Afghanistan: Who they Like/ Unlike

For anyone who has been following Afghanistan at all during the past decade and a half, that's not a trick question. In ABC/BBC/ARD national public opinion poll in Afghanistan, released in February 2009. Question #38 asked: “Now I’m going to ask what you think about some people and groups. Is your opinion of [INSERT] very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable?”

The results (with some details omitted):

a. The Taliban: Favorable 7 | Unfavorable 91
b. Osama Bin Laden: Favorable 6 | Unfavorable 92
c. The United States: Favorable 47 | Unfavorable 52
d. Pakistan: Favorable 8 | Unfavorable 91
e. Great Britain: Favorable 39 | Unfavorable 54
f. Iran: Favorable 57 | Unfavorable 40
g. Germany: Favorable 61 | Unfavorable 31
h. India: Favorable 74 | Unfavorable 21

In 2007, according to previous poll results used for comparison, 80% expressed an "unfavorable" opinion of Pakistan, which was already the highest percentage by far for any foreign country. Since then, Afghan hostility toward Pakistan seems to have increased even further.

None of this is surprising, but the reasons are worth underlining. Back in the 1990s, the Pakistani military and security services played a major role in sponsoring, supplying, and supporting the Taliban and helping it seize control of (about 90% of) Afghanistan. Pakistan was one of only three foreign countries to recognize the Taliban regime (the other two were Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates). Since the Taliban lost control of Afghanistan in 2001, its base has been in the border regions of Pakistan. And most Afghans believe (correctly) that at the very least the Pakistani government and military have been allowing the Afghan Taliban to operate from Pakistan, and that at least some tendencies within the Pakistani security apparatus have continued actively supporting them.

source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/world-affairs/44835-afghan-poll-shows-india...