Forty-two percent (42%) of American voters believe the United States and its allies are winning the War on Terror, up three percent from last month which marked the first time the number had dropped below 40 percent since last fall.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey also found that 24% believe the terrorists are winning.

In general, sentiments about the war have grown slightly more positive over the past month.

The majority of Republicans (69%) believe the U.S. is winning the war, while 13% say the terrorists are winning. Among Democrats, 23% believe the U.S. and its allies are succeeding, but 32% say the terrorists are on top. The plurality of unaffiliated voters (39%) say the U.S. and its allies are winning the war, while 26% say it is the terrorists who are ahead.

A separate recent survey found that voters are split as to which party they trust more on national security and the War on Terror. Another survey found that the number of people who consider themselves Republican has fallen significantly this election season.

In the short-term, 35% of voters believe the situation in Iraq will improve within the next six months. Nearly an equal number (33%) disagree and say the situation will worsen. About a quarter of voters say things will stay the same.

Voters are less positive about perceptions of the war in the long term. Over half (52%) of voters say the U.S. mission in Iraq will be considered a failure historically. That number is unchanged from last month's survey.

Only 31 percent believe the mission will be deemed a success in the future. Another 18% are not sure.

Just 26% of American voters give good or excellent ratings to President Bush's handling of the situation in Iraq. Over half (53%) say he has done a poor job. That number includes 21% of Republican voters and 79% of Democratic voters.

Voters are split when it comes to national security. While 41% say the United States is safer today than it was before 9/11, 42% disagree. A separate Rasmussen poll found that voters give Republican presidential candidate John McCain a 22-point edge over Democrat Barack Obama on the handling of national security issues.

A Rasmussen poll released yesterday found that 59% of respondents would like to see the troops brought home from Iraq within the year.

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