Public support for President Mr George W. Bush and the US-led war on terrorism remains steady, according to an ABC News/ Washington Postpoll published today.
The survey - six months after the September 11th attacks on America that killed almost 3,000 people in New York, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania - found over 88 per cent approve of Mr Bush's handling of the war.
Nine out of 10 of those polled continue to support the military action in Afghanistan, a figure unchanged from November.
More than eight in 10 Americans think the war is going well. Eighty-two per cent believe the war has effectively limited the ability of bin Laden to operate his al-Qaeda network, the poll found.
But the poll of 1,008 adults suggests most Americans no longer believe that killing or capturing him would signal victory in the war. Less than half, 44 per cent, believe getting bin Laden should be the primary goal of the war. A majority of 63 per cent said the bigger focus should be on eliminating al-Qaeda.
Despite casualties the US suffered last week, the poll indicates that Americans seem prepared for the possibility of more: 80 per cent said they think that the most difficult fighting in Afghanistan is yet to come.
The survey also found broad public support for the Bush administration's plan to pursue the war on terrorism beyond Afghanistan. Seventy-two per cent support sending US troops to countries such as the Philippines and Yemen to try to capture terrorists.
An equal number also continue to favour a US military effort to oust Iraqi leader Mr Saddam Hussein - so long as the effort has backing from US allies.