60% Americans say afghan war not worth it: Poll
A record 60 percent of Americans say the war in Afghanistan has not been worth fighting, according to a new poll which coincides with the Obama administration one-year review of its strategy.
Public dissatisfaction with the war, now America's longest, has spiked by 7 points just since July. Given its costs vs. its benefits, only 34 percent in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll say the war's been
worth fighting, down by 9 points to a new low, by a sizable margin.
Negative views of the war for the first time are at the level of those recorded for the war in Iraq, whose unpopularity dragged George W. Bush to historic lows in approval across his second term. On average from 2005 through 2009, 60 percent called that war not worth fighting, the same number who say so, the poll found.
The public's increasingly negative assessment comes after a new strategy, including a surge of U.S. and allied forces, led to the Afghanistan war's bloodiest year. According to icasualties.org, cited by ABC, nearly 500 U.S. soldiers have been killed and 4,481 wounded in 2010, compared with 317 killed and 2,114 wounded in 2009, and 155 killed, 793 wounded in 2008.
While opposition to the war has grown, President Barack Obama himself gets more mixed reviews for handling it. This survey, produced for ABC News by Langer Research Associates, finds that 45 percent approve of Obama's work on Afghanistan, matching his low, while 46 percent disapprove, a scant 2 points from the high. Still, that's considerably better than Bush's ratings for handling Iraq in his second term -- on average, 63 percent disapproved of how he did.
Public dissatisfaction with the war, now America's longest, has spiked by 7 points just since July. Given its costs vs. its benefits, only 34 percent in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll say the war's been
worth fighting, down by 9 points to a new low, by a sizable margin.
Negative views of the war for the first time are at the level of those recorded for the war in Iraq, whose unpopularity dragged George W. Bush to historic lows in approval across his second term. On average from 2005 through 2009, 60 percent called that war not worth fighting, the same number who say so, the poll found.
The public's increasingly negative assessment comes after a new strategy, including a surge of U.S. and allied forces, led to the Afghanistan war's bloodiest year. According to icasualties.org, cited by ABC, nearly 500 U.S. soldiers have been killed and 4,481 wounded in 2010, compared with 317 killed and 2,114 wounded in 2009, and 155 killed, 793 wounded in 2008.
While opposition to the war has grown, President Barack Obama himself gets more mixed reviews for handling it. This survey, produced for ABC News by Langer Research Associates, finds that 45 percent approve of Obama's work on Afghanistan, matching his low, while 46 percent disapprove, a scant 2 points from the high. Still, that's considerably better than Bush's ratings for handling Iraq in his second term -- on average, 63 percent disapproved of how he did.
No Operation in Waziristan on Dictation: PM Gilani
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said foreign hand involved in Balochistan. Addressing the National Assembly session on Thursday, Gilani said that no compromise would be made on the national sovereignty and integrity. The prime minister said...
From Olympic Prodigy to World Champion: The Incredible Journey of Boxer Amir Khan, A British Pakistani
Every boxing fan loves a story about raw speed, generational talent, and the relentless pursuit of greatness. Looking back at the resume of Amir Khan, it is easy to see how a kid from Bolton transformed into one of the most exciting and electrifying names in modern boxing history.
From tearing up the amateur ranks to collecting world titles on the biggest stages in Las Vegas, his journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. Here is a look at the milestones, the coaches, and the legendary amateur pedigree that built a champion.
The Amateur Phenom: A Teenage Sensation
Long before he was a household name in the professional ranks, Khan was a force of nature as an amateur. His breakthrough years in the early 2000s set the boxing world on fire.
- The Early Gold: The hype started building in 2003 when he secured a gold medal at the AAU Junior Olympic Games.
- A Year of Domination (2004): Khan’s 2004 was a masterclass in boxing excellence. He grabbed gold at both the European Student Championships and the World Junior Championships. That same year, he won the Strandja Cup to punch his ticket to the Olympic Games. Along the way, he even stopped future world champion Victor Ortíz in the second round of an amateur bout.
- The Athens Olympic Silver: At just 17 years old, Khan captured the hearts of the British public at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He blazed through opponents like Marios Kaperonis, Dimitar Stilianov, Jong Sub Baik, and Serik Yeleuov. Though he lost a hard-fought final to Cuba's legendary Mario Kindelan, he walked away with a historic silver medal.
