(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - More people in the United States now think that their country and its allies are winning the war on terror, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 54 per cent of respondents agree with this view, up 15 points in a year.

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.

At least 943 soldiers—including 579 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).

On Sept. 4, American troops crossed the border into Pakistan from Afghanistan in an unusual raid against alleged Taliban terrorist camps. Pakistan’s legislature and government condemned the attack. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino responded to questions about the incident, saying, "We have not commented, and I won’t today. (...) What I will reiterate is that we’ve been working closely with the new civilian government of Pakistan, which is feeling its way and trying to establish itself."

Polling Data

Who is winning the war on terror?

Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 American adults, conducted on Aug. 25, 2008. Margin of error is 4 per cent.

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