A majority of Americans are dissatisfied with the nation's security from terrorism, with confidence steadily eroding over the last two years — now crashing to its lowest point since 2002, a new
Gallup poll shows.
According to the survey, 69 percent of those surveyed in 2014 said they were confident about our security; that figure dropped to 59 percent in 2015 and is only 43 percent in the latest polling.
The prior low point in satisfaction with security from terrorism was 51 percent in January 2002 — four months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It reached a high point of 72 percent in January 2012.
The pollster noted it did not ask the question from 2009 through 2011.
The unrest shows a strong political slant, Gallup notes, with only 24 percent of Republicans and 24 percent of conservatives confident in U.S. security from terror.
But 56 percent of liberals and 51 percent of Democrats are confident.
The partisan gap has also grown over the past two years; 66 percent of Republicans were satisfied in 2014 compared with 76 percent of Democrats.
"President [Barack] Obama and Democrats in general have emphasized not overreacting to the Islamic State, including not alienating countries with large Muslim populations by linking ISIS to Islam," Gallup's Jim Norman writes.
"Republicans generally have pushed for stronger countermeasures, including tighter restrictions or a total ban on refugees from the Middle East."
According to Gallup, satisfaction with the nation's military strength and preparedness has also fallen, from 69 percent last January to 59 percent now.
The survey's margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
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