While Democrats and Republicans are often polarized on how to handle issues like crime, immigration, and the economy, both parties agree U.S. troops should remain in Afghanistan until every American has been rescued.
According to an ABC/Ipsos poll released Sunday, 87 percent of Republicans, 86 percent of Democrats, and 86 percent of independents think U.S. troops should stay until every American has been saved. Both parties similarly agree that all Afghan allies should be rescued before withdrawal, with 77% of Republicans, 72% of Democrats, and 70% of independents saying troops should stay until that happens, ABC News reported.
In this Aug. 20, 2021, photo provided by the U.S. Marine Corps, a Marine assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit carries a girl at a gate to Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. (1st Lt. Mark Andries/U.S. Marine Corps via AP)
All interviews were conducted after the Thursday ISIS-K suicide bombing attacks at the Hamid Karzai International Airport that killed more than 100 people, including 13 U.S. troops.
Despite public opinion and pleas from the international community, President Joe Biden has refused to change the Afghanistan withdrawal date from August 31. Biden also warned in a statement on Saturday of more potential terror attacks, as Americans and Afghan allies crowd the airport in the hopes of escape before the final deadline.
Afghans gather on a roadside near the military part of the airport in Kabul on August 20, 2021, hoping to flee from the country after the Taliban’s military takeover of Afghanistan. (WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP via Getty Images).
“The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high,” the statement reads. “Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours.”
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about the situation in Kabul, Afghanistan. At least 12 American service members were killed on Thursday by suicide bomb attacks near the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Last week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said 11,000 Americans are estimated to still be inside Afghanistan. However, officials at a Pentagon briefing Saturday said that out of 117,000 people evacuated from Kabul, only 5,400 are Americans. Biden admitted Thursday that some Americans will be left behind after August 31.
“There are some Americans who may not have decided to leave by the 31st,” Psaki echoed during a briefing with reporters on the day of the suicide bombings. “That is possible.”
Overall, 59 percent of those polled disapprove of the way Biden has handled Afghanistan. That percentage greatly increased after the terrorist attacks at the Kabul airport. — in July, only 41 percent of those polled disapproved.
RealClearPolitics’ polling data average showed the 78-year-0ld president’s overall approval rating in the negatives during the week the of the terror attacks, which was the largest single-day loss for U.S. service members since 2011. Of those polled, 48.4 percent disapproved and 47.4 approved.
The ABC/Ipsos poll was conducted between August 27-28 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.