Survey Reveals Nuclear Terrorism is Americans' Top Fear

January 4, 2008

A nationwide Saga Foundation survey finds Americans' greatest concern is a terrorist attack on U.S. soil with a nuclear device.

Of Americans polled, 74 percent believe that a successful terrorist attack on U.S. soil is likely to happen. Half (49 percent) believe an attack will include some sort of a nuclear device.

Those findings were revealed by a survey and in a series of focus group sessions conducted for the Saga Foundation by Luntz, Maslansky Strategic Research. The fear of another "successful terrorist attack" scares more Americans (35 percent) than anything else, including threats of an economic recession, global warming, natural disaster and a disease pandemic. In fact, nearly 50 percent of Americans fear al Qaeda acquiring a nuclear bomb more than they fear states that already have the bomb, including potential rogue nations with nuclear ambitions such as North Korea and Iran.

The survey found that nearly three out of every five Americans are convinced al Qaeda will acquire a nuclear weapon in the next decade. If that is the case, 73 percent say that al Qaeda terrorist cells would target its stated enemy, the United States.

Ironically, successful post-9/11 prevention has not increased the nation's comfort level. Of the respondents, 56 percent in the Saga Foundation survey said they believe America is becoming increasingly vulnerable to the next terrorist attack.

The Saga Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness and creating models for action to increase nuclear safety and security. For more information about the survey, go to http://www.sagafoundation.org/

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