Poll: A Split On Confronting Terrorism
Country Divided On Whether To Go After Terrorists In The Mideast
-
Play CBS Video
Video
Bush Meets With Abbas
CBS News RAW: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited with President Bush at the White House. The two leaders discussed their visions for Palestine and the Middle East.
-
Video
Bush: 'Stand Up For Peace'
President Bush urged world leaders to "stand up for peace" and pushed for support for efforts to expand democracy in the Mideast during his address to the U.N. Alison Harmelin reports.
-
Photo
(CBS/AP)
-
Interactive
Bush Presidency
The president's agenda, plus facts, figures, major events and key personalities.
-
Special Report
War On Terror
Complete coverage of the military's battle against terrorism.
-
Interactive
Gitmo Tribunals
Detainees on trial, photos and a history of the naval base.
Seventy-six percent of respondents say Islamic fundamentalism is a real and growing threat to the United States. Forty-seven percent think the U.S. will be safer if it confronts terrorist organizations and states in the Middle East, as President Bush advocates, while 45 percent say the country will be safer if it stays out of other nations' affairs in the region.
THE U.S. WILL BE SAFER FROM TERRORISM IF IT…
Confronts terror groups and states in the Mideast
Stays out of other countries' affairs in Mideast
While Mr. Bush and the Senate seek a compromise on new rules governing the treatment of terror suspects, most Americans, 63 percent, think the United States should generally follow international agreements on handling prisoners of war.
Most Americans, 56 percent, say torture is never justified, while 35 percent say sometimes it is.
IN TREATMENT OF POWs, THE U.S. SHOULD…
Follow international agreements
Do what it thinks right, regardless of what other nations think
Mr. Bush has had some success in convincing the public that the Iraq war is part of the broader war on terror. Forty-nine percent of Americans now feel the two conflicts are connected, up five points from a month ago.
But the president has failed to convince the nation on other matters. Fewer than half those polled think withdrawing from Iraq would increase the terror threat to the United States, as Mr. Bush and members of his administration have asserted, or that withdrawing now would mean admitting defeat.
The president has gained some ground on his handling of the war, with 36 now giving him a positive rating, up six points from last month and the highest rating he has received since January.
But overall assessments of the Iraq war are largely unchanged from last month, with six in 10 respondents continuing to say the war is going badly.
The president's overall approval rating remains steady at 37 percent, about where it's been all year.
BUSH'S JOB APPROVAL
Approve
Disapprove
Mr. Bush's numbers for his handling of the campaign against terrorism is unchanged — even in the wake of the five-year anniversary commemorations of the Sept. 11 attacks — though the issue remains his strongest, with 54 percent approval.
A separate CBS News/New York Times poll finds Congress gets even lower ratings than the president. Just 25 percent approve of the job Congress is doing, while 61 percent disapprove.
CONGRESS JOB APPROVAL
Approve
Disapprove
Americans even give their own representatives, who usually get positive ratings, the thumbs down. Just 42 percent of voters feel their own representative deserves re-election, while 47 percent say it's time for a change.
This disenchantment with Congress could bode well for the Democrats in their bid to regain control of the House.
Asked who they would support in the upcoming midterm elections, 50 percent of registered voters said they would support the Democratic candidate, while 35 percent would support the Republican.
This poll was conducted among a nationwide random sample of 1131 adults, interviewed by telephone September 15-19, 2006. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. Error for subgroups may be higher.
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
- Latest in Opinion: CBS News Polls
- Poll: Most Back Public Health Care Option
- Poll: Sotomayor Still An Unknown
- Poll: No Dent In Obama's Popularity



- 1
- 2
- next
See all 73 Commentsall of the latinos i talk to are for securing our borders and sending folks back if here illegal
i am never ask on any poll never in my life have i been asked ,
where do they asked these questions ? at the democratic party headquarters
But Latinos are only a subset of the overall sample, so you probably should do your own comparative check sample with a much broader segment (not merely more of your own family, friends and acquaintances), and THEN make up your mind about poll accuracy.
