US War on Terror Hasn't Hurt Al-Qaeda: World Poll

59% say efforts haven't damaged militants or made them stronger
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 29, 2008 12:43 PM CDT
US War on Terror Hasn't Hurt Al-Qaeda: World Poll
A Yemeni soldier stands guard in front of the main entrance of the US Embassy in Yemen, Sept. 18, 2008 after a militant attack there.    (AP Photo)

In the eyes of many, the war on terror hasn’t damaged al-Qaeda: 29% of responders to a BBC poll conducted in 23 countries said US efforts had not affected the militant group, while 30% say al-Qaeda has actually been strengthened. Overall, 22% thought al-Qaeda had been weakened, while 34% of Americans believed the organization had been damaged.

All of the countries polled held a negative view of al-Qaeda—except Egypt and Pakistan. Sixty percent of Egyptians had positive or mixed feelings about it; 19% of Pakistanis saw it negatively. Some 49% of poll responders said neither side was winning “the conflict between al-Qaeda and the US,” with 22% saying the US was on top and 10% believing al-Qaeda was winning. (More War on Terror stories.)

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