American voters are evenly divided over how tough a decision it was for President Barack Obama to order a Navy Seal raid on Usama bin Laden’s Pakistan compound this month. In fact, while 48 percent of voters think signing off on the raid was a “gutsy move” by Obama, some 49 percent think it was a “no-brainer” decision any president would have made under the circumstances. …

Overall, President Obama’s job performance ratings have improved since the killing of bin Laden. Currently 55 percent of voters approve and 41 percent disapprove. Before the raid, 47 percent approved and 47 percent disapproved (25-27 April 2011).

While 22 percent of voters think the U.S. is safer as a result bin Laden’s death, 30 percent think the country is more at risk. Nearly half — 47 percent — think there hasn’t been much of a change. For comparison, in 2004, a 63 percent majority of voters thought the country would be safer if bin Laden were captured or killed (3-4 March 2004).