President Obama is incredibly unpopular with U.S. Troops. CNN

President Obama in Afghanistan. CNN/AFP/Getty

Obama's job approval rate among active military troops has plummeted. CNN. Only 15% of active duty troops approve of his performance as president while 55% disapprove. Obama was never popular with the military, with his approval rating in 2009 at 35%, but these new numbers are a record low. Troop morale has plummeted as well. In 2009 91% of troops were happy with their life compared to 56% today. More then half say they are underpaid. The poll numbers come from a Military Times survey of active duty troops. 

My Comment:

I'm surprised the poll numbers are as high as they are. Obama is an anti-military president so it isn't too surprising that the military doesn't like him. Democrats in general are less popular among the military in general but even for a Democrat his numbers are low.  

Why are they so low? Neither the CNN piece or the Military Times survey really got into it. Both articles mentioned the various social issues that Obama has been pushing on the military. Sure, repealing don't ask don't tell, allowing women in combat and the current obsession with sexual assault are unpopular, but not so much to explain Obama's poll numbers. The concerns about pay are more on target but can't explain it completely.

So what do I think the problem is? I've said a million times that Obama is a domestic president who cares little for foreign policy and, by extension, military issues. He doesn't trust his generals and has fired a lot of people that disagreed with his policies that were above the rank of Major. He is also partially responsible for the huge budget cuts and troop cutbacks that are effecting almost everyone in the military. In short, it is hard to like someone who is partially responsible for making your job much less secure. 

But, more then any factor, I am guessing that his failures in foreign policy are what is sinking them. When Obama entered the office, Iraq was on the verge of being won, Afghanistan was realatively quite, we had not gotten involved in Libya or Syria and it seemed that the world was finally starting to calm down a bit. Fast forward to today and Iraq and Afghanistan are all but lost, we are involved in Syria and failed miserably in Libya. And Russia and North Korea have been emboldened. Troops everywhere are asking themselves "was it worth it?" and they are starting to think that not it was not. This is a problem that is going to take a long time to fix...