Don't extend Afghan mission, Canadians say: poll

[Praxius]

CBC News - World - Don't extend Afghan mission, Canadians say: poll

Half of Canadians do not support the country's military being deployed to Afghanistan, and 60 per cent oppose extending the mission past its current end date of July 2011, a new poll suggests.

The poll, conducted by research firm EKOS and released Thursday exclusively to the CBC, found 36 per cent of respondents supported the mission, though only 28 per cent would be amenable to prolonging it.

The survey, which also inquired about federal voter intentions, asked two questions on the Afghan deployment: "Do you support or oppose Canadian military participation in Afghanistan?" and "Do you oppose or support Canada extending its mission in Afghanistan?"

Opposition to the mission echoes results from last summer, when an EKOS poll found 54 per cent of respondents didn't want Canadian troops in the central Asian country. Since then, the federal government has been embroiled in questions about whether it knew that many detainees captured by the Canadian Forces were being tortured once handed over to Afghan troops.

The staunchest aversion to the current mission came from respondents who also signalled voter support for the Green Party, the New Democrats and the Bloc Québécois, while Conservative backers were the firmest proponents of the military's presence in Afghanistan.

Regionally, opposition to the mission was most intense in Quebec and Ontario, with support strongest in the Prairies.

As for extending the Canadian military's deployment, more than half of respondents of all political leanings disliked the idea, with even a majority of Tory sympathizers opposing it......

Well I guess whoever decides to try and extend the mission in our government will have hell to pay for it.

 

[Colpy]

No surprize there.

Actually, currently, only Ignatieff is talking about keeping troops there.

I wish we would stick to our guns, so to speak, but 60% is an overwhelming majority.....and this is a democracy.....

If we don't have the balls to see it through, we just don't have the balls. I mean as a society.......not as a military. Our soldiers have done well, and would probably vote to stay......

 

[Praxius]

Agreed.... I'm tired of our politicians chest thumping, trying to act tough with talk, but then extending the mission.... then extending it again.

If you say something, once in your life, stick to it.

If the government somehow extends the mission or loopholes it, plenty are going to be pretty miffed.

 

[AnnaG]

Funny. I heard Harpy is going to pull almost everyone back in 2011, anyway.

Harper firm in withdrawal from Afghanistan despite U.S. appeal

So what's the point of the poll? Is it just to say that most Canadians agree with Harper's decision?

 

[darkbeaver]

No surprize there.

Actually, currently, only Ignatieff is talking about keeping troops there.

I wish we would stick to our guns, so to speak, but 60% is an overwhelming majority.....and this is a democracy.....

If we don't have the balls to see it through, we just don't have the balls. I mean as a society.......not as a military. Our soldiers have done well, and would probably vote to stay......

They will get to use their balls controlling domestic insurrections at home perhaps. Or would you rather have your buddies the Americans do that from Apachees?