- Sweet Revenge: In 2005, after outpointing Craig Watson in the ABA Championships, Khan closed the book on his amateur career in style. In his final amateur fight, he got his revenge against Mario Kindelan, defeating him 19–13 in front of a roaring crowd at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton.
Masterminds in the Corner: The Trainers Who Shaped Him
A fighter is only as good as their corner, and Khan’s professional evolution saw him work with some of the absolute elite minds in the sport.
- Oliver Harrison (July 2005 – April 2008): Harrison was there from day one of Khan's professional journey, guiding the young prospect through the foundational years of his career and molding his lethal hand speed into a professional weapon.
- Jorge Rubio (July 2008 – September 2008): A brief but crucial transitional chapter in Khan's corner as he looked to adapt his style for the absolute highest levels of the sport.
- Freddie Roach (October 2008 – Present): Joining forces with the legendary Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood changed everything. Under Roach's watchful eye, Khan reached his absolute peak, refining his footwork and learning how to set up his blistering combinations on the world stage.
The Professional Crown: Collecting the Gold
Transitioning to the pro game brings immense pressure, but Khan rose to the occasion by claiming regional belts before conquering the world.
He established his dominance early by becoming the Commonwealth Lightweight Champion, alongside picking up the WBA International Lightweight title and becoming a two-time WBO Inter-Continental Lightweight Champion.
The ultimate validation came when he moved up in weight to capture the ultimate prize—becoming the WBA World Light-Welterweight Champion. It was the culmination of a journey that began as a fast-talking, faster-punching teenager in Bolton, proving that his early Olympic promise was no fluke. Amir Khan didn't just chase greatness; he caught it.
The Fighter Beyond the Ropes: The Complex, Generous, and Human Story of Amir Khan
When we talk about Amir Khan, the conversation almost always starts with his lightning-fast hands and world championship belts. But you cannot truly understand the man from Bolton by just watching his fight tapes. To get the real picture, you have to step away from the bright lights of the MGM Grand and look at the spaces he occupies when the gloves come off.
Amir Khan's life outside the ring is a striking study in contrasts. He is a deeply empathetic philanthropist who has quietly poured millions into helping vulnerable people, both in the UK and Pakistan. At the same time, he is a man who grew up in the intense glare of the public eye, stumbling into headlines for reckless driving and high-speed infractions. He isn't a flawless hero from a textbook; he is human, complex, and driven by a profound desire to do good despite his own missteps.
A Lifeline for Pakistan: Showing Up in the Darkest Hours
For British-Pakistanis, identity is often a bridge between two worlds. Khan has never forgotten his roots, and his humanitarian work in Pakistan shows a man who doesn’t just write checks—he shows up.
When the catastrophic 2005 Kashmir earthquake tore through northern Pakistan, killing over 80,000 people and leaving millions homeless, the response from the global community was massive. But for Khan, it was personal. He travelled directly to Pakistan, entering the dust-choked refugee camps to hand-deliver food parcels, water, and emergency supplies to traumatised children. Witnessing that level of human suffering firsthand fundamentally shifted his focus toward long-term charity work.
His commitment to global crisis relief started even earlier. Following the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, a teenage Khan used his newfound Olympic fame to help spearhead massive fundraising campaigns, ultimately helping to raise over £1 million for victims across the affected regions. Whether it was the mountains of Pakistan or the coastlines of South Asia, Khan repeatedly used his platform to channel resources to people who had lost everything.
Healing the Streets of Britain: The Bolton and Bradford Legacy
Back home in the UK, Khan’s charity work took on a highly community-driven, boots-on-the-ground approach. Having grown up in an working-class environment, he understood how easily young people could drift into crime or anti-social behaviour without a positive outlet.
To tackle this, Khan invested £1 million of his own money to open the Gloves Community Centre and Boxing Gym in Bolton. This wasn't a commercial venture; it was a sanctuary. By providing state-of-the-art facilities and mentorship, the gym aimed to get vulnerable youths off the streets, teaching them the discipline, respect, and emotional control that boxing demands.
His local impact extended far beyond his own gym:
- The No Messin’ Campaign: In 2006, he lent his voice and image to a major initiative promoting child safety around British railways, warning kids against playing on active tracks.
- Supporting Fallen Heroes: In 2008, after a Bolton firefighter was horrificially burned while trying to rescue a family from an arson attack, Khan stepped up to raise over £6,000 for his recovery.
