Poll: Most Say U.S. Prepared For Attacks

But 7 Years After 9/11 Only A Third Of Americans Tell CBS News They Think Another Attack Is Likely

(CBS)  As the nation marks the seventh anniversary of 9/11, most Americans believe the U.S. is adequately prepared to deal with another terrorist attack against the country, according to a new CBS News poll.

In the poll, 52 percent said they thought the U.S. was adequately prepared, compared to 39 percent who said the U.S. was not prepared. This is the first time since March 2003 - right after the U.S. invasion of Iraq - that a majority held that opinion. As recently as last September, after the revelations of a failed terrorist plot in London that summer, 56 percent said the U.S. was not adequately prepared.

However, only about a third of Americans think another terror attack against the U.S. is likely in the coming months - with 29 percent saying it is somewhat likely and just seven percent saying it was very likely, the lowest number recorded since CBS News started asking this question after September 11, 2001. Six in ten Americans think it is not very likely there will be another terrorist attack.

A majority of men, Republicans and Independents, conservatives and moderates and voters who support John McCain for president all think the U.S. is prepared, while women, Democrats, liberals, and Barack Obama supporters are divided.

Americans give some credit to the Bush administration for making the country safer. Fifty percent say the administration's policies have improved the country’s safety, about the same rating as they have given the White House for the last two years. Twenty-one percent say the administration's policies have made the country less safe, and 23 percent say they have had no effect.

President Bush's approval rating is now at 29 percent, slightly above the low of 25 percent reached this past summer. His approval has not climbed above 30 percent since April 2007.

The poll also finds that Americans do not have much confidence that the U.S. will capture or kill al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. Only 36 percent think bin Laden's capture is even somewhat likely, and only six percent think it is very likely - the lowest numbers recorded so far. Confidence in bin Laden's capture has declined dramatically over the seven years since 9/11 - in October 2001, 70 percent thought it was at least somewhat likely that bin Laden would be captured or killed. Now, almost that many, 60 percent, have little or no confidence in that happening.

Click Here To Read The Complete Poll

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This poll was conducted by telephone September 5-7, 2008 among 738 respondents first interviewed by CBS News and the New York Times August 15-19, 2008. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire could be plus or minus four percentage points.

[jamjholmes]

U sheep fools who are arguing between McInsane and O''''bama just don''''t get it. They both are the same, and neither represents the citizens, they represent the corporations and central bank who run this country. The real issues like Foreign Policy, the National Debt, Privacy, and the Federal Reserve(not elected or federal) are the most important issues and they will not talk about them because nothing will change with either of the tools running. GG sheep. Learn up plz.

[trrrorislamj]

HUSSEIN IS IN THE POCKET OF FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM,,,

New evidence has emerged that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was closely associated as early as age 25 to a key adviser to a Saudi billionaire who had mentored the founding members of the Black Panthers.
In a videotaped interview this year on New York%u2019s all news cable channel NY1, a prominent African-American businessman and political figure made the curious disclosures about Obama. (See Video Clip Below)
Percy Sutton, the former borough president of Manhattan, off-handedly revealed the unusual circumstances about his first encounter with the young Obama.
%u201CI was introduced to (Obama) by a friend who was raising money for him,%u201D Sutton told NY1 city hall reporter Dominic Carter.
%u201CThe friend%u2019s name is Dr. Khalid al-Mansour, from Texas,%u201D Sutton said. %u201CHe is the principal adviser to one of the world%u2019s richest men. He told me about Obama.%u201D
http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/obama_sutton_saudi/2008/09/03/127490.html?CFID=1173319&CFTOKEN=52737457

HUSSEIN plans to GUT the MILITARY if he becomes PRESIDENT,,,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl32Y7wDVDs

he will basically disban our military and hault all new weapons programs,,,

and leave the usa defenseless to our enemies,,,

[missingamerica]

"In the poll, 52 percent said they thought the U.S. was adequately prepared, compared to 39 percent who said the U.S. was not prepared."

I would be curious to know how many of those polled lived along one of the nation''s borders, or observed the operations within a U.S. ocean port as part of their daily lives.

