Support declining for Afghanistan war

 WASHINGTON – American support for a U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan continues to erode rapidly and has now hit a new low, according to a poll from the Pew Research Center in Washington.

 The poll, taken from April 4 to 15, found a decline of support among independents, Republicans and Democrats.

 Notably for the U.S. political parties, it shows nearly as much erosion among voters who say their presidential choice is still undecided as among those who are committed to voting for President Barack Obama.

 The survey, of 1,494 adults, showed 59 percent of swing voters now support a rapid troop pullout, compared with the 65 percent among committed Obama voters.

 Thirty-two percent of Americans now say the United States should keep troops in the country until the situation stabilizes, while 60 percent favor withdrawing them as soon as possible. In May 2011, Americans were evenly divided.

 While Mitt Romney, the leading Republican presidential candidate, has criticized Obama for setting a timetable for troop withdrawal, the poll shows a rapid decline in GOP support for keeping the troops there much longer.