A new
Fox News poll shows that most American voters believe the threat from Islamic extremists is increasing, but they believe President Barack Obama isn't prepared to take on that threat.
A total of 64 percent believe the threat is increasing, while only 4 percent believe it is decreasing, according to the poll released Wednesday. Twenty-nine percent believe the threat is holding at the same level.
Republicans are more likely to believe the threat is rising. Seventy-nine percent said they had such fears. Democrats were split evenly at 45 percent on whether the threat is rising or staying the same.
Meanwhile, 55 percent say Obama is prepared to do "whatever it takes to defeat Islamic extremists." Thirty-eight percent said he is not.
Obama's worst job-approval ratings were linked to his response to the Islamic State (ISIS), according to the poll. Only 33 percent approve of his job dealing with ISIS, and 56 percent disapprove.
His overall foreign policy ratings aren't much better at 34 percent approval and 57 percent disapproval.
On how he handles terrorism, 39 percent approve of his job while 53 percent disapprove.
Forty-three percent think Obama has "mostly succeeded" in making the country safer, while 49 percent think he has failed in that effort.
Fifty-four percent believe Obama has overstepped his constitutional authority in releasing detainees from the Guantanamo Bay facility.
The poll also found that 69 percent of voters fear political, business and media leaders will react to the attacks on Sony Pictures and Charlie Hebdo in ways that restrict free speech.
The poll, conducted January 11-13 with 1,018 people by telephone has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
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