(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in the United States believe there is no clear leader in the current war on terrorism, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 36 per cent of respondents say the U.S. is winning the battle, while 36 per cent think the terrorists are ahead. For 21 per cent of respondents, neither is actually winning.

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 634 soldiers—including 414 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 mid-July, British prime minister Gordon Brown, instructed his government to drop the term "war on terror" and to refrain from using "Muslim" in connection to terrorist crises. Brown said he wants to call all criminal actions as such, and not differentiate them as part of a particular war. British home secretary Jacqui Smith articulated the message, saying, "Let us be clear. Terrorists are criminals, whose victims come from all walks of life, communities and religions."

Polling Data

Who is winning the war on terror?

Archive Search

Over 19,600 Polls
Search the Angus Reid Global Monitor Polls & Research archive.