Poll: Afghans Losing Faith in US and Allies

Afghans are losing faith in the United States and its allies and are now more willing to negotiate with the Taliban, a new poll shows. According to the Washington Post, 73 percent think a settlement should be negotiated with the Taliban and more than half want the U.S. and its allies to begin leaving the country in mid-2011 or earlier.

The poll, conducted in all of the country’s 34 provinces by the Washington Post, ABC, ARD television of Germany, and the British Broadcasting Corp., showed that the United States’ image continues to decline. When asked how they would rate the work of the United States, 32 percent of Afghans rated it good or excellent, down from 68 percent in October 2005.

The Post reports that coalition commander Gen. David H. Petraeus told ABC News, “We clearly have to continue to provide the message to the Afghan people about why we’re here and what it is that we want to do.”