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A Rhetorical Analysis of Messages to America by Osama Bin Laden

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A Rhetorical Analysis of Messages to America by Osama Bin Laden Rhode Island College Digital Commons @ RIC Honors Projects Overview Honors Projects June 2013 A Rhetorical Analysis of Messages to America by Osama bin Laden Meredith Taylor Rhode Island College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.ric.edu/honors_projects Part of the International and Intercultural Communication Commons, Other Communication Commons, and the Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons Recommended Citation Taylor, Meredith, "A Rhetorical Analysis of Messages to America by Osama bin Laden" (2013). Honors Projects Overview. 74. https://digitalcommons.ric.edu/honors_projects/74 This Honors is brought to you for free and open access by the Honors Projects at Digital Commons @ RIC. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Projects Overview by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ RIC. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Rhode Island College Digital Commons @ RIC Communication Honors Projects Rhode Island College Honors Projects 1-1-2013 A Rhetorical Analysis of Messages to America by Osama bin Laden Meredith Taylor Rhode Island College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.ric.edu/com_hp Part of the International and Intercultural Communication Commons, Other Communication Commons, and the Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons Recommended Citation Taylor, Meredith, "A Rhetorical Analysis of Messages to America by Osama bin Laden" (2013). Communication Honors Projects. Paper 1. http://digitalcommons.ric.edu/com_hp/1 This Honors is brought to you for free and open access by the Rhode Island College Honors Projects at Digital Commons @ RIC. It has been accepted for inclusion in Communication Honors Projects by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ RIC. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF MESSAGES TO AMERICA BY OSAMA BIN LADEN By Meredith Taylor An Honors Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Honors in The Department of Communication Faculty of Arts and Sciences Rhode Island College 2013 A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF MESSAGES TO AMERICA BY OSAMA BIN LADEN An Undergraduate Honors Project Presented By Meredith Taylor To Department of Communication Approved: __________________________________________ ___________________ Project Advisor Date __________________________________________ ___________________ Chair, Department Honors Committee Date __________________________________________ ___________________ Department Chair Date Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 1 Purpose .................................................................................................................................................... 2 Research Questions .................................................................................................................................. 3 Methods ................................................................................................................................................... 3 Artifacts ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Conflict between Osama and America ..................................................................................................... 5 Primary and Major Sources ..................................................................................................................... 5 Chapter Two: ............................................................................................................................................... 8 Historical Context and Biography of Rhetor ................................................................................................ 8 Introduction to Osama bin Laden ............................................................................................................ 8 Early Life ................................................................................................................................................. 8 Influences of His Father .......................................................................................................................... 9 External Influences ................................................................................................................................ 10 Bin Laden’s Involvement in the Soviet-Afghanistan War ....................................................................... 13 Inspiration for the Anti-American Thoughts Following the War ........................................................... 14 Formation of the Anti-American Movement .......................................................................................... 16 Bin Laden Allies with Egyptian Extremists ............................................................................................ 18 Formation of Al Qaeda .......................................................................................................................... 18 Bin Laden Declares War on America .................................................................................................... 21 Bin Laden in Sudan ................................................................................................................................ 22 Bin Laden in Afghanistan ...................................................................................................................... 23 Bin Laden Postmortem ........................................................................................................................... 25 Misconceptions and Perceptions of bin Laden ...................................................................................... 26 Chapter Three: ........................................................................................................................................... 27 Speech One: Martyrs “[Retaliate] on Behalf of the Poor” ......................................................................... 27 Post 9/11 ................................................................................................................................................ 27 Speech Released on October 7, 2001 ..................................................................................................... 27 First Stage of Analysis: Description of Artifact ..................................................................................... 27 Second Stage of Analysis: Historical Context ........................................................................................ 32 Third Stage of Analysis: Evaluation of Artifact ..................................................................................... 36 Chapter Four: ............................................................................................................................................. 39 Speech Two: “BUsh’s Hands Are Covered With…Blood” ........................................................................... 39 Presidential Elections of 2004 ............................................................................................................... 39 Speech Released on October 29, 2004 ................................................................................................... 39 First Stage of Analysis: Description of Artifact ..................................................................................... 39 Second Stage of Analysis: Historical Context ........................................................................................ 46 Third Stage of Analysis: Evaluation of Artifact ..................................................................................... 51 Chapter Five: .............................................................................................................................................. 53 Speech Three: “There Is No Shame In This SolUtion…” .............................................................................. 53 Speech Released: January 19, 2006 ...................................................................................................... 53 First Stage of Analysis: Description of Artifact ..................................................................................... 53 The Second Stage of Analysis: Historical Context ................................................................................. 57 Third Stage of Analysis: Evaluation of Artifact ..................................................................................... 62 Chapter 6: .................................................................................................................................................. 64 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 64 Purpose of Thesis Research ................................................................................................................... 64 Research Questions ................................................................................................................................ 64 Method Used in Thesis Analysis ............................................................................................................ 64 Intentions of bin Laden as a Rhetor ......................................................................................................
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