Another poll confirms that Obama’s overall approval ratings are slipping and that voters are increasingly disturbed by his handling of the Afghanistan war:

President Barack Obama’s job approval rating is 48 – 42 percent, the first time he has slipped below the 50 percent threshold nationally, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Support for the war in Afghanistan and approval of President Obama’s handling of the war also is down in the last month, and Republican support for the war is more than twice as strong as Democratic support. American voters say 48 – 41 percent that fighting the war in Afghanistan is the right thing to do, down from 52 – 37 percent in an October 7 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University. Voters disapprove 49 – 38 percent of the President’s handling of the war there, down from 42 – 40 percent approval in October.

An overwhelming majority says eliminating terrorists in Afghanistan is a worthwhile goal, while a plurality backs McChrystal’s recommendation. The pollster dryly observes, “One reason the President’s approval for his handling of the Afghanistan situation may be falling is the criticism he is not deciding on troop levels quickly enough.”

The dithering has arguably done two things. First, it has allowed Americans’ natural and understandable aversion to long-term military commitments to build (“55 percent say the U.S. should keep troops in Afghanistan for two years or less, up from 49 percent last month. Only 27 percent of voters say keep troops there as long as it takes, down from 30 percent. And 35 percent say the U.S. is getting into a situation like Vietnam, up from 32 percent last month”). In the absence of a robust case for the war, Americans begin to lose patience. Second, the dithering itself has likely eroded confidence in the president, whether they favor the McChrystal plan or not. Decide, already.

Whoever convinced the president that this process was going to increase confidence, not only in the end result but also in him, was wrong. Now the question is, once he makes a decision, can the president convince Americans and our enemies that he is serious about carrying it out?