[Peace-discuss] new poll- war boosts terrorism

[Ricky Baldwin]

[Of course, we already knew this, and so did the CIA,
but a few letters to the editor on the subject would
seem to be in order.  -RB]

Poll: More Say War Boosts Terror Risk 
Tue Sep 9, 9:35 AM ET 
 

By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer 

WASHINGTON - More people now think the war in Iraq has
increased the risk of terrorism in the United States
than think it has reduced that risk, a major shift on
this issue since mid-April, says a new poll released
almost two years after the Sept. 11 attacks.  

   
In April, almost six in 10 thought the war in Iraq had
reduced the risk of terrorism in this country, twice
the number who thought it made the risk higher. But in
the ABC News poll taken Sept. 4-7, about half, 48
percent said the war increased the risk, while 40
percent said it reduced the risk. 


Overall, the public's perception of the Bush
administration's handling of terrorism is still
positive, though it has slipped in the last year. 


Just over half, 55 percent, in the poll said the Bush
administration is doing a good job dealing with the
war on terrorism, while 44 percent said it has not
done such a good job. That's down from 73 percent who
said a year ago that the Bush administration had done
a good job. 


President Bush personally scores higher on that
measure, with two-thirds saying they approve of the
way he has handled the campaign against terror, down
from 79 percent in April but still very strong. The
president's overall job approval in this poll was 56
percent, about where it's been since midsummer. 


The number who say the war was worth fighting has
slipped to just over half, 54 percent, down from 70
percent in late April. And people were about evenly
split on his handling of the situation in Iraq, down
from 56 percent approval in August. 


Fears of another terror attack remain high two years
after the terror strike, according to several polls
taken two years after the attacks. 


Almost three-fourths said they think another terrorist
attack in this country is likely within the next 12
months, according to a CNN-Time poll also taken in
early September. More than half in that poll said
their lives have changed since the Sept. 11 attacks
and has not yet returned to normal. 


The ABC poll of 1,004 adults and the CNN-Time poll of
1,003 adults have a margin of error of plus or minus 3
percentage points. 

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