- Standing with Bradford: Khan joined a high-profile charity football match at Valley Parade in Bradford to raise funds for the family of PC Sharon Beshenivsky, a police officer who was tragically murdered in the line of duty.
- The White Ribbon Campaign: He publicly aligned himself with the White Ribbon Campaign, an international movement urging men to take an active role in ending violence against women.
Life in the Living Room: A Pop Culture Fixation
Because of his charisma and boy-next-door charm, Khan became a fixture on British and Pakistani television. In 2007, he starred in a raw, three-part Channel 4 documentary called Amir Khan’s Angry Young Men. The program took troubled, aggressive young men and used boxing, faith, and family values to help them re-centre their lives and escape cycles of violence.
He became a household name across reality and entertainment media, appearing on Proud Parents alongside his family, competing on game shows like Beat the Star and Celebrity Family Fortunes, and rubbing shoulders with mainstream celebrities as a guest on Sky One's A League of Their Own. He even presented an award at the 2009 MOBO Awards and kept a strong connection to his heritage by appearing on Pakistan’s popular talk show, Aik Din Geo Ke Saath.
The Blind Spots: A Young Man in the Fast Lane
You cannot tell an honest story about Amir Khan without looking at his turbulent relationship with high-performance sports cars. Growing up with immense wealth and fame at a very young age created a recipe for reckless behaviour on the road, leading to serious legal consequences.
In October 2007, a 20-year-old Khan was convicted of careless driving at Bolton Crown Court following a harrowing incident in the town centre. Khan had swerved around a line of stationary traffic, running a red light and striking a pedestrian who was using a pelican crossing. The pedestrian suffered a broken leg, and while Khan was cleared of the more severe charge of dangerous driving, he received a six-month driving ban, a £1,000 fine, and the victim was awarded an interim compensation payment of £40,000.
The legal troubles didn't stop there. Just months later, he was summoned to court for driving at a staggering 140 mph on the M62 motorway. After initially failing to appear in court—prompting a strict warning from a district judge—Khan was fined another £1,000 and handed a 42-day driving ban. A later collision with a young cyclist in 2009 briefly brought him back into the police spotlight, though eyewitness interviews quickly cleared Khan of any blame.
The True Measure of the Man
Amir Khan’s life reminds us that celebrities are rarely the two-dimensional heroes we see on posters. He made dangerous mistakes behind the wheel that put lives at risk, a reality he had to face in courtrooms and the court of public opinion.
Yet, when the cameras were turned off, his instinct was to build gyms for kids, fly into disaster zones, and use his fortune to uplift the forgotten. Amir Khan's legacy is defined by this very duality: a fighter who struggled to navigate the speed of his own life, but never stopped using his platform to fight for others.
Conquering the 140-Pound Masters in Boxing: Inside Amir Khan’s Legendary Light-Welterweight Era
The boxing world is notoriously unforgiving to fighters who find success early. When a 21-year-old Amir Khan was shockingly knocked out in just 54 seconds by Breidis Prescott in 2008, critics rushed to write his professional obituary. They claimed his chin couldn't hold up, his defense was too porous, and his Olympic silver-medal hype had finally evaporated.
But true champions are defined by how they rebuild. Packing up his bags and moving his training camp to Los Angeles to work under the legendary Freddie Roach, Khan underwent a complete tactical evolution. He didn't just bounce back; he moved up in weight to the highly competitive light-welterweight (140-pound) division. What followed between 2009 and 2010 remains one of the most thrilling, high-stakes chapters in modern British boxing history—a period where Khan proved his elite status by capturing a world title, silencing media storms, and surviving a legendary Vegas war.
The Manchester Masterclass: Outboxing Andreas Kotelnik
On 18 July 2009, Khan stepped into the ring at the MEN Arena in Manchester. The stakes couldn't have been higher. Across from him stood the durable, rugged Ukrainian Andreas Kotelnik, the reigning WBA World Light-Welterweight Champion. Kotelnik was a seasoned veteran who had never been stopped, known for his tight guard and relentless pressure.
What the fans in Manchester witnessed that night was tactical perfection. Under Roach's guidance, Khan completely suppressed his natural instinct to get into a wild brawl. Instead, he used his otherworldly hand speed and sharp footwork to fight from the outside. He jabbed, pivoted, and unleashed blinding combinations before Kotelnik could even set his feet.
