Survey results released Tuesday show that nearly two-thirds of U.S. veterans support the ongoing withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, a finding that came as President Joe Biden reportedly decided to stick with the August 31 exit deadline.
"Veterans strongly believe President Biden is right—it is time to go."
According to a poll (pdf) commissioned by the advocacy group VoteVets, 63% of U.S. veterans believe that "it is time for America to bring troops home from Afghanistan and end the war."
Just 24%, by contrast, think the U.S. should "continue the war in Afghanistan and send more troops in to retake the country from the Taliban," the survey shows.
"Veterans know the cost of war, so it should come as no surprise that they strongly back President Biden's decision to end the war in Afghanistan," Mary Kaszynski, director of government relations for VoteVets, said in a statement. "Veterans strongly believe President Biden is right—it is time to go."
The survey results—which also show that 65% of all registered voters in the U.S. support the Afghanistan exit—were published as CNN reported Tuesday that Biden has opted to "stick with the August 31 deadline for withdrawing troops" despite pressure from some European allies to push the date back.
"Biden made the decision mindful of the security risks in remaining the country longer... and he has asked for contingency plans in case he determines at a later date the U.S. needs to remain in the country for longer," CNN reported, citing an anonymous administration official.
The president's decision came a day after Taliban leaders made clear they would reject any U.S. attempt to extend the withdrawal deadline, describing any such effort as a further prolonging of the two-decade occupation.
Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the anti-war group CodePink, tweeted Tuesday that she is "glad to hear that Biden is sticking to the August 31 deadline to get out of Afghanistan."
This content originally appeared on Common Dreams - Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community and was authored by Jake Johnson.
Jake Johnson | Radio Free (2021-08-24T15:47:30+00:00) 63% of US Veterans Support Afghanistan Withdrawal: Poll. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2021/08/24/63-of-us-veterans-support-afghanistan-withdrawal-poll/
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