[Peace-discuss] McClatchy: public opposed to more troops in Afg., esp. women, lower-income

[Robert Naiman]

McClatchy:
Poll: Most Americans oppose more troops for Afghanistan
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/74730.html

I like this poll report especially because it focuses in particular on
the question of more troops - the immediate question ahead in
Washington - and also because it breaks down the responses by groups,
so you can see that just about every group of people are opposed to
sending more troops, except Republicans. Women are opposed, men are
opposed. Blacks are opposed, Hispanics are opposed, whites are
opposed. The young are opposed; so are the old. Contrary to the canard
that poor and "uneducated" people are more jingoistic, those with less
income and less education are most opposed to sending more troops.

And, even among Republicans, it's only 52-40 in favor of more troops.
For every five Republicans who support more troops, there are four
Republicans who oppose more troops.

-----
Opposition to sending more troops also cuts across almost all lines,
with the deepest opposition coming from women, young people, those
making less money, people with less than a high school education,
Hispanics and independents, followed closely by Democrats.

Only one group, Republicans, had a majority supporting the dispatch of
more troops.

Women oppose sending more troops by the lopsided margin of 60-30, men by 52-40.

The biggest opposition to sending more combat troops comes from people
who're 18-34 — those most likely to fight — and drops with age. Young
adults oppose additional troops by a margin of 61-32; those who're
35-54 oppose it by 54-37; and those who're 55 and older were against
it 53-36.

Similarly, those who make the least money were the most opposed, with
those making less than $25,000 opposed by a margin of 70-27; those
making $25,000-$50,000 opposed by a margin of 58-35; and those making
more than $50,000 split, 45-45.

Geographically, the West was the most opposed to sending more troops,
followed by the Northeast, South and Midwest.

Opposition to more troops was strongest among the least educated:
67-28 among those with less than a high school education and 49-38
among those with some college. The tide turned among the college
educated, with 46 percent favoring more troops and 44 percent opposed.

Hispanics were the most opposed, 86-9, followed by non-Hispanic
blacks, 78-15, and non-Hispanic whites, 49-42.

Politically, independents were the most opposed, 67-18, followed by
Democrats, 66-27. Republicans favored sending more troops by a margin
of 52-40.


-- 
Robert Naiman
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org

Senator Feingold Calls for Timetable for U.S. Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/exit-afghanistan