Only 24 Percent of Americans Believe Afghanistan Withdrawal Is Going ‘Well’: Survey

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Less than a quarter of Americans believe the United States’ botched effort to withdraw from Afghanistan is going “well,” according to a new survey.

Eight percent said it was proceeding “very well,” according to a Morning Consult/Politico survey released on Wednesday, while 16 percent said it was going “somewhat well.” That compared to 23 percent who said “not too well” and 44 percent who said “not well at all.” 47 percent still said the U.S. should “probably” or “definitely” withdraw from the country even if it meant Taliban rule, while 39 percent said America should “probably” or “definitely” not withdraw if it meant preventing that outcome.

The results come 10 days after the Taliban’s August 15 takeover of Afghanistan’s capital. Biden administration officials had projected that event would take at least weeks — if it happened at all — even as the group’s estimated 70,000 members rapidly toppled major cities in the days leading up to their arrival in Kabul.

The survey suggested the situation also affected respondents’ view of their own country. Asked whether things in America were “going in the right direction,” 42 percent responded in the affirmative, while 58 percent said the country was “seriously” on “the wrong track.” Half said they approved of the job President Joe Biden was doing, while 48 percent said they disapproved.

The ratings are the lowest Biden’s approval has been in the Morning Consult/Politico surveys. Two key polling averages recently showed the president’s approval dropping below 50 percent, and polls from both CBS and NBC this week showed a majority of people disapproving of Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal.

The Morning Consult/Politico survey was conducted between August 21-24 and included 1,996 registered voters. The margin of error was 2 percent.