Actual poll numbers are not usually the issue, anyway, but how they are interpreted. This is why pollsters insist you stay with the question set as a group or cluster for your interpretation. Context is everything, just as it is when a friend tells you, "Kill the light, wouldja?!"
Maybe rcdfarias has something there.
That to me is good news!
Republicans have lost their way. Look at our countries history. The GOP of today looks and acts almost nothing like the GOP of the past. Republican/GOP/Conservative whatever, they don't have any independence at all! They just keep on repeating the same old *** that Karl Rove feeds them in talking point memos.
Fighting terrorism is a huge issue, and it requires an incredible criminal investigating power. Incredible smarts too, which the majority of our leaders LACK. Politics weakens the usefulness of intelligence and the GOP is the most political organization of all. We need to vote these fools out so the USA can look to the future and see hope and justice for all people. I think most people can listen and understand the sides of the argument about what to do about terrorism, but our problem is that the people in power who make the decisions do not listen to the debate. They are so self-righteous they don't even want dissenting opinion to have an audience. Shame on the GOP for their lack of imagination, their cursory performance as leaders and their willful ignorance when adapting policies that effect the lives of every American.
THIS IS NOT WHAT AMERICA IS ABOUT!
Get Centered and Vote, vote, vote!
The oil majors have insisted for years that crude and consumer prices will continue to rise, with probable spikes due to market volatility. However, there really is a little group of CEOs behind the curtain. Translated, their Greenspanesque prediction is simplicity, itself-- anytime speculative pressure hits market supply, all the brokers scream with commoditized delight, consumers groan and the oil companies cry in deep sympathy all the way to the bank.
The GOP fought to block efforts at a windfall profits tax on the oil majors-- this, despite their feeding frenzy on consumers-- because Bush is BigOil's poster boy and long-time patron. Don't expect the public to see consumer price drops at the pump as more than another proof monopoly is never having to say you are sorry.
American public are well aware at how the Clinton administration did nothing while Bin Laden was roaming around freely plotting his activities, the cuts to the intelligence budgets under the Democrat clinton administration and lack of effective response to Bin ladens attacks on the US embassy,Cole and khobar bombings. This is why Republicans are back , rising in the polls, national security and fighting terrorism are weakpoints for Democrats and Republicans consistently outpoll them on this issue.
We can not walk around on eggshells because of muslim sentiment. Anyone who has any sense knows that the real facts about these WMD never hit the front pages.
The probability that Saddams WMD, which is still unaccounted for, is buried in bunkers under tons of sand is pretty good. There is a lot more evidence lending creadence to that fact then there is to the supposition that Saddam actually destroyed them....and this is a fact.
The same backers who put Clinton into power want to take control again. At this stage of the game, America can not again afford to rest on its laurels, we must remain pro-active against these Radical/Orthodox Islamists if we want to keep them out of our homes.
PERMITTED THE WMD IN THE NAME OF TERROR ALL THE TIME THE BLINDERS HAVE BEEN PUT ON AMERICAN CITIZENS. THE LIST IS TOO LONG IT COULD GO ON AT PRESENT FOR 5 YEARS AND IN 2008 PROBABLY 8 YEARS. THE RNC HAS HAS OUR NATION IN THE GRIPE OF THE ULTRA RICH AND THE IDIOTS. MAYBE SOMEDAY PRIOR TO MY DEATH SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN THAT WILL WAKE US UP. AS THE PRESIDENT CHEVEZ SAID HE CAN STILL SMELL THE SULPHUR. I KNOW THE rnc AND THE idiots WHO PRAISE him WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THAT REMARK. rice SAID SHE WOULD NOT DIGNIFY THE REMARK WELL THE REASON IS IS SHE KNOWS IT TO BE THE TRUTH. FRANK IN AUSTIN, TX
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-09-18-bush-poll_x.htm
http://www.galluppoll.com/content/?ci=24601
Who cares? Used to be 99.9999% had the opinion the earth was flat. The only polls that matter are elections, and the Democrats haven't won one of those in a while. Give 'em their little CBS polls. They're needy. After 2004, you'd think they'd have an overhaul of their campaign strategy, but apparently they're staying the course -- hate, hate, hate. One day they'll realize that the welfare recipients they care about don't vote (It's too much like work), but for now, let them pretend their polls of registered voters mean anything.
