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

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.)