At a time when Americans are deeply divided along party lines, a new poll reveals a significant consensus on one particular issue: The United States’ two-decade-long war in Afghanistan was not worth the fight. The poll, conducted by the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, comes two years after the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, allowing the Taliban to regain control. The war was initially initiated to pursue the masterminds behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the Taliban, who provided them with sanctuary in Afghanistan. However, it ended in chaotic scenes of Afghans and Americans desperately trying to escape Kabul.
The withdrawal, widely seen as disorderly and poorly planned, seems to have had a negative impact on President Joe Biden’s approval ratings. His ratings started to decline around the time of the withdrawal and have not recovered since. Two-thirds of Americans, including 65% of Democrats and 63% of Republicans, agree that the war in Afghanistan was not worth fighting. Many also have doubts about the success of specific goals such as eliminating extremist threats or improving opportunities for women. Martin Stefen, a 78-year-old Republican from Carson City, Nevada, believes that the U.S. should have paid closer attention to the Soviet Union’s failed attempt at war in Afghanistan during the 1980s. He also emphasizes the need for a clear end goal and a better understanding of the country’s tribal politics.
Justin Campbell, a 28-year-old Democrat from Brookhaven, Mississippi, shares the sentiment that staying in Afghanistan was not worth it, even though he isn’t pleased with the Taliban’s return to power. Maliha Chishti, a lecturer and research associate at the Pearson Institute, finds it striking that after 20 years of war, so many Americans view Afghanistan as unfriendly or even hostile. She believes this frustration highlights the need to examine what went wrong with America’s intervention in Afghanistan, considering the significant loss of lives and resources.
According to the poll, the majority of Americans feel that the U.S. did not achieve its key objectives in Afghanistan. While eliminating the threat from Islamic extremists is still considered important by both Democrats and Republicans, only a quarter of each group believe this goal was successfully accomplished during the war. Additionally, less than half of respondents feel that the U.S. successfully apprehended or eliminated the individuals responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Only one-fifth of Americans believe that efforts to improve opportunities for women and girls were successful.
Since the Taliban regained power, they have imposed restrictions on women’s rights, such as education and work, and even banned them from public parks. Women across party lines are more likely than men to perceive advancing women’s rights in Afghanistan as an important goal. Toni Dewey, a 75-year-old Democrat from Wilmington, North Carolina, acknowledges the limitations of the U.S. in improving women’s rights in Afghanistan at this point but believes that educational opportunities were better when the U.S. was present. Dewey emphasizes that women contribute to the benefit of everyone and deserves respect.
Despite having similar views on policy goals in Afghanistan, Democrats and Republicans differ on whether the U.S. should take an active role in solving global issues. The poll shows that 55% of Republicans believe the U.S. should be less active, while only 15% of Democrats share this opinion. This demonstrates a notable shift in the Republican Party, which traditionally adopted a more interventionist stance. Nola Sayne, a 59-year-old Republican from Loganville, Georgia, expresses skepticism about the U.S. acting as the world’s police. She previously supported policies limiting American involvement abroad to focus on domestic matters, but the recent Hamas attack on Israel has made her reconsider.
The poll also highlights varying levels of general awareness about issues relating to the war in Afghanistan. While a majority of U.S. adults have heard about the U.S. withdrawal and the Taliban’s return to power, fewer are aware of the treatment of Afghan citizens who worked with the U.S. during the war. This lack of knowledge raises concerns as many of these individuals are still trying to flee Afghanistan and face retribution from the Taliban. Mike Mitchell, the executive director of No One Left Behind, an organization helping Afghan allies relocate, believes that many Americans are unaware of the situation and would be willing to help if informed.
The poll was conducted from September 21-25, 2023, with a sample size of 1,191 adults. It utilized NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, designed to represent the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is +/- 3.8 percentage points.
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