AFGHANISTAN, ALGERIA, EYGPT, INDONESIA, INDIA/PAKISTAN, IRAQ, ISRAEL, IRAN, KOSOVO, NIGERIA, SUDAN (DARFUR), UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Terrorism), PHILIPPINES
http://www.warriorsfortruth.com/muslim-world-conflicts.html
Where there's a problem ... there's a muslim.
It is that kind of thinking that got us the Patriot Act, Domestic Spying on Americans, Abu Ghraib, illegal detentions and torture. It's gotten over 2500 of our sons and daughters killed in an unnecessary war that had NOTHING to do with Al Qaida, Bin Laden, or terrorism.
How many more of your rights and freedoms must you lose before you realize that your support for Bush is gradually destroying this nation you claim to love so much?
The terrorists are winning - because of Bush, and because we are, out of fear, letting him destroy the very things that made America a great nation. Bush cares nothing for his oath to protect and defend our Constitution (which he would like to change in several areas), or the American people. We are so far "beneath" him economically that he views us as little more than worker ants whose only purpose is to feed the corporate machine.
It is more than time for a change. We need a REAL leader, with the courage to stand up to injustice, and the integrity to be honest with America and the world, and do what is right regardless of their party affliation or the interests of their big campaign contributors.
Do you really think these people actually believe they are doing their god's work? Don't be fools. They are militant sadists who enjoy inflicting terror and brutality on people. There is nothing remotely religious about their behavior or their goals. Religion for them is nothing but an EXCUSE they use to "justify" their actions, and get the ignorant to follow them. Which, by the way, is no different than what the Christian leaders did during the Crusades.
I have yet to see one person on here make an intelligent comment based on facts and evidence rather than rhetoric, propaganda, and ignorant bigotry.
002:178-179: [2.178] %u2026retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the slain%u2026 [2.179] %u2026there is life for you in (the law of) retaliation, O men of understanding, that you may guard yourselves.
002:190-191: [2.190] %u2026fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you%u2026[2.191] And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers.
002:193: %u2026fight with them%u2026
002:216-218: [2.216] Fighting is enjoined on you%u2026[2.217]%u2026fighting in it. Say: Fighting in it is a grave matter%u2026persecution is graver than slaughter%u2026 [2.218]%u2026strove hard in the way of Allah
002:244: %u2026fight in the way of Allah
003:121-125: [3.121]%u2026to lodge the believers in encampments for war%u2026[3.123]%u2026Allah did certainly assist you at [the Battle of] Badr%u2026[3.124]%u2026[3.125] Yea! if you remain patient and are on your guard, and they come upon you in a headlong manner, your Lord will assist you with five thousand of the havoc-making angels.
003:165-167: [3.165]%u2026you had certainly afflicted (the unbelievers) with twice as much [with Jihad]%u2026[3.166]%u2026when the two armies met ([the Battle of] Uhud)%u2026[3.167]%u2026Come, fight in Allah's way, or defend yourselves%u2026If we knew fighting, we would certainly have followed you%u2026
003:169: %u2026reckon not those who are killed in Allah's way as dead; nay, they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord [meaning they are enjoying their 72 virgins in heaven];
Dont be an ignoramus, You meant to say that you have not heard any comments you agree with because Hugo chavez and Michael Moore are not talking on this site.
003:173: %u2026Surely men have gathered against you [in battle]%u2026
003:195: %u2026who fought and were slain%u2026I will most certainly make them enter gardens beneath which rivers flow; a reward from Allah, and with Allah is yet better reward.
