

maybe we need to re define "change"..

Ego Tripping · 01-27-2011, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kamikazi89

i don't see a second term in Obamas future..he will have totally lost the base by 2012

You'd be surprised how quickly his base will come back when the other choice is a Republican. Sorry duder, he's a two-termer for sure.

stoneric · 01-27-2011, 04:21 PM

Sad but true. Stuck with the lesser of evils again.

**SageTree** · 01-28-2011, 05:59 AM

Honest Question.....

Is an "Obamacrat" different than a Democrat?

Or

Is the term used to signify that they are some quasi-party of their own? Not a third party, but maybe more like a 'wing' of a party?

Thanks
SageTree

kamikazi89 · 02-01-2011, 05:45 AM

yes, an Obamacrat is one whose fortune is tied with the presidency as opposed to the party(which is currently dead in the water)

**SageTree** · 02-01-2011, 06:21 AM

Thanks for the explanation of your term usage.

kamikazi89 · 02-01-2011, 06:27 AM

one of the symptoms are ethical cowardice (i'll have more on that later)

12-30-2010, 12:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
OldMan&TheWeed been there done that Join Date: May 2006 Location: The West Posts: 2,281 Thanks: 294 Thanked 800 Times in 406 Posts	This could only hurt Obama if the Republicans become the Peace Party, and there's little chance of that. __________________ Nintey-three percent of what I say is brilliant, factual information and seven percent is complete bullshit. Have fun deciding which is which.

01-28-2011, 05:59 AM	#7 (permalink)
SageTree ~Kalyāṇa-mitrā~ Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: In Love Posts: 23,414 Blog Entries: 26 Thanks: 13,070 Thanked 6,769 Times in 4,664 Posts	Honest Question..... Is an "Obamacrat" different than a Democrat? Or Is the term used to signify that they are some quasi-party of their own? Not a third party, but maybe more like a 'wing' of a party? Thanks SageTree __________________ "What's oppressive is letting your life be confined by old definitions of what everything is." -Zen Meister my_scatterheart YaHooka is.... Cannabis lovers from around the world pulling up a comfy chair, picking up a vaporizer, a bong, a brownie, a pipe, or a joint, getting high, stoned, buzzed or healthy. Uniting our minds in conversation...While Portraying a Positive Image of marijuana and marijuana users to the world. Treat your fellow YaHookans with kindness,respect and tolerance.

02-01-2011, 06:21 AM	#9 (permalink)
SageTree ~Kalyāṇa-mitrā~ Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: In Love Posts: 23,414 Blog Entries: 26 Thanks: 13,070 Thanked 6,769 Times in 4,664 Posts	Thanks for the explanation of your term usage. __________________ "What's oppressive is letting your life be confined by old definitions of what everything is." -Zen Meister my_scatterheart YaHooka is.... Cannabis lovers from around the world pulling up a comfy chair, picking up a vaporizer, a bong, a brownie, a pipe, or a joint, getting high, stoned, buzzed or healthy. Uniting our minds in conversation...While Portraying a Positive Image of marijuana and marijuana users to the world. Treat your fellow YaHookans with kindness,respect and tolerance.

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12-30-2010, 10:39 AM	#2 (permalink)
stoneric bougeman Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 5,646 Thanks: 704 Thanked 1,512 Times in 1,067 Posts	Maybe we can get McGovern to run against obombsaway.

01-27-2011, 04:21 PM	#6 (permalink)
stoneric bougeman Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 5,646 Thanks: 704 Thanked 1,512 Times in 1,067 Posts	Sad but true. Stuck with the lesser of evils again.

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