A majority of Americans reject the idea that the White House should engage more troops in a seemingly endless war in Afghanistan, new poll says.

Results of a CNN-commissioned poll were revealed Wednesday morning just hours before a meeting between US President Barack Obama, his national security team and top military brass, in which they are going to decide a military buildup in the war-torn country.

According to the poll, 56 percent of those questioned were against sending more US soldiers to Afghanistan, while 42 percent backed a larger troop buildup in the landlocked Asian nation, said AFP.

Forty-nine percent of respondents say the president is taking too long to decide whether to boost US troop levels in Afghanistan, whereas 50 percent do not.

"There is a gender gap on this question, with most men saying Obama is taking too long and most women willing to give him more time," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland noted.

"That's due in part to the partisan differences between men and women, but gender differences on the use of military force, and maybe even differences in how the genders make important decisions, can also be contributing to the split."

General Stanley McChrystal, the commander of US-led forces in Afghanistan, has reportedly requested for 40,000 additional troops to counter growing violence there.

He has warned that without a troops surge, the US mission in Afghanistan is doomed to failure.

A similar poll conducted last month showed 59 percent of people are against a troop increase.

RB/MMN