War on Terror Update
Terrorists, Not U.S., Winning War on Terror
Thursday, October 30, 2014
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/war_on_terror_update

The number of voters who think the United States is winning the War on
Terror continues to fall to new lows, and more than ever they see a
terrorist attack as the biggest threat to the nation.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 25% of
Likely U.S. Voters think the United States and its allies are winning the
War on Terror, a new all-time low. In July, belief that the United States is
winning the War on Terror plummeted eight points to 27%, its lowest level in
over 10 years of regular tracking.

This figure hit a high of 62% in February 2009 just after President Obama’s
inauguration, then steadily deteriorated until the killing of Osama bin
Laden in May 2011 when it rebounded into the 50s. Thirty-six percent (36%)
think the terrorists are winning that war. A third (33%) say neither side
is winning.

Forty-nine percent (49%) of voters now consider terrorist attacks a bigger
threat to the United States than economic or military attacks. That’s up 10
points from July and the highest level of concern for terrorist attacks
since polling on the question first started in early 2013. Just 38% think
economic threats are a bigger threat to America, down 13 points from 51% in
January and the lowest yet. A year ago, 60% thought economic threats were
the biggest threat to the United States. Just three percent (3%) regard
military attacks from other nations as the bigger threat to this country.

Following two deadly incidents in Canada that appear terrorist related, U.S.
voters feel more strongly that radical Islamic terrorism is a threat to this
country but also acknowledge overwhelmingly that not all so-called “lone
wolf” attacks can be prevented.

Sixty-five percent (65%) believe there is a global conflict between the
Muslim world and Western civilization. Twenty percent (20%) disagree, but
15% are not sure.

Just 43% now think the United States is too involved in the Middle East,
tying the lowest finding since polling on the question began in January
2013. Twenty-five percent (25%) now say we are not involved enough in that
region, the highest to date and up 15 points from the low of 10% a year ago.
Twenty-nine percent (29%) think the U.S. level of involvement in the Middle
East is about right.

Still, just 16% think the United States should be the world’s policeman,
though that’s the highest number yet. Sixty-nine percent (69%) oppose
America in that role. This is the first time in five years that number has
dipped below 70%. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 28-29, 2014 by
Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points
with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys
is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC.

In April, 39% said the United States is safer than before the terrorist
attacks on September 11, 2001, but 41% disagreed. It was the highest level
of doubt in three years since just before the killing of bin Laden.

A sizable number of voters (44%) continues to believe the Central
Intelligence Agency tortured likely terrorists, but slightly more think the
information obtained that way helped in the War on Terror.

Voters over 40 are more confident in the United States’ role in the War on
Terror than younger voters are. However, older voters are also more likely
than younger ones to think the terrorists are winning, with a majority of
younger voters saying neither side is winning.

Just 10% of Republicans think the United States and its allies are winning
the War on Terror, compared to 40% of Democrats. Among voters not affiliated
with either major political party, 22% think the United States is winning,
35% think the terrorists are winning, and 36% think neither is winning.

Republicans are more likely than Democrats and unaffiliated voters to
consider a terrorist attack the biggest threat to the United States.
Democrats and unaffiliateds are slightly more divided between terrorist
attacks and economic threats.

Men are stronger supporters of the United States acting as the world’s
policeman than women are.

Voters who don’t think the United States is involved enough in the Middle
East are most likely to think there’s a global conflict between the Muslim
world and Western civilization, but majorities across the board tend to
agree.

Most voters think the U.S. military is stretched too thin, but think it’s
likely the United States will be forced to send combat troops back into Iraq
to fight the radical Islamic group ISIS.

Currently, 42% believe ISIS is winning the war in Iraq. Just 15% think the
United States is winning.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) now consider ISIS a bigger threat to U.S. national
security than illegal immigration, and 42% think fighting ISIS is the best
use of the U.S. military.