---
title: "As U.S. role in Afghanistan nears an end, more Americans see failure than success"
description: "About half of Americans say the U.S. has mostly failed to achieve its goals in Afghanistan."
date: "2014-02-14"
authors:
  - name: "Bruce Drake"
    job_title: "Former Senior Editor"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/bruce-drake/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2014/02/14/as-u-s-role-in-afghanistan-nears-an-end-more-americans-see-failure-than-success/"
categories:
  - "Rural, Urban and Suburban Communities"
  - "Terrorism"
  - "War & International Conflict"
  - "War & International Conflict"
---

# As U.S. role in Afghanistan nears an end, more Americans see failure than success

The ongoing rift between the U.S. and Afghan President Hamid Karzai — apparent again this week when Karzai ordered the [release of detainees](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/10/world/asia/afghanistan-to-free-prisoners.html?_r=0) accused of attacking American forces —and fears about the Afghan army [being able to hold its own](http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afghan-soldiers-desperate-for-pact-with-us-criticize-president-karzai-for-delay/2014/02/08/7caf4b4a-891b-11e3-a760-a86415d0944d_story.html) against the Taliban have helped frame the question: Did the U.S. achieve its goals in that country after fighting a long and costly war?

The answer from Americans is mostly “no.” About half (52%) said the U.S. had mostly failed to achieve its goals in Afghanistan compared with 38% who said it had mostly succeeded, according to a [Pew Research Center/USA TODAY survey](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2014/01/30/more-now-see-failure-than-success-in-iraq-afghanistan/) conducted in January. There's relatively little partisan difference on the question: 52% of Republicans, 48% of Democrats and 54% of independents say the U.S. had mostly failed to achieve its goals.

![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/01/1-30-2014_04.png)

Shortly after the killing of Osama Bin Laden, the public had more confidence that the U.S. effort was on the right path: A [June 2011](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/question-search/?qid=1799041&pid=51&ccid=51#top) survey found that 58% said they thought the U.S. *would *achieve its goals.

Despite the negative view of the outcome, 51% of Americans in the latest poll said using military force in Afghanistan was the right decision — a decision taken after the Taliban refused to turn over al-Qaeda leaders behind the 9/11 attacks. About four-in-ten (41%) said it was the wrong decision. But that support level represents a decline from 2006, when 69% said military intervention was the right decision.