Poll: Many Americans Feel Less Safe

Five Years After 9/11, Many Feel Terror Threat Has Grown

(CBS)  Do Americans feel safer now than before 9/11? For many, the answer is no, according to a CBS News/New York Times poll.

Fifty-four percent of Americans say they generally feel safe, but 46 percent say they feel somewhat uneasy or in danger.

Compared with five years ago, 39 percent of Americans say they feel less safe now, compared with only 14 percent who say they feel safer. Forty-six percent say they feel the same.

More also say the threat of terrorism has grown since 9/11 than said so a year ago. Forty-one percent say the threat has increased since the attacks, an 11 percent jump from last year. Just 14 percent say the threat has decreased, while 43 percent say the threat has not changed.

How safe do you feel compared to five years ago?

More Safe
14%
Less Safe
39%
Same
46%

Also, by a four-to-one margin (48 percent to 12 percent), Americans think the war in Iraq has made the threat of terrorism against the United States worse rather than better.

Five years after 9/11, most Americans say life has returned to the way it was before the attacks, at least in part. However, some behavior has changed: One in four Americans say they are less likely to fly now, and one in five are less likely to attend large events with thousands of people.

Has life in America returned to what it was before the 9/11 attacks?

Mostly Returned
28%
Somewhat Returned
48%
Has Not Returned
23%

Nearly one in four people say they still feel nervous and edgy. Women are more likely than men to say their behavior has been affected.

Both the war in Iraq and the war in Afghanistan are viewed as having created breeding grounds for terrorists. Fifty-four percent say the wars have created more terrorists, while just 15 percent say they've eliminated terrorists.

There's also increased pessimism about the overall war on terrorism, with 21 percent — the highest number ever — saying the terrorists are winning. Thirty-six percent say the United States is winning and 38 percent say neither side is winning.

Fewer than half of Americans are confident the United States will capture Osama bin Laden, the man believed responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

Still, a majority of Americans, 55 percent, say they approve of how President Bush is handling the war on terror — his highest rating in more than a year, but a sharp decrease from December 2001, when 90 percent approved.

About half of those polled say Bush administration policies have made America safer, but one in four say they've made the United States less safe. A similar number say they've had no effect.

One explanation for that skepticism may be that nearly half of Americans don’t think terrorism is a problem a president can do much about.

Americans are split on how prepared the United States is to deal with another terrorist attack: 49 percent think the country is prepared, 43 percent think it is not. Americans are especially worried about a potential biological or chemical attack — 73 percent say the United States is not prepared for that.

The number of Americans who say another attack on the United States is likely has dropped to 59 percent, down from a high of 78 percent in the weeks after 9/11. People in the Northeast, where the attacks on the World Trade Center occurred, are the most concerned that their area will be targeted, while those in the Midwest are the least concerned.

Nearly six in 10 say the government has not done all it could to make the country safe from future attacks.

For detailed information on how CBS News conducts public opinion surveys, click here.

The poll was conducted among a nationwide random sample of 1206 adults, interviewed by telephone August 17-21, 2006. The error due to sampling could be plus or minus three percentage points for results based on the complete sample.

[newsjeff-2009]

I have read that after 5 years America feels less safe. If that is the case, I have to agree with democrats that we need a new approach. I do not always agree with democrats or their leaders, but after 5 years American voters and the 9/11 victims and families deserve justice and the benefit of feeling safe. I agree with airport and border patrol security and enforcing illegal immigration laws, but Bin Laden and his followers deserve to be brough to justice. I feel that the media has confused voters to much on what the "war on terrorism actually is,or should be". I feel that if we are going to spend money to fight terrorism it should be to fight Bin Laden or his followers or associates. I would feel safer myself if "domestic crime"in America would be a more priority item to the GOP. Rising crime rates,murder rates,illegal drug use,illegal drug dealing,child abuse,senior abuse,DUI,crimes are serious matters to children,senior citizens,school children,caring moms and dad,grandparents,retired veterans,etc. People that have to live in these neighborhoods I am sure would agee with me, even if rich,monied political leaders of this country only visit the "rich part of town."

