(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many people in the United States consider the term "war on terror" refers to an actual armed conflict, according to a poll by Harris Interactive. 49 per cent of respondents think the "war on terror" is indeed a war, while 40 per cent think it is not.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many people in the United States consider the term "war on terror" refers to an actual armed conflict, according to a poll by Harris Interactive. 49 per cent of respondents think the "war on terror" is indeed a war, while 40 per cent think it is not.
Afghanistan has been the main battleground in the war on terrorism. The conflict began in October 2001, after the Taliban regime refused to hand over Osama bin Laden, prime suspect in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Al-Qaeda operatives hijacked and crashed four airplanes on Sept. 11, 2001, killing nearly 3,000 people. 75 per cent of respondents believe al-Qaeda is the U.S.’s real enemy in the war on terror, followed by the Taliban, all Muslim terrorists, and the insurgents in Iraq.
In addition, 42 per cent of respondents believe the Iranian government is also an enemy in the war on terror, 38 per cent feel the same way about the North Korean government, and 29 per cent think the same of the Syrian government.
At least 609 soldiers—including 402 Americans—have died in the war on terrorism, either in support of the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom or as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
In April, former North Carolina senator John Edwards, who is seeking the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 2008, declared: "The war on terror is a slogan designed only for politics. It’s not a strategy to make America safe. It’s a bumper sticker."
On Jun. 21, Edwards praised former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who is seeking the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in 2008, saying, "While the Republican candidates continue their race to see who can be the bigger, badder George Bush, at least Mitt Romney has finally called for a ‘new course’ to fight terrorism. We need a smart national security strategy to shut down terrorists, not a cynical political strategy to shut down debate."
Polling Data
Do you think the "war on terror" really is a war?
|
Yes, it is a war |
49% |
|
No, it is not a war |
40% |
|
Not sure |
11% |
Who do you think are our real enemies in the war on terror?
(All answers)
|
Al-Qaeda |
75% |
|
The Taliban in Afghanistan |
63% |
|
All Muslim terrorists wherever they are |
60% |
|
The insurgents in Iraq |
51% |
|
The Iranian government |
42% |
|
The North Korean government |
38% |
|
The Syrian government |
29% |
|
None of these |
6% |
|
Not sure |
10% |
Source: Harris Interactive
Methodology: Online interviews with 2,372 American adults, conducted from Jun. 5 to Jun. 11, 2007. No margin of error was provided.
