As President Barack Obama prepares to decide whether to send additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan, the political climate appears increasingly challenging for him, leaving him in the awkward position of relying on the Republican Party, and not his own, for support. The political narrative of the Afghanistan war -- that this was the good war, in which America would hunt down the perpetrators of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks -- has faded, with popular support ebbing, American casualties rising and confidence in the Afghan government declining. A CBS News poll released on Tuesday reports that 41 percent of those polled wanted troop levels in Afghanistan decreased, compared with 33 percent in April. Fewer people -- 25 percent -- wanted troop levels increased, compared with 39 percent in April. And Obama's approval rating on Afghanistan has dropped eight points since April, to 48 percent. Congressional Democrats, particularly those on the left, report increasing disenchantment among constituents with the idea of a long and possibly escalating conflict in Afghanistan, especially as the U.S. strategy comes to resemble a long-term nation-building approach rather than a counterterrorism operation. The conservative columnist George Will wrote this week that the United States should substantially reduce its presence in Afghanistan. But national security hawks in the Republican Party -- not Obama's most natural support base -- still back the president on Afghanistan. At the moment, Obama appears to still have the support of Democratic congressional leaders. But it was the Republican National Committee, and not the Democrats, that was sounding more solidly behind the president on Afghanistan. After Will's column, the Republican National Committee quickly sent out an e-mail message and put out a statement, 'Stand Strong, Mr. President,' on its Web site to take issue with Will. 'We agree with President Obama that 'we have to win' in Afghanistan and make sure that our commanders on the ground have the troops and resources they need,' the RNC chairman, Michael Steele, said in the statement. He urged Obama to 'stand strong and speak out for why we are fighting there,' adding that Obama has said too little so far 'about why the voices of defeat are wrong.' Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., supports Obama's Afghanistan strategy. He said in an interview that he would support a push for more troops. He added: 'The president needs to be more aggressive about taking ownership of this strategy, and reinforcing to this country the consequences of Afghanistan being lost.' 