Two-Thirds Of Americans Don’t Believe Afghanistan War Was Worth It, New Poll Says

A poll conducted by the Associated Press from Aug. 12-16 has revealed that nearly two-thirds (62%) of Americans do not believe the 20-year war in Afghanistan was worth the fight. The AP-NORC poll surveyed 1,729 U.S. adults and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

Among the Democrats surveyed, 67% are opposed to the war, as are 57% of Republicans. These negative numbers come in the wake of President Joe Biden‘s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, which was followed by the Taliban capturing the capital of Kabul. The withdrawal has prompted bipartisan criticism over the humanitarian crisis that has since broken out and has sparked objection from the NATO leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron for the failure to consult with them.

The poll also found that a majority of Americans are also against the Iraqi war, which started after the start of the war in Afghanistan. The poll found that half of Americans are ‘extremely’ or ‘very concerned’ about the threat posed by foreign extreme groups, and that two-thirds of those surveyed are also worried about domestic extremist groups.