While 65 percent of Americans are optimistic about Iraq's prospects - 19 points higher than a year ago, 70 percent say Barack Obama should withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq in the next 16 months, according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted Dedc. 11-14. Nearly-two thirds believe he will be able to do it.

The public is less sanguine about the outlook in Afghanistan with 49 percent being optimistic and 47 percent pessimistic.

By 64 percent to 34 percent, Americans say the was in Iraq was not worth fighting and 50 percent of those fall in the category of believing it strongly and not "somewhat." However, by 55 percent to 39 percent, they believe the war in Afghanistan was worth fighting. Over 70 percent of Republicans believe that both were worth fighting.