 
NEW JERSEY, Jan 09 (10:45 AM, EST) -
Most Americans believe it is highly unlikely that in 2006 Osama bin
Laden will be captured or killed.
According to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup survey conducted in
December 2005, sixty-eight percent Americans believe that the United
States will not be able to capture or kill bin Laden, the man
generally thought responsible for the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the
United States.
Just 27% think it is likely the terrorist leader will be captured or
killed this year.
These views are highly related to partisan orientation, according to
the poll survey. Republicans are much more optimistic about bin
Laden's capture than are Democrats or independents, though even
Republicans are evenly divided on the matter. Forty-five percent of
Republicans expect bin Laden to be captured or killed, while 46% say
it is unlikely. By contrast, only 23% of independents and 15% of
Democrats expect bin Laden's capture.
The poll result also indicates that there is general perception that
Osama is still alive.
Interestingly, majority of American adults (51%) believe it is
unlikely that the United States will suffer a terrorist attack in
2006. Only 41% think it is likely.
Although many opinions related to terrorism and the war in Iraq are
highly related to people's partisan orientation, in this case there
are only minor differences between Republicans and Democrats. But
the independents are the outliers. By 62% to 37%, independents
believe an attack is likely, while majorities of Democrats and
Republicans say an attack is unlikely.
Some observers say, it could mean the American public in general is
now gaining a higher comfort level with government efforts to keep
terrorists and terrorism away from the shore.
The Bush's administration will spend a staggering $419.3 billion US
on the military this fiscal year. An additional $130 billion US has
been budgeted in 2006 for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan."That's
$10.8 billion a month -- 40% above previous estimates -- and
somewhat more than the monthly cost of the Vietnam War at its
height. Add to this huge sum an estimated $1.5 billion in monthly
secret expenditures in Iraq and Afghanistan by CIA and Pentagon
intelligence. Astoundingly, U.S. military spending in 2006 will
equal the rest of the world's total combined military expenditures,"
wrote Eric Margolis in his article in The Independent, UK.
These poll survey results are based on telephone interviews with 1,003
national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Dec. 16-18, 2005 by
CNN/USA Today/Gallup. For results based on the total sample
of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum
margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points, says the report. |
