(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Some adults in the United States believe their armed forces should enter Pakistan under specific circumstances, according to a poll by Opinion Research Corporation released by CNN. 42 per cent of respondents think the U.S. should take military action in Pakistan if there is a chance to capture or kill high-ranking members of al-Qaeda, even without the consent of Pakistan's government.

Conversely, 52 per cent of respondents disagree with the plan.

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 645 soldiers—including 420 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).

After the 9/11 attacks, Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf became an ally of the U.S. in the war on terrorism. U.S. authorities and intelligence analysts believe the Afghan-Pakistani border, where there is little state authority, remains a safe haven for terrorists to train and regroup.

On Aug. 9, U.S. president George W. Bush urged Musharraf to offer "full cooperation in sharing intelligence," take "swift action if there's actionable intelligence on high-value targets," and hold "a free and fair election" in order to improve his country's cooperation with the war on terrorism.

On Aug. 12, Musharraf met with Afghan president Hamid Karzai in Kabul and urged for a tougher stand against radicalism, saying, "Along with Afghanistan, Pakistan has also witnessed the rise of militancy and violence attacking our society. We cannot remain mired in the past."

Polling Data

Do you think the U.S. should or should not take military action in Pakistan if there is a chance to capture or kill high-ranking members of the terrorist group known as al-Qaeda, if the government of Pakistan does not give the U.S. permission to do so?

Archive Search

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