Polls boost for Obama after terror success

The latest poll, taken after US forces killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, put the President at 60 per cent and revealed his standing had improved not just on foreign policy, but also on the economy.

Independent Americans – a key voting bloc in the November 2012 presidential election – caused the overall increase in support by sliding back to Mr Obama after fleeing for much of the past two years.

Comfortable majorities of the public now call Mr Obama a strong leader who will keep America safe.

The majority, 73 per cent, also now say they are confident that he can effectively handle terrorist threats. He also improved his standing on Afghanistan, Iraq and America’s relationships with other countries.

President Obama’s overall political boost comes as he embarks on his re-election campaign and is in the early days of a debate with Republicans who control the House of Representatives over raising the country’s debt limit.

Overall, the President’s approval rating is up from 53 per cent in March and a 47 per cent low point following last autumn’s mid-term congressional elections in which Republicans won control of the House and gained seats in the Senate.

Meanwhile al-Qaida is warning that the US has committed a “big mistake” and a “serious sin” in killing bin Laden and is calling on Muslims to avenge the terrorist leader’s death.

In a statement posted on the internet, al-Qaida’s official online media organisation, al-Fajr, says the US people “will pay the price” for the May 2 raid that killed bin Laden at a compound in Pakistan. It acknowledges that President Obama “is protected by armies,” but asks Americans: “Who will protect you from our assault?”

The statement also urges Muslims to use bin Laden’s death on May 2 as motivation to carry out attacks.