[gammagreen1]

I agree with trcoffman! I would like to add that in the environment that the news media maintains blasting us with "THEIR" agenda, it is hard for the world to believe that anyone in America gets along with another. ALL we HEAR is bickering, nitpicking and tearing down of America. The news media is so interested in "besting" the other news groups each group goes for more graphic, more "experts" and more "the sky is falling" garbage that many Americans no longer trust or LISTEN to what is said. We go for basics, wreck on X highway, rain tomorrow, etc. This crazy frenzy over what and who did this,that,etc. I think will go beyond politics and the next president will receive just as much if not more tearing apart on any and every decision he/she makes. I would also like to add that I think the news programs should put a disclaimer as to the make up of their organization...Democrat or Republican to see how THEIR political views slant their reporting and reporting of the news programs!!!!! Wouldn't THAT be interesting!

[kwlambi]

One more comment, if we ever return to the way it was before 9/11, it will happen again. So no one has bombed Pearl Harbor again...but yet they did. It took a long time to do it, but we felt the same., Shame on us.....

[kwlambi]

I really do not yet understand what a poll is supposed to do. Is announcing results of a poll on national tv suppose to mean anything? I still have no clue as to why CBS has done this , this week. On one hand you have KC coming in and doin a nice job talkin to W, ( Mr President....) (thats American) the next night you blow it all out to Pluto, to understand. Maybe CBS needs new software to talk within the politics of the newsroom. Quite the joke so far this week. Does it really matter to anyone about "how safe we feel?" Again at least Im glad all the experts across the bureaucratic world are on the same computer system. If you would have said is this going to make you feel safer, I guess the answer would have been above 90%. What do you take us for?

[ccmm002]

You know, in a way polls like this are good for conservatives. They point the picture of the true democratic movement. Which is, let's trash our competition. They are more concerned in making republicans look bad than they are in actually helping this country. what's even more amazing is, Democrats don't understand this. It really makes me laugh.
It's also sad. I'm a republican, but it would be nice to have an alternative to vote for. I really wish that democrats would go back to the JFK days.

[pigsear1]

I watched CBS news last night for the first time in a long time. Katie was all FLUFF and no STUFF. Why all the cheap polls, how about some real news? Hope your ratings don't fall in the dumpster to fast. Let me know when Bob's coming back. seeya

[krausst2]

This a great, real life example for the book "How to Lie with Statistics." Based on the slant of the story's headline, fast fact, and introduction, this looks very biased. After you read further and see the rest of the figures and information in the article, you can easily see how the numbers were being manipulated to lead readers to a false conclusion if they were not paying attention or not reading the entire story. Why not portray a more accurate picture throughout the story, from headline to end?

[ccmm002]

All these comments should also make you wonder about all the other polls you see to. Look at this 90% of all you people diaagree with this poll, so why would the group here be so different than the majority of the people polled? The answer is, it wouldn't be different. Polls are the easiest way to further an agenda. And the most untrustworthy way of getting your news. Expecially when it comes from CBS or the NYT.

[rlfulton]

c o u r a g e

[jbmarsillo]

Don't Kill The Messenger

60% reponded they feel the "same" or "more safe. Good numbers considering that prior to 911, "5 years ago" most Americans had not yet identified terrorism as a major threat to the U.S. mainlaind.

76% percent responded that America had "somewhat returned" or "mostly returned", again these are not bad results considering the events of 9/11.

Do we really want America to return to it's
pre 9/11 state, "fat, dumb and happy"? It's time for the American people to face reality.

[moleshire]

where are the comments?

[trcoffman]

I just can't believe that CBS has any credibility after what Dan Rather did,trying to use falsified information against a sitting President. Any polls done by CBS would be just as false as what Rather tried to accomplish....LIE about what was at question. Have there been any attacks inside the U.S.? Saddahm did use and had WMD,as reported October 1,2001 in Ruters and Worldnet Daily,,, "IRAQ was caught by Kuwait trying to ship WMD out of Iraq to a European country"...... The democrats are so anti-Bush, that they hope for the worst to happen, to embarrass the republicans and President Bush. Iraq refused to let the Irians fly over Iraq to deliver the rockets to the Hessbolla in Lebanon,,, The Turkish government told Iran that Iran had to fly and land in Turkey so as to inspect the cargo in the planes headed for Lebanon, the Iranians were not permitted to go thru Turkey... The democratic government in Iraq and the Turks refused to help the Iraninas, that speaks loudly about what has been accomplished by helping get Iraq to where they are today. If the Hollywood actors of today had the spirit of the greatest generation actors of the 40's and were fighting along side the soldiers and sailors and avaitors today, we would not be faced with as much negative anti-Bush, politians who for the sake of getting back into the majority they lost in 1994, have politicised the fighting the War on Terror. Sincerely T.R.Coffman

