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An opinion poll for Ö÷²¥´óÐã East found that 50% of the 1,005 people questioned across Great Britain believe large numbers of British troops will still be needed in Afghanistan in five years' time.

The poll was commissioned for a special programme, Afghanistan: The War In The East, to be broadcast on Ö÷²¥´óÐã One East tonight (Wednesday 3 March) at 7.30 pm.

President Obama recently set a much shorter timescale for withdrawal, beginning the transfer of forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011.

The poll also suggests that the majority of people believe the war in Afghanistan is "unwinnable" despite the early successes of Operation Moshtarak and the American troop surge.

In November 2009, before the operation to clear the Taliban from large areas of Helmand, an earlier Ö÷²¥´óÐã poll suggested that 64% of those questioned believed the war in Afghanistan is unwinnable.

Four months later that figure has crept up fractionally to 65%.

According to the poll, the number of people who believe British forces should be withdrawn from Afghanistan as quickly as possible has remained static at 63%, but there is a distinction between social groups with 52% of professional ABs agreeing with this statement compared with 74% DEs.

The percentage of people who feel they have a good understanding of the purpose of Britain's mission in Afghanistan has gone up marginally from 54% in November 2009 to 56% now.

Armed Forces Minister Bill Rammell (Labour), Essex North MP Bernard Jenkin (Conservative), Colchester MP Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat) and Inayat Bunglawala from Muslims4UK will be debating the war in the special programme to be broadcast from the garrison town of Colchester.

They will be joined by a specially invited audience, including relatives of those serving in Afghanistan, Afghan nationals and representatives of the Muslim Community in Luton.

The results in full

NB: numbers maybe rounded and weighted to be representative of the population as a whole.

The war in Afghanistan is unwinnable
Agree: 65% (November 2009 64%)
Disagree: 28% (27%)
Don't know: 7% (10%)

Public opinion has not changed, with the same proportion of people saying the same in November 2009 and February 2010.

All British forces should be withdrawn from Afghanistan as quickly as possible
Agree: 63%  (November 2009 63%)
Disagree: 34% (31%)
Don't know: 3%  (6%)

As always in questions of this type, women are less pugilistic than men – 69% and 57% respectively agree that armed forces should be withdrawn from Afghanistan as quickly as possible.

There is a clear trend by social group: 52% of ABs agree with this statement compared to 74% of DEs.

I feel that I have a good understanding of the purpose of Britain's mission in Afghanistan
Agree: 56% (November 2009 54%)
Disagree: 41% (42%)
Don't know: 3% (4%)

There are differences in understanding of the purpose of Britain's mission: 44% of people in social group DE agree that they have a good understanding, compared to 64% of people in social group AB.

Large numbers of British troops will still be needed in Afghanistan five years from now
Agree: 50%
Disagree: 46%
Don't know: 4%

Half of all people (50%) think that large numbers of British troops will still be needed in Afghanistan five years from now.

There is a noticeable jump in opinion among people aged 55-64, 65% of whom agree that large numbers of British troops will still be needed in Afghanistan five years from now.

Methodology for this current poll

ComRes interviewed 1,005 GB adults by telephone between 24 and 25 February 2010.  Data weighted to be demographically representative of the GB population.  ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. 

Note on earlier poll referenced in this release

The earlier poll was commissioned by the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Politics Show and also conducted by Comres. The sample was 1,009 adults polled by phone on 4 and 5 November 2009.

Ö÷²¥´óÐã Birmingham Press Office