Survey Says: Americans Are Taking ISIS Threat Very Seriously

The nation fears another terrorist attack.

A Tough Audience - Before making his case to the American people, President Obama had a sit-down with the top four congressional leaders to discuss the ISIS threat. The president's challenge when he faces the nation on Sept. 10 will be to sell his strategy without scaring listeners. But according to these recent polls, Americans are already very afraid and have little confidence in him. —Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick)(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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A Tough Audience - Before making his case to the American people, President Obama had a sit-down with the top four congressional leaders to discuss the ISIS threat. The president's challenge when he faces the nation on Sept. 10 will be to sell his strategy without scaring listeners. But according to these recent polls, Americans are already very afraid and have little confidence in him. —Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick)(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Feeling Unsafe in a Post-9/11 World - According to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll 47 percent of Americans say the country is less safe since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, while 26 percent said it's safer. In 2002 and 2013, just 20 percent and 28 percent, respectively, said the country was less safe.(Photo by David Handschuh-Pool/Getty Images)

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Feeling Unsafe in a Post-9/11 World - According to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll 47 percent of Americans say the country is less safe since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, while 26 percent said it's safer. In 2002 and 2013, just 20 percent and 28 percent, respectively, said the country was less safe.(Photo by David Handschuh-Pool/Getty Images)

Paying Very Close Attention - Ninety-eight percent of respondents in the NBC/WSJ poll said they had heard the news of the beheadings of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff. That is the highest number of any news event the poll has measured in the past five years. (Photos: Youtube, AP Photo)

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Paying Very Close Attention - Ninety-eight percent of respondents in the NBC/WSJ poll said they had heard the news of the beheadings of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff. That is the highest number of any news event the poll has measured in the past five years. (Photos: Youtube, AP Photo)

Military Action - Sixty-one percent of American voters believe U.S. military action against ISIS is in the nation's interest; 24 percent said they don't know enough about it to have an opinion. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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Military Action - Sixty-one percent of American voters believe U.S. military action against ISIS is in the nation's interest; 24 percent said they don't know enough about it to have an opinion. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Strike On - Forty percent said that military action against ISIS should be limited to air strikes while 34 percent said it should include air strikes and boots on the ground. Fifteen percent said no military action should be taken.(Photo: AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

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Strike On - Forty percent said that military action against ISIS should be limited to air strikes while 34 percent said it should include air strikes and boots on the ground. Fifteen percent said no military action should be taken.(Photo: AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

Photo By Photo: AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes

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GOP Edge - Just 32 percent of voters expressed approval of how Obama is handling foreign policy. More important, 41 percent said that the Republican Party deals with foreign policy better and 54 percent said that the GOP "ensures a strong national defense," compared to 16 percent who said the same of Democrats.(Photo by Darren Hauck/Getty Images)

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GOP Edge - Just 32 percent of voters expressed approval of how Obama is handling foreign policy. More important, 41 percent said that the Republican Party deals with foreign policy better and 54 percent said that the GOP "ensures a strong national defense," compared to 16 percent who said the same of Democrats.(Photo by Darren Hauck/Getty Images)

Be Afraid - In a CNN/ORC International survey, 70 percent of Americans said they believe ISIS is capable of launching an attack on the U.S. (Photo: ALI AL-SAADI/AFP/Getty Images)

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Be Afraid - In a CNN/ORC International survey, 70 percent of Americans said they believe ISIS is capable of launching an attack on the U.S. (Photo: ALI AL-SAADI/AFP/Getty Images)

ISIS - The administration appeared to be caught off guard this past summer by the militant Islamist group ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Critics blamed the White House for the group's rise because Obama was unable to come to an agreement that would have allowed enough U.S. troops to remain in Iraq to prevent the crisis. In addition, the terrorist group has publically beheaded several hostages, including American journalists. (PhALI AL-SAADI/AFP/Getty Images)oto:

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No Boots on the Ground - At 61 percent, a majority of respondents to the CNN/ORC poll said they oppose placing U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq and Syria to combat ISIS.(Photo: ALI AL-SAADI/AFP/Getty Images)

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A Man With No Plan? - The CNN/ORC poll found that just 30 percent of Americans think Obama has a "clear plan" to deal with ISIS.(Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images/ SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

A Serious Threat - Forty-five percent of Americans believe ISIS is a "very serious threat to the U.S.," according to the CNN/ORC survey, compared to 49 percent who said the same about al-Qaeda 11 years ago. Still, just 14 percent say terrorism is the most important problem facing the nation.(Photo: Ali Mukarrem Garip/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

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A Serious Threat - Forty-five percent of Americans believe ISIS is a "very serious threat to the U.S.," according to the CNN/ORC survey, compared to 49 percent who said the same about al-Qaeda 11 years ago. Still, just 14 percent say terrorism is the most important problem facing the nation.(Photo: Ali Mukarrem Garip/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)