Americans divided over ‘war on terror’ in Afghanistan, reveals poll

October 1st, 2009 NEW YORK - Notwithstanding the huge monetary assistance that the United States is planning for Pakistan to help the troubled nation fight extremism and reduce anti-America sentiments, a majority of Pakistanis are still against the US being a partner in Islamabad's fight against terrorism. According to a survey conducted by the International Republican Institute, a Washington based group, about 80 percent of Pakistanis are against the US assistance in Pakistan's fight against terrorism.

September 25th, 2009 NEW YORK - Despite General Stanley McChrystal advocating a troop increase in Afghanistan, only twenty-nine percent Americans support his suggestion, a new poll has found. According to a new CBS News/New York Times poll, 29 percent think that troop levels should be increased, while 32 percent said they should be decreased.

September 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Some Americans, including former President Jimmy Carter, believe that those who are opposing US President Barrack Obama's policies have a racial element against him instead of simple disagreement. According to a recent Fox News poll, 65 percent Americans think that opposition to Obama's policies is based on honest disagreements, while 20 percent say it is mostly motivated by racism.

August 23rd, 2009 LONDON - An opinion poll in Britain has revealed that more than two thirds of people in the country want British troops o pull out of Afghanistan. The BPIX poll, which interviewed 2,031 adults via the Internet on August 20 and 21, found that 69 per cent didn't believe that British forces should be fighting in Afghanistan, as against 31 per cent who thought the mission was worthwhile, The Daily Star reports.

August 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - Despite President Barack Obama's attempts to prepare the American people for rising casualties in Afghanistan, a new poll shows most Americans see the war as a wasted effort. The Washington Post-ABC News poll showed 51 percent of people say the war is not worth fighting.

August 20th, 2009 KABUL - Afghans began voting in the countrys second ever presidential election Thursday under the shadow of Taliban-led violence. Though unprecedented security arrangements have been in place, reports said that four rockets hit Kandahar city in southern Afghanistan minutes before the voting centres opened.

August 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Over half of the 1050 adult Americans participating in a CBS/New York Times poll have said that women in the U.S. military should be allowed to undertake combat roles.

July 30th, 2009 WASHINGTON - After the current financial meltdown, Americans have become slightly more optimistic about the economy, but continue to have negative perceptions of the current economic situation overall. A new CBS News/New York Times poll finds that 82 percent of those surveyed say the economy is in fairly or very bad shape, just four percent blame President Obama, who has now been in office for slightly more than six months.

May 15th, 2009 LONDON - A new poll has revealed that Britons are the angriest people in Europe. The poll conducted for comedy channel G.O.L.D also revealed that most of the UK people lose their temper, on average, four times a day.

May 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama's approval ratings stand at 63 percent, down 5 percentage points from last month, according to a CBS poll. The percentage of Americans who say the country is heading in the right direction, though, continues to inch up.

May 12th, 2009 NEW YORK - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's recent claim that he does not consider India as a threat to his country, is not at all supported by a majority of Pakistanis, an opinion poll has shown. According Washington based International Republican Institute poll, there is an intriguing split in attitude towards India, with 45 percent favourable towards India, and 52 percent unfavourable.

April 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Six in ten Americans are satisfied with Obama's first 100 days in office According to a FOX News poll, Obama's job approval rating comes in at 62 percent, down just three points from the 65 percent approval he received after his first week in office. Twenty-nine percent of Americans disapprove.

April 21st, 2009 LAHORE - Responding to top US commander in Afghanistan, General David McKiernan's comments that Pakistan must do more to dismantle the terror safe havens operating on its soil, Pakistan has also asked NATO to 'do more' in Afghanistan. The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told a private television channel that the Pakistan Army is 'doing enough' in the war on terror, and asked NATO forces to intensify its operations in Afghanistan.

March 31st, 2009 LONDON - The frequency and magnitude of terror strikes within its geographical territory has increased manifold in recent times proving one thing for sure that the extremists groups once nurtured by Pakistan to act against the Soviets in Afghanistan, and carry out the holy war 'Jihad' against India to set Kashmir free have now also turned against Pakistan. The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which has been charged of carrying out the Novenber 2008 terror attack on Mumbai, is considered to have a strong hold in Lahore.

March 25th, 2009 LONDON - A British Home Office counter-terrorism strategy report has warned that the country is at an increased risk of attack from nuclear and dirty bombs. Terrorists "aspire to use chemical, biological, radiological and even nuclear weapons and explosives (CBRNE)," The Sun quotes the strategy paper, as saying.