For U.S., a stark reality check - by Terence Hunt
After two wars, thousands of deaths and many billions of dollars, the United States is still vulnerable to terrorists. That painful reality has ignited a political frenzy over who's to blame and who's best qualified to protect Americans. The one thing that Republicans and Democrats agree on is this: Five years after the Sept. 11 disaster, terrorists want to strike again and the country is not safe. To hear both sides talk, the wonder is that America hasn't been hit yet.
With Americans souring on the war in Iraq, the fight on terrorism is a divisive issue for the November elections that will determine which party controls Congress. Unhappiness over the war was a major factor in the primary defeat of Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn.
Americans appear to be tiring of the argument that the Republicans are the best qualified after more than three years of fighting in Iraq, a death toll of nearly 2,600 U.S. troops and a price tag of more than $320 billion. Public approval of Bush's handling of foreign policy and terrorism has slumped to 40 percent, near the lowest levels of his presidency, according to AP-Ipsos polling in August. Approval of his handling of Iraq, 33 percent, is at the lowest level yet.
Democrats were favored over Republicans by 46 to 38 percent in an ABC-Washington Post poll early this week when people were asked whom they trusted more to handle the fight against terrorism.
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