The poll analysis called it a “stunning reversal” of years of results where Democrats wanted troops withdrawn from U.S.-led wars
By Paul Bedard
Democratic voters, long opposed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, now disagree with President Trump’s call to withdraw troops in Afghanistan and Syria, according to a new survey.
And the likely reason they have flipped is simply to oppose the president.
On Trump’s Syria move, the latest Zogby Analytics Poll found that 52 percent of Democrats oppose the troop withdrawal. Just 31 percent agree with Trump’s move.
The poll analysis called it a “stunning reversal” of years of results where Democrats wanted troops withdrawn from U.S.-led wars.
“Is this a shift in policy on the part of Democratic leaders, or Democrats disagreeing with any proposal put forth by the president? Are the Democrats the new party of ‘no,’ and willing to obstruct anything the president does out of mere spite? Presently, the data isn’t painting a different picture,” said the analysis from Jonathan Zogby.
Among all voters surveyed, his poll found that more back withdrawing the troops from Syria and Afghanistan.
But Zogby said his survey revealed the shift by Democrats, an important sign that indicates the degree of opposition the party has in accepting anything Trump does.
In two separate questions, one on withdrawing troops from Syria and the other on withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, he found the same shift by Democrats.
From his analysis:
Our polling has shown that in past years, Democrats have, like the president, wanted the troops to come home. In 2011, Zogby Analytics polled Democratic voters and 74% ‘thought it was a bad idea’ to have gone to war with Iraq and 57% thought the same about the war in Afghanistan. Additionally, only 21% of Democrats thought ‘the Afghani people are better off than they were before U.S. led-forces invaded and occupied their country.’
Tom's Blog 