---
title: "Say Government Fails to Give Enough Support to Returning Troops"
description: "That's the share of  the U.S. public who say the U.S. government does not give enough support to the soldiers who have served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; but a narrow majority (51%) believes the American people give sufficient support. "
date: "2007-05-07"
authors:
  - name: "Russell Heimlich"
    job_title: "Former web developer"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2007/05/07/say-government-fails-to-give-enough-support-to-returning-troops/"
---

# Say Government Fails to Give Enough Support to Returning Troops

Most Americans (72%) say the United States government does not give enough support to the soldiers who have served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; just 21% believe that the government gives adequate support to the troops. By comparison, a narrow majority (51%) believes the American people give enough support to the returning soldiers, while 44% view the public’s support as inadequate. Partisan divisions on this subject are striking: Nearly three times as many conservative Republicans as liberal Democrats believe that the government generally does give enough support to these troops (35% vs. 12%). There also are sharply contrasting views about whether the American people give enough support to the returning soldiers. A majority of all Democrats (55%) — including 63% of liberal Democrats — say that the public gives enough support to those who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. But fewer than half of Republicans agree (44%). Just 42% of conservative Republicans think that the American people give enough support to the returning troops while a majority (54%) says they do not.[Read More](https://www.pewresearch.org/pubs/434/trends-in-political-values-and-core-attitudes-1987-2007)