[txgrouch2006]

You still seem to be having trouble reading English. Posted by hower4 at 09:59 AM : Sep 11, 2008

Looks like YOU''RE the one who ISN''T GETTING THE MESSAGE.

[txgrouch2006]

ON A WEEKLY BASIS DRUG SAMPLES FROM THE STREET AND CAPTURED LOADS ARE TESTED FOR TOXICITY AND CHEMICAL FOUNDATION SCREENING S ARE PERFORMED.
Posted by tootall10142 at 10:05 AM : Sep 11, 2008

Well, how nice. Our tax dollars at work, keeping the world safe for the druggies. Too bad the same effort isn''t being made to ensure a supply of JOBS FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE BORN HERE. Gotta have those priorities, don''t you.

So, what do you do if you find a BAD BATCH? Issue a public service warning to the druggies that their drugs JUST MIGHT be poisoned...?

[txgrouch2006]

txgrouch2006 - you are a psycho and need to be examined.
Posted by listenupfool at 09:55 AM : Sep 11, 2008

Yah, keep telling yourself that, FOOL.

[guadalcanal3]

Polls,polls,polls...BLAH,BLAH,BLAH...Whatever Americans ''think'' what will happen is meaningless...We need to assume that it ''will'' happen...and STAY ALERT.

[biger-e]

Its funny how a black man can make discriminatory remarks about women and older people and you Dems support that BS. Hypocrisy at it%u2019s finest.

[caliguy55]

http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/ObamaBlueprintForChange.pdf

This link will take you to Sen. Barack Obama''s Blueprint for Change wherein he sets forth in detail the real changes he will make, if elected President of the United States, and how these changes will be implemented. I believe all those who support Senator Obama can help get him elected by printing out as many copies of the booklet as you can and distributing them to friends and neighbors. Remember, we have less than 2 months to bring Senator Obama''s message of real change to the American People. Obama/Biden 2008!!!

[tootall10142]

TXGROUCH2006-i WORKED WITH A ANTI-VIRAL ANTI-BIOLOGICAL WARFARE TEAM FOR 15 YEARS.YOU ARE A COUPLE OF DECADES BEHIND IN YOUR ASSUMPTION.WHAT FEW PEOPLE KNOW IS THAT ON A WEEKLY BASIS DRUG SAMPLES FROM THE STREET AND CAPTURED LOADS ARE TESTED FOR TOXICITY AND CHEMICAL FOUNDATION SCREENING S ARE PERFORMED.THEY ARE THE GUYS WATCHING THE GUYS WATCHING YOU.WHAT MANY DONT REALIZE OR THINK ABOUT IS THIS, iF THE DRUGS ALL STOPPED TO DAY THEN THE USERS AND THE ADDICTS WOULD COME TO THE SURFACE OF SOCIETY IN THE MILLIONS EVEN THOSE YOU DONT KNOW ARE USERS.THIS WOULD BE CAHOS IN THE STREETS THE LIKES NEVER SEEN INSIDE THE BORDERS OF THIS COUNTRY SINCE THE CIVIL WAR.

[anonymous010]

If you take a look at the actual poll numbers, they interviewed fewer than 1000 people, so I doubt this poll can be a very accurate sample of the population. They did manage to get a pretty even split of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, so the poll is at least not biased politically.

Personally, I don''t see how anybody could think we''re safer considering several major airports have outright failed security tests since 9/11. And that''s assuming the terrorists would use the same delivery method again, which I would bet they won''t.

[txgrouch2006]

You don''''t seem to be able to read very well. Why didn''''t YOU report him?
Posted by hower4 at 09:49 AM : Sep 11, 2008

You think I''m stupid? I''m not going to TELL you who reported him.

I don''t want anybody to be found dead by the side of a dirt road. Get it?

Just read it for yourself. It''s on the Internet for all to see. He was turned in FIVE TIMES.

The Clinton FAA did NOTHING. Ask ANY PILOT to explain that. THEY CAN''T - THERE IS NO EXPLANATION.

[txgrouch2006]

Here''s a possible scenario for the next attack:

Terrorists take control of the illegal drug trafficking network. No, I don''t mean prescription drugs from Canada!

Once they control the drug supply (even part of it), they start putting lethal agents into the drugs. Something slow acting, in small doses so that one hit doesn''t kill. It builds up in your body over time, after repeated drug use.

