Poll: More optimism over Afghan war

PRINCETON, N.J., Nov. 29 (UPI) -- More Americans are positive about the United States' progress in the war in Afghanistan than a year ago, a USA Today/Gallup poll indicates.

Forty-five percent of the respondents said things are going well for the United States in Afghanistan compared with 32 percent a year ago, Gallup said Monday.

Fifty-four percent said things are going badly for the United States.

The poll also said 44 percent of Americans approve of President Obama's handling of the war and 49 percent disapprove.

Twenty percent would have the United States withdraw combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 and 38 percent said the troops should come home sooner. Most of the rest favored no timetable, the poll found.

The poll said self-identified Democrats are more likely to back Obama's timetable; it said most Republicans favor no timetable for withdrawal of combat troops.

The results are based on a Nov. 19-21 USA Today/Gallup telephone poll of 1,037 adults living in the continental United States. The margin of error is 4 percentage points.