LONDON: Most people across the world believe the US-led “war on terror” has failed to weaken Al-Qaeda and many think the group has actually grown stronger, a BBC World Service poll revealed yesterday. Seven years after the United States launched its campaign following the Sept. 11 attacks, even Americans appear unsure about its success.
On average only 22 percent of people polled across 23 countries thought US action had weakened Osama Bin Laden’s network, while 29 percent thought it had no effect and 30 percent believed it had actually made Al-Qaeda stronger.
Just 34 percent of Americans questioned believed Al-Qaeda had been weakened, while 26 percent thought the ‘war on terror’ had no effect, and 33 percent said they thought the campaign had made the group stronger.
The survey of 24,000 people, carried out between July 8 and Sept. 12, also revealed that the predominant view in 15 nations polled is that neither the United States nor Al-Qaeda is winning the conflict.
On average just ten percent of respondents thought Al-Qaeda was winning, 22 percent thought the United States was winning and 47 percent said neither.
