The latest New York Times/CBS News poll showed on Wednesday that U.S. President Barack Obama's overall approval rating went up following the killing of terror mastermind Osama bin Laden by American military forces in Pakistan.
The support for the president rose significantly among both Republicans and independents. A total of 57 percent said they now approved of Obama's job performance, up from 46 percent last month.
The president's negative ratings have fallen by eight points, to 37 percent.
Meanwhile, a total of 85 percent approved of the way Obama handled the pursuit of bin Laden. Some 62 percent think the bin Laden killing will increase the terrorism threat against the United States.
Regarding the U.S. military operation in Afghanistan, the poll showed that public sentiment on the issue was more complicated. Nearly half
said the nation should decrease troop levels in Afghanistan. But more than six in 10 also said the United States had not completed its mission in Afghanistan, suggesting that the public would oppose a rapid withdrawal of all American forces.
The nationwide telephone poll was conducted on May 2 and 3 with 532 adults.