Committed to winning the war on terror
October 27, 2006| By Nathaniel Ward
If America is to win the Long War against international terrorism, it will need the support of its citizens. A new survey conducted by The Heritage Foundation indicates that conservatives broadly back the Bush administration’s efforts to fight the war on terror both overseas and here at home.
Four in five conservatives surveyed said the Bush administration has done a good or excellent job conducting the war on terror. More than three quarters of respondents said America would win the war on terror if it holds tough, and by a similar margin they said victory in Iraq is necessary to winning the war on terror.
Survey results
1. What do you think Congress and the Executive Branch should do about the media’s exposure of leaks of classified information, such as the New York Times’ publishing information on the government’s secret—and legal—anti-terrorist financial tracking program? (Mark as many as you like.)
|
The Executive Branch should vigorously hunt down leakers and prosecute them. |
84.0% |
|
Congress should develop policies to deter leaking and establish penalties for the crime. |
76.5 |
|
Media that report the leaked material should be prosecuted for treason. |
70.0 |
|
Penalties should be more severe for leaks that endanger the lives of Americans. |
75.0 |
|
Penalties should be more severe for leaks that endanger our intelligence sources. |
70.5 |
|
Nothing should be done: the leaks are not wrong. |
1.0 |
2. What do you think about a “war of ideas” as part of the war on Islamic terrorism? (Mark one.)
|
We need as comprehensive and effective a plan as Ronald Reagan had during the Cold War. |
95.9% |
|
We don’t need anything more than what we are doing currently. |
2.1 |
|
We don’t need a war of ideas |
2.1 |
3. What do you think is the overall effect of liberals in Congress on the war on terror? (Mark as many as you like.)
|
They provide a needed balance to conservatives in Congress and the White House. |
1.5 |
|
They are more interested in using the war for their political purposes than in helping with the war effort. |
79.0 |
|
They are damaging our national security with their constant opposition to the Bush administration’s conduct of the war. |
82.5 |
|
Other |
11.0 |
4. What do you think is the overall effect of the anti-war left on the war on terror? (Mark as many as you like.)
| They are wrong and ineffective. |
36.0 |
|
They are undermining our ability to win the war. |
92.5 |
|
They are demoralizing to the troops. |
78.5 |
|
They exert a large influence on political campaigns. |
46.0 |
|
They are changing public opinion. |
42.5 |
|
They are correct. |
0.5 |
5. What is your current opinion on the war in Iraq? (Mark as many as you like.)
| We will win if we stick it out. |
77.0% |
|
We won’t win unless we change our strategy. |
27.0 |
|
We have lost and should withdraw. |
0.0 |
|
We should leave soon and let the Iraqis defend their own country. |
8.0 |
|
If we leave soon Iraq will be controlled by Iran. |
62.0 |
|
We should set a timetable for withdrawal. |
5.0 |
|
It was a mistake to go to war in Iraq. |
9.0 |
|
Winning the war in Iraq is necessary to win the war on Islamic terrorism. |
76.5 |
|
Other |
7.0 |
6. What do you think about Israel’s war with Hezbollah? (Mark as many as you like.)
| Israel needs to defeat enemies like Hezbollah that want to destroy its existence. |
85.5 |
|
Israel brutally terrorizes civilians and needs to be reined in. |
2.5 |
|
Israel’s war on Islamic terrorism is part of the larger war on terror. |
83.5 |
|
Israel should rely more on negotiations. |
7.0 |
|
Other |
6.0 |
7. How would you rate President Bush’s overall conduct of the war on terror? (Mark one.)
|
Excellent |
33.7% |
|
Good |
49.2 |
|
Fair |
13.0 |
|
Poor |
4.1 |
8. How would you rate Congress’s overall conduct of the war on terror? (Mark one.)
|
Excellent |
1.6% |
|
Good |
18.0 |
|
Fair |
48.1 |
|
Poor |
32.3 |
9. Do you think the media give a fair picture of the following? (Mark one for each.)
|
Fair |
Unfair | |
|
The war in Iraq |
8.5% |
84.5% |
|
The war in Afghanistan |
14.0 |
74.0 |
|
The war in Israel |
11.5 |
79.5 |
|
The overall war on terror |
8.0 |
85.5 |
|
Homeland security efforts |
19.0 |
69.5 |
|
Terrorists and terrorist organizations |
16.0 |
71.5 |
|
President Bush and his administration |
9.0 |
84.5 |
|
Congress |
27.5 |
53.0 |
|
Immigration and border security |
18.5 |
70.5 |
|
The anti-war left |
25.0 |
59.5 |
Nathaniel Ward is the Editor of MyHeritage.org—a website for members and supporters of The Heritage Foundation.
