67% of AmeriKKKans back Obama's troop buildup in Afghanistan

A majority of US voters support President Barack Obama's decision to send an additional 17,000 troops to Afghanistan and give him high marks on his handling of foreign policy, according to a poll released Thursday.

But the survey showed public opinion divided over whether Obama should heed a request from the military commander in Afghanistan for another 13,000 troops.

The Quinnipiac University poll said 67 percent of those surveyed backed Obama's announcement last month to deploy extra troops and 31 percent were opposed.

And only 47 percent said Obama should endorse a request by commanders for a further 13,000 troops, with 43 percent against.

By a margin of 48-35 percent, Americans think US troops should go after Taliban or Al-Qaeda forces that cross the border from Afghanistan into Pakistan or operate out of Pakistan, the poll showed.

But if the Pakistani government opposes the cross-border strikes, then 49 percent of voters oppose the attacks with 37 percent in favor.

Americans also approve of the way Obama is managing the country's foreign policy by a margin of 56-21 percent, the poll said, with 78 percent of Democratic voters and 51 percent of independent voters in support.

Republicans, however, disapprove of his foreign policy performance by a margin of 43 to 31 percent, according to the poll.

But Obama's most enthusiastic supporters -- younger voters, women, blacks, Hispanics and those making less than 50,000 dollars a year -- are opposed to sending more reinforcements beyond the 17,000 that Obama has approved.

Obama last month approved the additional 17,000 troops to bolster the 38,000-strong force fighting an increasingly violent insurgency in Afghanistan. More

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