Support for Karzai, NATO presence on decline

KABUL—A new survey conducted in Afghanistan show that though majority of Afghans still support the government of President Hamid Karzai and presence of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, but the support is on the decline.
Ninety per cent countrymen rate President Karzai positively, suggest a new poll for WorldPublicOpinion.org. However, the poll finds the support is dwindling because majority of Afghans are frustrated with the slow pace of the ongoing reconstruction process.
Afghans also do not like the Taliban to stage a come back. Taliban remain overwhelmingly unpopular and few Afghans believe the religious militants are likely to regain power, despite the surge in their attacks on NATO forces in recent months, suggest the poll.
Regarding the presence of foreign troops in the country and their peacekeeping/counter-insurgency operations and reconstruction activities, most people believe they are doing well. Seventy-five per cent have a favourable view of US forces and 77 per cent describe NATO forces as effective, says the survey. With the exception of a little number of residents of this central capital, majority of Afghans in the provinces can not differentiate between NATO and coalition/US forces and their job.
The survey says the numbers expressing strong approval are declining. The percentage rating Karzai very favourably has dropped 13 points from 68 per cent in 2005 to 55 per cent this last month of the current year. Similarly, the percentage having a very favourable view of US troops has dropped 11 points and those saying NATO troops as “very effective” has fallen 14 points to 34 per cent from 46 per cent in 2005.
Stephen Weber of WorldPublicOpinion.org said that this erosion of support for the Afghan government seems to reflect frustrations with the slow pace of reconstruction. “The Taliban are far from winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people,” he said, adding, “But there are signs that the Karzai government and NATO are gradually losing them.” The poll suggests that the proportion of Afghan people thinking their country is “going in the right direction” has dropped 21 points over the past year. In November/December 2005, four out of five Afghans (83 percent) said their country was headed in the right direction. In November 2006, three out of five Afghans (62 percent) expressed the same optimism.
Only 33 per cent Afghans think that the Taliban have gained ground in the last year while 37 per cent say they have lost ground and 28 per cent believe there has been no real change in their position. And only 16 per cent believe the Taliban are likely to return to power.
Majority of Afghans support the government of President Hamid Karzai and the presence of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, suggest a new poll for World Public Opinion. org.
Ninety per cent countrymen rate President Karzai positively. However, the poll finds the support was on the decline because majority of Afghans are frustrated with the slow pace of the ongoing reconstruction process.—Agencies