{"id":33067,"date":"2009-11-11T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2009-11-11T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2009\/11\/11\/the-extremist-threat-in-afghanistan-and-pakistan\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T11:24:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T15:24:47","slug":"the-extremist-threat-in-afghanistan-and-pakistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/global\/2009\/11\/11\/the-extremist-threat-in-afghanistan-and-pakistan\/","title":{"rendered":"Americans and Western Europeans Agree on Afghanistan-Pakistan Extremist Threat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Richard Wike, Associate Director, Juliana Menasce Horowitz, Senior Researcher, Pew Global Attitudes Project<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A transatlantic consensus exists with regard to the threat posed by extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan, even though Americans and Western Europeans generally disagree about what policy to pursue in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 14-nation survey<\/a> by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project, conducted Aug. 27 through Sept. 24, finds Americans expressing the greatest concerns about the Taliban regaining control of Afghanistan: roughly three-in-four (76%) say that this would be a major threat to the well-being of the U.S.1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, solid majorities throughout Western Europe also see this as a major threat to their nations, including 72% of Italians and at least six-in-ten in France (66%), Germany (65%), Spain (64%) and Britain (60%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concern is also shared about the potential danger from a Pakistan controlled by extremists. More than six-in-ten Italian (68%), French (67%), British (65%) and American (64%) respondents say this would be a major threat to their countries. Slightly smaller majorities hold this view in Spain (59%) and Germany (57%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eastern Europeans are generally less concerned than those in the West about these potential dangers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fewer than half in the eight Eastern European countries surveyed believe extremist takeovers of Afghanistan or Pakistan would present a major threat. Within the region, Poles, Bulgarians and Czechs express the greatest concerns — more than four-in-ten in these countries say extremist control of Afghanistan or Pakistan would pose a major threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is less concern among Lithuanians, Slovaks and Hungarians, as well as in the two nations surveyed that are not NATO members: Russia and Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The War in Afghanistan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While both Americans and Western Europeans generally believe the “Af-Pak” region potentially poses significant threats to national security, they do not share a common view about the deployment of military forces in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Half of Americans say U.S. and NATO troops should remain in Afghanistan until the situation has stabilized, while 43% want them removed as soon as possible. By contrast, majorities in France (61%), Italy (56%), Germany (54%) and Britain (54%) say troops should be withdrawn, as do roughly half in Spain (48%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout Eastern Europe, majorities or pluralities want U.S. and NATO forces out of Afghanistan, including 64% of Poles, as well as 65% in Russia and 62% in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More people in several nations now favor withdrawal than was the case in the spring. This is especially true in France, where a Pew Global Attitudes poll conducted in May and June<\/a> found that 49% favored removing troops, compared with 61% today. Smaller increases have taken place in Poland (+7 percentage points), Germany (+7), Britain (+6) and the U.S. (+5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Unsurprisingly, people who believe a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan would be a serious national security threat are more likely to endorse keeping troops there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, even among Western Europeans who consider this a major threat, opinion leans toward a troop withdrawal. In all Western European nations surveyed, majorities or pluralities of those who say a Taliban takeover would be a major threat nonetheless want troops removed. Conversely, among Americans who see this as a major threat, 54% want to keep forces in Afghanistan, while 41% favor a withdrawal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information see the topline results<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Americans and Western Europeans agree on the extremist threat from Afghanistan and Pakistan, but divisions remain over the Afghan war<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":294,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sub_headline":"Consensus Despite Divisions on Afghan War","sub_title":"Consensus Despite Divisions on Afghan 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