Most Americans want rapid withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan: Poll

“Overall, 54 percent of all Americans want to pull out US troops from Afghanistan even if the Afghan army is not adequately trained to carry on the fight,” according to the survey conducted by the ABC News and the Washington Post.

The survey also indicated that sixty percent of Americans believe the Afghan war is not worth its costs.

The US-led forces are scheduled to leave the war-torn country by the end of 2014 and hand over security operations to the Afghan army.

Anti-American sentiments have hit unprecedented heights following the desecration of the Holy Qur’an in a US-run military air base last month and the recent massacre of 16 Afghan civilians, including nine children, by a US soldier in Kandahar.

Civilian casualties in Afghanistan have been a major source of tension between Kabul and Washington.

The United Nations announced on February 4 that 2011 was the deadliest year on record for Afghan civilians killed in US-led attacks. The death toll rose eight percent compared to the year before and was roughly double the figure for 2007.

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan was launched in 2001. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but insecurity continues to rise across the country despite the presence of tens of thousands of US-led troops.