The brutal beheadings of journalists by the terrorist army known as Islamic State has shaken America to its core, with more people saying the United States is less safe now than at any point since 9/11, said a new poll released Wednesday.
The NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that 47 percent of Americans believe the country is less safe now than before the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on New York and Washington. That’s more people feeling unsafe than even a year after 9/11 when just 20 percent felt that way.
The fear has prompted more than 60 percent of Americans to back military action against the Islamic State, also known as ISIL or ISIS, which has overrun large swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria and declared itself an Islamic caliphate.
The numbers underscore the challenges facing President Obama when he addressed the nation Wednesday at 9 p.m. to outline a strategy for confronting the terrorists.
“A very war-weary country … seems to have woken up to the real threat that ISIS may present,” said Republican pollster Bill McInturff, who conducted the survey with Democratic pollster Peter Hart.
“The beheadings are so chilling to the American public,” Mr. Hart added. “The only things I think of equal impact are the self-immolations back in Vietnam.”
But Americans also have little confidence in Mr. Obama. The poll found that just 32 percent of voters approve of his handling of foreign affairs, which is a new low for the president.
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