004:071-072: [4.71] %u2026go forth in detachments or go forth in a body [to war]. [4.72] %u2026hang back [from Jihad] %u2026not present with them [in Jihad].
004:084: Fight then in Allah's way%u2026rouse the believers to ardor maybe Allah will restrain the fighting of those who disbelieve%u2026
004:089:%u2026if they turn back [to their homes], then seize them and kill them wherever you find them%u2026
004:091%u2026seize them and kill them wherever you find them%u2026
004:094-095: [4.94]%u2026when you go to war in Allah's way%u2026 [4.95] %u2026those who strive hard [Jihad] in Allah's way with their property and their persons are not equal%u2026Allah shall grant to the strivers [i.e., Jihadist] above the holders back a mighty reward:
004:100: %u2026whoever flies in Allah's way [forsakes his home to fight in Jihad], he will find in the earth many a place of refuge and abundant resources, and whoever goes forth from his house flying to Allah and His Apostle, and then death overtakes him [in Jihad], his reward is indeed with Allah%u2026
004:102: %u2026let them take their arms%u2026let them take their precautions and their arms%u2026there is no blame on you, if you are annoyed with rain or if you are sick, that you lay down your arms%u2026
004:104: %u2026be not weak hearted in pursuit of the enemy%u2026
005:033: The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His apostle and strive to make mischief in the land%u2026
005:035: %u2026strive hard [at Jihad] in His way that you may be successful.
005:082: %u2026you will find the most violent of people in enmity for those who believe (to be) the Jews [compare %u201C with %u201Cwhenever Jews kindle fire for war, Allah [Muslims] puts it out%u201D (K 005:064)] and those who are polytheists [while they are converted to Islam on pain of death]%u2026
008:005: %u2026though a party of the believers were surely averse;
008:007: %u2026Allah promised you one of the two (enemy) parties, that it should be yours: Ye wished that the one unarmed should be yours, but Allah willed to justify the Truth according to His words and to cut off the roots of the Unbelievers;-
008:009: %u2026I will assist you [in Jihad] with a thousand of the angels following one another [see 008:012].
008:012: %u2026make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them.
008:015-017: [8.15] %u2026when you meet those who disbelieve marching for war, then turn not your backs to them. [8.16] %u2026for the sake of fighting%u2026 [8.17] So you did not slay them, but it was Allah Who slew them, and you did not smite when you smote (the enemy), but it was Allah Who smote [Allah gets the credit for Jihad] %u2026
http://www.jihadwatch.org/
I am a conservative who makes logical arguments that liberals donnot agree with therefore I am a BIGOT. How dare I say the religion of Islam is not peaceful, Please dont declare a Jihad on me now. Im sorry i need more muslim sensitivity training, perhaps i shouldnt base my opinion on muslims BY WHAT THERE SCRIPTURES SAY AND THE ACTION OF THEIR FOLLOWERS THROUGHOUT HISTORY Rev-Maureen, G-WIZ I AM DUMB TO MAKE AN OPINION ON THAT. WHAT IS STUPID IS DO DENY IT WHEN ALL THE EVIDENCE SAYS OTHERWISE.
Murtha - if you would "gladly give up" your rights, then you are no longer protecting the "safety and furtherance" of this nation. Because what made America great was the very freedoms and rights you're so willing to sacrifice.
It's quite evident from this kind of thinking that those who already DID give their lives to establish a country where everyone had the right to free speech, freedom of association, freedom of religion, and a government that was in service to the people (rather than itself), are rolling in their graves right now to see so many of today's American's willingly sacrificing what they gave their lives to protect.
Like I said - WAKE UP AMERICA.
PS - I don't "hate" Bush. I don't hate anyone. However, I do call a spade a spade, and Bush is the worst US President we have had in my lifetime. He has violated his oath and the laws of our land many times over. He has destroyed America's credibility with other nations, lied to both his own people and the world at large, thrown us into unmanageable debt, and violated the Geneva Conventions.
