THE overwhelming majority of Americans support US and British air strikes against terrorist targets in Afghanistan, even though many believe they could presage the beginning of a long war, according to a new poll made public on Monday. The survey by The Washington Post and ABC News found that 94% of respondents supported the US-led military action in Afghanistan and just as many backed the way President George W Bush was handling the crisis. The poll showed that eight in 10 Americans supported sending ground troops into Afghanistan to kill or capture suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden and nearly as many would send US forces into Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban government. More than 80% said they expected the strikes were just the start of a long war, and more than half said the US action increased the risk of further terrorism in the United States, the survey showed. Americans also displayed support for expanding military action beyond Afghanistan to punish those who harbour terrorists. Seven in 10 said the United States should mount a broad war against terrorist groups and the countries that support them, and only about one in four favoured limiting military strikes, according to the poll. – Sapa-AFP