Poll: 2-1 Support for War on Terror
Sept. 21 -- George W. Bush tonight won 2-1 support for his declared war on terrorism, with the public overwhelmingly seeing inaction as the nation's greater peril.
Eight in 10 Americans who saw or heard Bush's address to Congress said it increased their confidence in the nation's ability to handle the crisis. Approval of his work on the U.S. response to last week's attacks held steady, at an enormous 91 percent.
Most — albeit not all — favor his specific course. Sixty-three percent prefer a broad war against terrorist groups and the nations that support them, as Bush declared. Most of the rest do favor military action, but limited to those responsible for the attacks last week.
Action vs. Inaction — Support for military action stems from the threat the nation feels — and the perceived lack of an alternative. The public by 5-1 says the risk of further terrorism will be greater if the United States does not take military action, than if it does.
More broadly, the nation continues to close ranks behind Bush's leadership. Ninety percent support military action against the groups or nations responsible for last week's attacks. And 83 percent feel that way even if it means war.
Bush's audience tonight was huge. Seventy-nine percent of Americans watched or listened to his address, one of the highest levels of viewership for a presidential address in at least the last decade.
Duration and Casualties — The public seems prepared for a fairly long conflict: Nearly eight in 10 Americans think the military action to come will last for a year or more, and the majority, 57 percent, thinks it will last several years.
Expectation of a lengthy conflict is higher among people who heard Bush's address, suggesting he succeeded in driving home that point.
At the same time, there's less expectation of heavy losses to U.S. forces. Thirty-seven percent of Americans expect "large numbers" of casualties; 53 percent, "not that many."
Home Front — On the home front, the public responds positively overall to proposed measures to combat terrorism — greater airport security, stronger law enforcement efforts and the creation of a new White House office for domestic security. About seven in 10 believe these will work to reduce the risk of another major terrorist attack; but far fewer, 33 percent, think these measures will produce "a great deal" of risk reduction.
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