For 12 rounds, Khan put on a boxing clinic. When the final bell rang, the judges' scorecards were a reflection of total dominance: 120–108, 118–111, and 118–111. At just 22 years old, Amir Khan became the third-youngest British fighter to ever win a world title. The Prescott ghost was officially exorcised, and a new era had begun.
76 Seconds in Newcastle: Slicing Through the Media Storm
With a target on his back as the new champion, Khan's first mandatory defense was set for 5 December 2009 at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle against the undefeated Ukrainian-American contender Dmitry Salita.
Almost immediately, the tabloid media tried to hijack the narrative. Because Khan was a practicing Muslim and Salita was an Orthodox Jew, promoters and headlines aggressively hyped the matchup as a religious clash, branding it a "battle of faiths" or a "holy war." Both fighters showed immense class and maturity, repeatedly shutting down the sensationalism in interviews. They insisted it was a sporting contest between two elite athletes, nothing more.
When the bell rang, Khan let his hands do the talking—and they spoke with terrifying velocity. Just 10 seconds into the bout, Khan caught Salita with a blistering combination that sent him crashing to the canvas. Salita beat the count, but he was on completely unstable legs. Khan smelled blood, closing the distance with clinical aggression. After two more devastating knockdowns, the referee waved the fight off.
The entire contest lasted a mere 76 seconds. Khan had dismantled an undefeated mandatory challenger in over a minute, handing Salita the first loss of his professional career and proving that his power had fully traveled up to the 140-pound division.
Leaving Home: The Leap to Golden Boy and Madison Square Garden
By early 2010, Khan’s ambitions had outgrown the UK scene. He wanted global superstardom, and that meant conquering America. In a bold promotional move on 17 January 2010, Khan parted ways with his long-time British promoter Frank Warren and signed a lucrative deal with boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.
His American debut was set for 15 May 2010 at the historic Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. His opponent was the brash, fast-talking former world champion Paulie Malignaggi. Known for his slick defensive skills and high boxing IQ, Malignaggi was supposed to provide a tricky test for the young Brit on US soil.
Instead, Khan used Malignaggi as a statement piece. He dictated the pace from the opening stanza, using his reach advantage and overwhelming volume to break Malignaggi down round by round. By the 11th round, Malignaggi was taking a heavy, unanswered accumulation of punishment, prompting the referee to halt the bout. Khan had successfully defended his WBA crown in the media capital of the world. Immediately after the fight, rather than taking an easy touch, Khan laid out a fearless blueprint: he wanted to unify the division, starting with the most feared puncher in the weight class, Marcos Maidana.
The Vegas Cauldron: Surviving the Maidana Firestorm
On 11 December 2010, Khan walked into the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas for a fight that would forever define his legacy. Marcos "El Chino" Maidana was a terrifying Argentinian slugger with dynamite in both hands, widely considered the most dangerous mandatory challenger in boxing.
The fight started like a dream for the British champion. In the very first round, Khan dug a vicious, perfectly placed left hook into Maidana’s liver. The punch collapsed the Argentinian in agonizing pain. It looked like another quick night for Khan, but Maidana showed superhuman resilience, dragging himself off the canvas to beat the count.
What followed was a brutal, cinematic war of attrition. Khan boxed beautifully in the first half of the fight, but as the rounds ticked away, Maidana’s relentless pressure began to take a toll. In the 10th round, disaster struck. Maidana caught Khan with a massive, looping overhand right that shook Khan to his absolute core.
Khan’s legs turned to jelly. For the next two minutes, Maidana unleashed a terrifying, uninterrupted barrage of power punches. Every critic who had ever questioned Khan’s chin watched with bated breath. Showcasing a level of heart, grit, and raw determination that many didn't know he possessed, Khan refused to go down. He held, he ducked, and he fired back just enough to survive the round.
The closing rounds were a frantic blur of drama. While some critics later speculated that veteran referee Joe Cortez gave Khan extra breathing room by heavily policing Maidana's roughhouse inside tactics, nobody could deny the sheer bravery Khan displayed. When the final bell sounded, Khan was awarded a narrow, thrilling unanimous decision victory. It was universally hailed as the Fight of the Year, cementing Amir Khan not just as a fast-talking prodigy, but as a warrior who could stare into the boxing abyss and find a way to win.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)