We're a Peaceful Nation – War Rhetoric After September 11
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“We’re a peaceful nation” – nation” a peaceful “We’re “We’re a peaceful nation” war rhetoric after september 11 “Why is traditional war propaganda still so effective in today’s critical mass media society, with well-informed citizens as its receivers? The answer to this intellectual mystery is probably quite simple: in threatening and complex circumstances, we are grateful for simple solutions. By juggling words and metaphors, by associating war with hunting, games or work, war becomes more acceptable, especially a ‘clinical’ war. An enemy that is evil is a legitimate target. A war described as a humanitarian effort is no longer a war. But in today’s democratic society, we should not be satisfied with black and white wa solutions, even in crisis situations. Scepticism, suspicion and doubts about r rhetoric 11 september after the war strategists’ descriptions should not only be allowed but encouraged, rewarded and prioritised. To use another metaphor, we need to protect ourselves from the ravages of propaganda.” Brigitte Mral This study highlights the rhetorical devices that were used during the two military operations that were a direct consequence of the events on September 11. The purpose is to create a better understanding of the war strategists’ efforts to define tour world. Mral Brigitte Brigitte Mral, professor of Rhetoric at Department of Humanities, Örebro University. ”We’re a peaceful nation” Swedish Emergency Management Agency/ war rhetoric after september 11 Krisberedskapsmyndigheten P.O. Box 599 sp SE-101 31 Stockholm ec Brigitte Mral ial | 2004:5 feature Tel +46 8 593 710 00 Fax +46 8 593 710 01 kbm@krisberedskaps myndigheten.se ISSN 1652-2915 ISSN 1652-3970 www.krisberedskaps special feature | 2004:5 ISBN 91-85053-61-9 myndigheten.se special feature | 2004:5 ”We’re a peaceful nation” war rhetoric after september 11 Brigitte Mral Title: ”We’re a peaceful nation” – War rhetoric after September 11 Published by SEMA Cover photo: Wearing a flight suit, U.S. President George W. Bush walks with NFO Lt. Ryan Phillips to board an S-3 Viking, to fly out to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln from Naval Air Station North Island, in San Diego, May 1, 2003. Bush was flying out to greet the 5,000 sailors aboard the Lincoln as they return home from the war in Iraq. Mike Blake/Reuters/Scanpix. Number of copies: 2,000 ex ISSN: 1652-2915 ISBN: 91-85053-61-9 SEMA’s dnr: 0695/2003 Translation: Ruth McNaughton Design: AB Typoform Printed by: Edita, Västerås 2004 Copies can be ordered from SEMA, materialförvaltningen, free of charge. Email: [email protected] The publication can also be downloaded from SEMA’s web site: www.krisberedskapsmyndigheten.se Special feature 2004:5 Contents SEMA’S Preface 5 Preface 7 introduction: Rhetoric in times of crisis 9 The rhetorical introduction after September 11 15 ‘War’ theme 17 ‘Evil’ theme 20 ‘Hunting’ theme 22 september 14, 2001: The Ground Zero speech 24 september 20, 2001: “Freedom and fear are at war“ 27 ‘Freedom’ theme 31 october 7, 2001: The Afghanistan War speech 34 ‘Oppression of women’ theme 35 january 29, 2002: State of the Union 38 october 7, 2002: The Cincinnati speech 40 ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction’ theme 42 february 5, 2003: Colin Powell’s speech in the UN 44 february 15, 2003: Tony Blair’s speech 49 march 16, 2003: Summit meeting in the Azores 52 ‘Helpfulness’ theme 53 march 19, 2003: George W. Bush’s speech before the invasion of Iraq 55 ‘Work’ theme 56 ‘Games and sport’ theme 57 may 1, 2003: George W. Bush’s victory speech 60 Epilogue 63 References 65 Appendix 67 Appendix 1. Statement by the President in His Address to the Nation September 11, 2001 67 Appendix 2. The Cathedral speech 69 Appendix 3. Remarks by the President Upon Arrival 71 Appendix 4. “Freedom and fear are at war” 74 Appendix 5. The Afghanistan war speech 79 Appendix 6. Radio Address by Laura Bush to the Nation 81 Appendix 7. State of the Union 83 Appendix 8. The Cincinnati speech 89 Appendix 9. Colin Powell’s speech in the UN 94 Appendix 10. Tony Blair’s speech 111 Appendix 11. Summit meeting in the Azores 116 Appendix 12. George W. Bush’s speech before the invasion of Iraq 123 Appendix 13. George W. Bush’s victory speech 125 SEMA’s preface When an extreme and revolutionary of using language to convince people event takes place, people want decisions about what should be done was major. and demand that politicians speak to The speeches have been included in an them. This is not a new phenomenon. appendix. A national crisis demands that politicians Brigitte Mral, Professor of Rhetoric show leadership by explaining what has at the Department of Humanities, happened and showing resolution. They Örebro University, has researched and have to say what will be done to restore written books on rhetoric. In