The onset of symptoms are so delayed, nobody can associate it with drug use right away. And by the time people figure it out, it''s too late - everyone has already accumulated the lethal dose. And there''s no antidote.

The lethal agent is distributed and administered by THE VICTIMS THEMSELVES, so the terrorists use the victims to leverage their own capabilities.

ARE WE PREPARED FOR THIS???

[jn122736]

Another, 9/11-scale, terrorist attack has not happened since 2001 simply because one has not been needed.

The only way such an attack wil happen now is if Obama acquires a, sustained, double digit lead in the polls.

It would require at least a 10% to 15% percent majority of votes in favor Obama to overcome the rigged electronic voting machines.

Racial prejudice, albeit far weaker in America today than in the past, is still too prevalent for Obama to hold a double-digit lead.

I suspect that if Hillary Clinton had received the democratic nomination she would be enjoying a LARGE lead in the polls and we just might be in for another 9/11 right about about now.

[txgrouch2006]

So why didn''''''''t you report him to the authorities?
Posted by hower4 at 07:33 AM : Sep 11, 2008

He was. FIVE TIMES. The Clinton admin DID NOTHING.
Posted by txgrouch2006 at 09:24 AM : Sep 11, 2008

Just ask ANY pilot YOU know personally: what would happen if THEY were turned in to the FAA FIVE TIMES???

The LEAST that would happen is a suspended pilot''s license and an investigation. He/she would be GROUNDED pending the outcome.

Read what happened to legendary pilot Bob Hoover just because an FAA agent thought Hoover was getting too old and he thought Hoover made a mistake during an airshow performance.

And yet, the FAA did NOTHING about the 9/11 pilot even though he was reported to the FAA five times.

ASK YOUR PILOT FRIEND TO EXPLAIN THAT.

[txgrouch2006]

So why didn''''t you report him to the authorities?
Posted by hower4 at 07:33 AM : Sep 11, 2008

He was. FIVE TIMES. The Clinton admin DID NOTHING.

[txgrouch2006]

The Bush administration, out of pride and arrogance, refused to take any action whatsoever on the report that the Clinton administration provided them, entitled ''''Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.'''' (gee, could the title have been any clearer?)
Posted by ofbyfor2 at 08:44 AM : Sep 11, 2008

There''s no doubt Bush dropped the ball - he didn''t even see the pass. But WHY DIDN''T CLINTON DO SOMETHING HIMSELF, while the 9/11 pilots were taking flying lessons HERE IN THIS COUNTRY IN THE SUMMER OF 2000??????

I saw one of them myself. He made it CLEAR to everyone in the room that he was BAD NEWS IN A BIG WAY. I thought he was in the Indian mafia, he was wearing aviator sunglasses so I couldn''t see his face clearly enough to tell his nationality.

He was swaggering and mouthing off so he was making it OBVIOUS that he was part of a major criminal organization. I heard him talk for two or three minutes, and it was plain as day.

As it was, this guy was turned in to the feds FIVE TIMES.

CLINTON HAD ALL YEAR - WHAT WAS STOPPING HIM?

[txgrouch2006]

What attacks???? You have a far greater chance of being attacked by a fellow American then so called Al Queda, muslim extremist, etc..
Posted by nishaboston at 09:01 AM : Sep 11, 2008

Really? You mean, where you live it''s COMMONPLACE for criminals to kill 3,000 people in one attack IN YOUR CITY?

Now watch the bot fly off on an Iraq tangent...LOL! in advance. When you can''t think of anything else to say, compare somebody to a Nazi or TALK ABOUT IRAQ.

The troll playbook...

[ofbyfor2]

Oh, one last thing before I go.

jamesm12341, you know full well that 99 out of 100 of my posts on these boards NEVER mention Bush, but thanks for playing and try again.

[ofbyfor2]

Posted by jamesm12341 at 08:58 AM : Sep 11, 2008

Silver spoon or working class?

Won''t ever bother to answer, will you? Can only mean that you must be ashamed of the answer somehow.

In the meantime, it''s 9 a.m., boss is here and work must begin.

Y''all have a lovely day ;)