[mrcharlesto1]

This poll did not ask why most people feel less safe.

I feel less safe because I am shocked at how many muslim immigrants we have allowed into this country, and how antisemitic and antiAmerican they are.


We have imported a 5th coumn with an islamic world view and agenda. And this wordl view and agenda is seen in the 56 countries that make up the Orginization of Islamic conference..

You like the islamic majority countries? well thats what muslims in United States want to create...they have not come here to integrate.they are here to dominate

[moleshire]

The evidence is clear in this flawed poll. Only judging by the comments here, it is rather obvious the comments and their numbers do not support the polling data. As for Katie, If she does not offer something different from her competitors she and CBS will find themselves back to 3rd in the ratings, when the honeymoon is over. She sure is cute though. Like a little sock puppet.

[stillhere1]

Katie did a great job, The president not so good. Avoided questions. She asked why Iraq, Why not saudi arabia--that is who atacked us----He went around the question and back to Iraq. Might as well should have said lets bomb anyone we feel like. Katie lies also, she said she spoke to soldiers and they want to come home, and he said she was lying---Ummmm the soldiers he meets are hand picked...Hello!!!! BUSH THE WORST PRESIDENT EVER. Wake up people!!!!!!!

[kwlambi]

Well I feel safer because of your report earlier this week about the agencies now on one computer system . The reason we were attacked so successfully before was because of the failures of the computers and the ideology of the central govt. As we were concerned with y2k years ago, bin Laden did his thing. a peasant in afganisistan. jebus. well at least W wont let that happen again. so if anyone feels less safer they are idiots. If the war zone has expanded because of w so what, better to know now than later, lol. actually, i do not understand CBS people comin out with this poll *** this week. if I was Katie I would be mad about this. Actually she looked shattered tonight.

[janet804]

There are a lot of people who hate us and want to kill us, we need to wake up and start backing our President and the military.
We need to deal with illegals and send most back home. Arizona's schools are filled with illegals, most are Mexican but there are a number of Arabs too. They learn English and our ways and then they are gone, to where?
If you feel safer now then 9/11 you are not listening. History repeats itself and the terrorists are telling us what they want to do, pay attention or our children will pay dearly for our mistakes.

[mnvrchvy]

"The Bush apologists are concerned with one thing - defending their personality cult leader from critical examination.
The rest of us are concerned the state of our nation and our world."

Funny, then why haven't the Democrats come out with any plans to HELP our nation and our world. They are banking solely on the unpopularity of Bush which means they HAVE to keep up the Constant Criticism Machine. (i.e. When we kill Zarqawi, they panic and have to have a meeting to discuss "how we are going to deal with this") As long as they can convince people that things are bad enough, they will get elected by default. Why don't you look at polls discussing whether you'd vote FOR democrats or just AGAINST republicans.

[crdrd]

What a stupid poll. Who cares how safe we "feel". The people lost in the twin towers felt safe on 9/10. Thye were wrong. The correct question is "Are we safer now than we were on 9/11?" and the answer has to be "Yes".

[mnvrchvy]

I agree with ccmm002. This question is silly. People SHOULD feel less safe now no matter how good our security is. Now we know what these crazies are determined to do and the sacrifices they will make to do it. I'm all for civil rights but this nation is so anal about not accepting the slightest inconvenience that we are leaving ourselves wide open. There is no way to completely assure no terrorism in the United States simply because of our good nature, and this is all that this poll reflects. I would be very concerned if a vast majority of Americans said they felt completely safe because that is the infamous "pre-911 mentality" that we hear so much about. I don't get why CBS frames this poll in the negative. Well... nevermind...