NEW YORK, Aug 30: A majority of Americans do not think the war in Afghanistan has reduced the threat of terrorism but this does not lead them to want immediate withdrawal, “nor to persist indefinitely in the effort”, says a New World Public Opinion Survey released here on Thursday.

But, the survey findings also reveal that Majorities (of Americans) are pessimistic about the ultimate success of the operation.

When asked in a CBS News-NYT survey whether “Regardless of whether you think taking military action in Afghanistan was the right thing to do, would you say the war in Afghanistan has been mostly a success for the United States, or not?”

Fifty-nine per cent thought it has not been a success, while 29 per cent thought it has and another 6 per cent held that the results had been mixed.

On other hand, American express are comfortable with President Obama's plan to gradually withdraw US troops between now and the end of 2014.

However, a June 2012 poll by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs that asked “all in all, considering the costs to the United States versus the benefits to the United States, do you think the war in Afghanistan has been worth fighting, or not?” found a two-to-one margin saying it has not been worth fighting (67 per cent to 32 per cent).