Last week's news from London about a thwarted terrorist attack had little impact on public confidence in the War on Terror. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of American adults now say the U.S. and its allies are winning. That's down a point from 39% earlier in August and down from 44% in July. Confidence that the U.S. and its allies are winning has never been lower than 38%.

Thirty percent (30%) of Americans now believe the terrorists are winning. That's down from 33% earlier in the month but up from 26% in July.

Last August, confidence in the War on Terror hit its all-time low--38% thought the U.S. and its allies were winning while 36% held the opposite view. Heading into Election 2004, slightly more than half of all Americans believed the U.S. and its allies were winning.

Republicans, by a 60% to 17% margin, say that the U.S. and its allies are winning the War. Democrats, by a 42% to 20% margin, say the terrorists are winning. Those not affiliated with either major party are evenly divided.

Men, by a 45% to 28% margin, believe the U.S. and it allies are winning. Women are evenly divided.

White Americans are more optimistic in their assessment than other Americans. Middle income Americans are more upbeat than those at either end of the income spectrum. Those over 50 are somewhat less optimistic than those under 50.

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Current results are not precisely comparable to 2004 survey results. Our 2004 data was based upon Interviews with Likely Voters. In 2005, our data is based upon a sample of American Adults. It is likely that this change could have a 2-3 percentage point impact on the reported results.