It’s not exactly a secret Obama is reaping the rewards of the counter-terror programs Bush put in place after 9/11.

(Politico) — Americans see the Republican Party as better able to protect the country from external threats, according to a new Gallup poll. The poll was released on the same day the Obama administration confirmed the death of Anwar al-Awlaki, a high-profile terror suspect in Yemen.

Forty-nine percent of respondents said Republicans were better at “protecting the country from international terrorism and military threats” than Democrats. Thirty-eight percent said they believed Democrats were better at protecting the country from terror threats.

Over the past decade, Democrats were seen as better for economic prosperity than the Republicans. That continued until 2010, when the GOP overtook Democrats on the issue.

This year, respondents said that Republicans were better than Democrats for prosperity by a margin of 48 percent to 39 percent.

But the poll also shows widespread dissatisfaction with both parties. Fifty-five percent of respondents said that two major parties do “such a poor job that a third major party is needed.” Only 38 percent said that the two parties were doing an adequate job.