Knowledge of Troop Deaths in Afghanistan

Most Americans cannot correctly estimate the number of U.S. military personnel that have been killed in the war in Afghanistan. Only a quarter of the public is able to correctly answer that around 900 troops have been killed in that war. Most Americans overestimate the number of troop causalities in Afghanistan. Another 25% estimate the fatality count to be around 1,500, while 27% say it is around 2,500. By contrast, 42% of Americans are able to correctly estimate the number of troop deaths in the Iraq war at around 4,300. As in Afghanistan, the public is more likely to overestimate (30%) than underestimate (22%) the number of troop fatalities in Iraq. Notably, those who report they are following either war very closely in the news are no more likely than the public at large to correctly estimate the number of troop fatalities of each respective war. Read More