Poll: Support growing for US ground troops against ISIS

Support among Americans for using U.S. troops to combat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is growing, according to a new survey.

{mosads}Forty-seven percent of respondents told Pew researchers they favor using U.S. troops against ISIS, an 8-percentage-point increase from the early months of the anti-ISIS campaign in October. Nearly half, 49 percent, are opposed to such a move, a 6-percentage-point drop from four months ago.

The survey comes as the White House and Congress wrestle over President Obama’s request to use military force against ISIS, and as administration officials weigh their next steps to combat the terrorist group ahead of a spring offensive by Iraqi troops to take back Mosul.

Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday when discussing the president’s proposal, that some U.S. troops could be embedded with Iraqi soldiers overnight but not “for weeks and weeks of combat.”

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Monday while visiting U.S. troops in Kuwait that, “We need to be convinced that any use of our forces is necessary, is going to be sufficient, that we’ve thought through not just the first step, but the second step, and the third step.”

The Pew survey found that support for the U.S.-led anti-ISIS campaign has also grown. Sixty-three percent approve of the 60-plus-nation effort, compared to 57 percent in October. About a third, 30 percent, continue to disapprove of the campaign, dubbed Operation Inherent Resolve.

Millennials aged 18-29 are the only age group largely opposed to sending U.S. troops to the area, 59 percent to 39 percent. Nearly half of respondents in general, 49 percent, are concerned military action won’t go far enough to defeat ISIS, while 46 percent are concerned about U.S. over involvement.

A CNN/ORC poll released earlier this month similarly found growing support for using U.S. ground troops against ISIS, with 47 percent in favor, up 9 percentage points since late September. Half of respondents in that poll said they opposed sending U.S. troops to defeat ISIS, a 10-percentage-point drop from September.

The newest Pew survey of 1,504 adults was conducted Feb. 18-22 via landlines and cellphones with a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points.