He should be impeached, and most of his cabinet with him.
I am a conservative who makes logical arguments that liberals do not agree with therefore I am a BIGOT. How dare I say the religion of Islam is not peaceful, Please dont declare a Jihad on me now. I%u2019m sorry I need more Muslim sensitivity training, perhaps I shouldn%u2019t base my opinion of Muslims BY WHAT THERE SCRIPTURES SAY AND THE ACTION OF THEIR FOLLOWERS THROUGHOUT HISTORY Rev-Maureen, G-WIZ I AM DUMB TO MAKE AN OPINION ON THAT. WHAT IS STUPID IS TO DENY IT WHEN ALL THE EVIDENCE SAYS OTHERWISE.
I've lost my right to call my al qaeda friends and I have to put my toothpaste in my checked luggage.
Rev, I want to know why muslims around the world have yet to protest the attacks of 9/11, but they come out in force over a cartoon. I want to know why muslims aren't outraged by people who firebomb churches over words, but they show up in droves when we damage a mosque because people are firing missiles from it. I want to know why not one muslim has held up a sign protesting a beheading, but they're offended that one of their own had to strip naked and walk like a dog. I want to know why I ever bothered to defend these people against hate speech, and there's not one bit of evidence they give a sh*t whether I live or die. I really really want to know. If MOST muslims hate what's happening in the world, then MOST muslim need to get off their rugs and do something about it. Either they save their "religion" or the rest of the world is going to destroy it. Europe won't appease them forever; a few more train attacks and a bombed embassy or two will change that. Before you blame Bush for infecting my mind, let me make it clear. Muslims made me feel this way, not Bush. They can keep their religion of peace. I've had enough.
You seem to have overlooked the fact that that "Rev" in my name means that I am a minister. I have all the references, although it would take many more posts than I have time for to put them all here. But please, go read your Bible for yourself, and see how many times Jews and Christians have been exhorted to those very same acts of violence, often for the same reasons - just with slightly different words.
The truth is that all religions have an element of brutality and unreasonable hatred. And all religions also have elements of peaceful coexistence, brotherhood, charity, and compassion as well. Only the names change from one religious tradition to another. The underlying tenets and beliefs have been the same for nearly all of them, and for thousands of years.
I really do recommend re-reading your own Bible though, or Talmud if you are Jewish. Both are rife with commands to commit what we in today's society would consider abhorrent and illegal acts.
But then, all such "holy" books were written by men, and as such are imperfect because we humans have the natural tendency to put our own spin on things - even instructions from our gods.
I wonder how you feel that is any different than our President claiming that "God is on our side", or Pat Robertson calling for the assassination of Hugo Chavez? Is calling for the outright murder of someone simply because Mr. Robertson disagrees with him a Christian stance? What about those pesky 10 Commandments?
As I said, there are bad elements to ALL religions, and especially when religion turns to fanaticism. It is up to each individual to take an OBJECTIVE look at these things, derive what they may that is good from their own or other's religious teachings, and discard what is not.
The real battle is between those who allow their passions to rule their thinking, and those who are able to take an honest, objective look at the FACTS, without adding their personal bias. This applies not only to religious thinking, but to politics, philosophy, sociology, economics, etc.
It's a tough task, but it can be done.
Koran Verses:
002:178-179: [2.178] %u2026retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the slain%u2026 [2.179] %u2026there is life for you in (the law of) retaliation, O men of understanding, that you may guard yourselves.
002:190-191: [2.190] %u2026fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you%u2026[2.191] And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers.
002:193: %u2026fight with them%u2026
002:216-218: [2.216] Fighting is enjoined on you%u2026[2.217]%u2026fighting in it. Say: Fighting in it is a grave matter%u2026persecution is graver than slaughter%u2026 [2.218]%u2026strove hard in the way of Allah
- 1
- 2
- next
See all 73 Comments