this book, order in the chaos. Their actions must she analyses the role that rhetoric and be understandable and dressed in lin- propaganda played in the period from guistic attire. September 11, 2001 up until the Iraq Rhetoric, with its classical roots, is War. Analysing how threat scenarios are used to convince the public. It is also communicated is important for society’s used to analyse the events. And this is emergency management, and the reason important to understand because every why SEMA initiated this study of day, especially in times of war and crisis, rhetoric and propaganda. we receive messages that are sent to The Swedish Emergency Manage- convince us. ment Agency (SEMA) is tasked with After September 11, leaders like strengthening society’s emergency man- George W. Bush and Tony Blair spoke agement capabilities. This is implemented to their citizens and political assemblies by developing crisis communication about the need to go to war. The enemy and crisis management methods. SEMA was neither a country nor a military also conducts open source intelligence, power. It was an enemy with no place research and studies, and compiles of abode that acted via a “network”. This results in these areas. This analysis is situation was entirely new, and the task one of SEMA’s thematic studies. Henrik Olinder Principal Administrative Officer, Crisis Communication Swedish Emergency Management Agency sema’s preface | 5 Figure. US President George W. Bush and US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld tour the impact area at the Pentagon on September 12, 2001. photo: paul j. richards/afp 6 | “we’re a peaceful nation” Preface “Words and pictures are dangerous military operations that were a direct and we should really fear them.” 1 consequence of the events on September 11, which President George W. Bush sometimes refers to as the ‘battle of The terrorist attacks in New York on Afghanistan’ and the ‘battle of Iraq’.2 September 11, 2001 led the world into The purpose is to create a better under- a new and frightening epoch of global standing of the war strategists' efforts uncertainty. In times of crisis like these, to define our world. In his speech to when people have to be mobilised or Congress on September 20, 2001, Bush at least motivated into accepting joint says: “… this country will define our counteractions, intensive rhetorical times, not be defined by them.”3 In this campaigns are also launched. People study, we will look at how the military must be persuaded that their govern- leaders define reality. European countries ment is right. Successful actions and have reacted very differently to the strategies may help to convince them. Anglo-American alliance’s interpretation But in the beginning, and at each criti- of events, especially the American inter- cal point along the way, strategists have pretation and its military consequences. to motivate their actions through argu- The Swedish Government has adopted mentation, interpretation and visions; a wait-and-see policy, also in regard to in other words, with rhetoric. Words actions in Iraq in the spring of 2003, are needed to legitimise the actions of which were criticised by the UN. How- military and political leaders, in this ever, in principle, both politicians and case the ‘war on terrorism.’ the media have accepted the dominat- This study highlights the rhetorical ing interpretation. We have been sub- devices that were used during the two ject to a major propaganda offensive, 1. Kurt Johannesson, professor em. in rhetoric, Expressen, October 25, 2001 2. E.g. Bush’s speech on May 1, 2003 http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/05/iraq/20030501-15.html 3. http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010920-8.html preface | 7 and the rapid tempo of events gave us In principle, this study follows two little time to reflect over the contents series of events: firstly, the period of in the descriptions. This study is an time directly after September 11, 2001 attempt to reflect on what leaders have and the acts of war in Afghanistan, and told us about the state of the world in secondly, the period of time around the the three years following September 11: Iraq War in 2003. Both periods gener- the words, pictures and narratives that ated a number of important concepts, have been used to convince us. The and the significance of these will be aim of this study is not to be wise after analysed separately and progressively in the event but to encourage reflection, order to create a deeper understanding and strengthen our resilience to propa- of how propagandists try to create a ganda campaigns. new conception of reality. The study The source material consists of some presents some central speeches and of the hundreds of speeches that were rhetorical situations in chronological made to explain and motivate the order, and an analysis of recurring actions of both the USA and the UK.