Poll: 48% of Americans believe US is weaker than 5 years ago

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Forty years ago I -- -- problems.

I pledge to take the fight to our enemies.

And renew our leadership in the world.

As president that's why don't consider pulling back from the world we've strengthened our alliances while improving our security here at home.

As Americans we refuse to live in fear.

America remains the one indispensable nation.

And the world needs a strong America and in this forward now than when I came and office.

So we've heard the president asserting during the campaign last fall that America is stronger than it has ever been before.

Of a new Fox News poll shows that nearly half of the voters to answer this question think that the country is weaker now.

That it's less powerful now than it was five years ago.

48% of Americans say that the country is weaker today that is twice as many as the 24% think it's stronger today more -- -- Than it was five years ago 27%.

Think that it is about the same so why is that why is that perception.

Out there and is it is it reality.

I'm Alan Colmes a host of the Hong Kong show.

Bret -- -- foreign affairs columnist with the Wall Street Journal at least adapt -- area journalist specializing in middle east affairs and counterterrorism welcome to all of you.

Out wouldn't make of those numbers.

-- now.

Thank you know why I go out if I I think that it depends what you mean by weak he gets it you know he gets majority think he's any good job and terrorism.

He's got 49% approval rating according to numerous polls just got reelected.

By a majority a large portion people voted -- -- the very well the election.

So what are we as -- week mean we can't go to as many wars is we use to.

Is me I mean we mean we don't have forces have all over the world but does it mean that people really don't think the president that it could not according to his poll numbers which seem to be doing pretty well.

-- let me quantify it for you -- when -- Obama took office in 2009.

Iran had a thousand kilos of low enriched uranium.

The last at the last count last November Iran has 7600.

Kilos you think people is full of -- low enriched uranium.

We supposedly have this country in a lockbox of sanctions and yet what does the Ayatollah how many say to negotiations he says we're not even gonna -- to negotiate with -- -- We just learned that the president personally put that could -- On any effort to arm the Syria do the Syrian opposition were 60000 -- -- so there -- a perception from Afghanistan to Iraq to Syria tamale.

That the US is not a game I like US -- They said yeah.

He says something that's -- to -- -- -- that what people are voting not know people are are basing that poll in their votes on.

Terrorism meaning Osama bin Laden and a father laden is dead meeting terrorism is that.

-- really happened in the -- is going -- -- that he actually until you are what happened I'd like they'll win it by it and respond to all this he's killed more al-Qaeda leaders than previous presidents.

There is a perception is done very well on terrorism he's got a majority people's lives on a good job on terrorism so he's -- got -- 49% approval rating in multiple polls which is a plurality so.

You want to keep putting him down it is not doing a good job the American people don't see.

Well I don't know let me just put everything in here because in the last election -- -- for the first time -- point we saw that a lot of the polls said that basically people felt that that.

Democrats where the stronger party firm -- And stronger party in keeping you know America safe and terrorism we have never seen that before Republicans have always -- on those measures so.

We know whether or not it's the reality on the ground and you can point -- each country it does seem to be a perception out there that that this party.

Is doing something to keep America safe -- -- this perceptions change and of perceptions clearly changed when suddenly we discovered that in Libya.

And he jumped.

We were not as beloved as President Obama would've had us would've had us believe because he gave a beautiful speech.

In Cairo in fact our popularity ratings in many of these countries are going -- either they're lower than they were.

Under the last 05 years of George W.

Bush used the word Dorsey was -- -- yeah -- five years old that they won't want to look this is another perfect example we support we supportable was supposed to be freedom agenda in each up to what we have we have a Muslim Brotherhood taking over -- -- -- could be an office that's a better if you prefer.

You know I've got their favorite to be a better as opposed to the current dictator in office who is who is who is just had a love fest -- Mahmoud -- deal.

-- it catches -- yeah one of the biggest most interest.

He -- I think because we look at the Arab Spring which we heard you know across the board you know from commentators on television.

Two with president about -- this was at a at an inspirational.

Moment that was happening across.

That this whole area of the Arab Spring.

We now see what's happened in Egypt we see -- 0800000 refugees pushing out of Syria and not a lot of action on the world stage in terms of helping.

-- it's -- -- to push anything forward in Syria but my question is are we and is hopeful question are -- -- a transition -- is an Arab Spring are are the people you know they are these governments that we're seeing are they sustainable or ill will Mohamed Morsi.

Last a very short time -- pushed out by these freedom seekers who work some of them behind this Arab Spring.

As we saw by the his power grab not too long ago they're here to stay and those forces were hovering over week.

We need a mistake by so -- running out there -- telling Mubarak to step down when these forces were hovering over overhead and and it it was a political vacuum of course.

-- -- country by country you look at what's going on in in Syria why would not getting involved -- -- good the French aren't leading us there at where they would let us in Libya what happened in Libya.

You -- Qaddafi got what happened the stockpile of weapons that he had are spread all over.

Northern and western Africa we saw what happened in Motley -- we're watching what happened in the -- actually.

-- didn't get Qaddafi.

And Reagan didn't do all the things that he gets ready -- you wanted to save Reagan apparently did no wrong here's a president has done things that previous Republican presidents could not do and you still blaming him for every -- in the world is that.

Brooke Barack Obama somehow responsible for what's going on Syria although we're supposedly working with the opposition forces there -- responsible what happened in Egypt even though he didn't cause.

Feeling you know -- know that these governments have nothing to nothing to really see year and this president Boris here.

From America that there's nothing.

That is coming -- and that that that it's feminine line that makes them go and what they're not really exactly that why should they live in fear of the United States are you suggesting how we should be threatening I'm suggesting that -- -- -- might wanna have it you know -- sense that if they step over the line.

-- -- -- -- -- -- It is not one for Italy and let me just answer that there's not one person who has not said all options are on the table with -- -- Obama's senate Panetta said -- we've had -- and his -- -- it.

We that they had no I have -- -- well we can't utility thing they did but we've been very clear that all options are on the table there are some people like yourself for whom nothing Obama will do will ever be -- Minnesota.

They can handle it.

-- that -- -- get -- that was an accusation that's not true we applauded President Obama when he finally took the step to get rid of Moammar Gadhafi we've applauded the drone strikes in Yemen.

In the in in Pakistan we've done so very publicly give more credit by the way the people like you were willing to give.

Bush would take a look at it right back into critical of Obama -- that very different take a take and take a look at I had to read to you by the administration has been telling us.

All -- you Iranians -- under unprecedented.

Sanctions they're under unprecedented pressure and every time we find all this time they're finally gonna Roland because they have no other choice we've put them in a box.

The Ayatollah Khamenei keeps saying I'm not interest of the negotiations human I'd let me go to work that is at the Atlantic and into the.

Well yeah.

Aren't they isn't really know what's outrageous is letting the rain but it is -- here's the bottom line actions speak much louder than let sanctions work that we have sanctions against the -- how a lot of those being -- never report that -- in 2012.

Exports from the US into Iran were up by 30% they're getting around the sanction on people on main street in Iran -- the economy that you want to warn you why I went to England diplomatic and you wonder why -- -- Credibility who doesn't who doesn't have a -- will -- -- secretary of defense.

Was no credibility when American when elaborate when it got us president has become the only reason why is that we're -- what people think he's got a lot terror and tell me how much I don't like -- world when the Ayatollah how many has a nuclear weapons here nuclear multi.

We're.

Leave it there that's the hot topic thank you very much all of you for bring in so much to the table.

-- Bret thank you so much Lisa.

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Poll: 48% of Americans believe US is weaker than 5 years ago

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