Obama’s foreign policy approval at record low ahead of speech

Only 32 percent of Americans support President Obama’s foreign policy decisions as the focus shifts to his prime-time speech that will outline a strategy to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The all-time low was recorded by an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released late Tuesday.

A majority of Americans, 61 percent, believe it is in the national interest to take military action against ISIS. Thirteen percent do not believe so.

{mosads}Much of the support for a more hawkish foreign policy to defeat ISIS can likely be attributed to the beheadings of two U.S. journalists by ISIS, posted in videos online last month.

A stunning 94 percent of Americans have heard about the murder of journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff by Islamic militants, the highest percentage of any news item in the past five years for the poll.

The president, who traveled to Europe last week to lobby support for a coalition against ISIS, will outline his strategy Wednesday night to defeat the militant group. He consulted with congressional leaders on Tuesday.

Obama’s speech comes on the eve of the anniversary of 9/11, an attack that some lawmakers have compared with potential threats from ISIS.

Nearly half of Americans, 47 percent, believe the U.S. is less safe now than in the days leading up to 9/11; just over a quarter, 26 percent, think America is safer now.

Republicans have repeatedly dogged the president on his response to ISIS, jumping on his comment recently that the administration does not “have a strategy yet” for military action against ISIS in Syria and reiterating GOP calls for clear objectives from the president.

Between parties, Republicans have a 41 to 23 percent advantage over Democrats on who best handles foreign policy. That is an 11-point gain for Republicans in the past year.