DOCSLIB.ORG

Visual Framing of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq : an Analysis of News Photographs

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Visual Framing of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq : an Analysis of News Photographs San Jose State University SJSU ScholarWorks Master's Theses Master's Theses and Graduate Research 2008 Visual framing of the 2003 invasion of Iraq : an analysis of news photographs Diana von Buseck San Jose State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses Recommended Citation Buseck, Diana von, "Visual framing of the 2003 invasion of Iraq : an analysis of news photographs" (2008). Master's Theses. 3647. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.uz2u-c4kh https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/3647 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Master's Theses and Graduate Research at SJSU ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of SJSU ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. VISUAL FRAMING OF THE 2003 INVASION OF IRAQ: AN ANALYSIS OF NEWS PHOTOGRAPHS A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the School of Journalism and Mass Communications San Jose State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science by Diana von Buseck December 2008 UMI Number: 1463405 Copyright 2008 by von Buseck, Diana All rights reserved. INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. ® UMI UMI Microform 1463405 Copyright 2009 by ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 E. Eisenhower Parkway PO Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 © 2008 Diana von Buseck ALL RIGHTS RESERVED APPROVED FOR THE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATIONS Dr. Diana Stover Dr. Scott Fosdick •IAZL^LJwi-.-C ' / L-OCi?./!-..."-, K-A-"l Dr. William Tillinghast APPROVED FOR THE UNIVERSITY ./[ U \t-\i\ot ABSTRACT VISUAL FRAMING OF THE 2003 INVASION OF IRAQ: AN ANALYSIS OF NEWS PHOTOGRAPHS by Diana von Buseck This thesis examined the visual frames in the photographic coverage of the invasion of Iraq in Newsweek, Time, and The Associated Press. The framing analysis found that military frames dominated the photographic coverage at the expense of a wider context for the invasion. The coverage showed the strength and superiority of the military, and focused on soldiers. Two other major sets of frames were politics and humanization. The frames provided evidence that the embed system impacted the visual coverage by providing increased access to combat, soldiers, and Iraqi citizens. The Associated Press' photographs offered an international perspective as compared with the U.S.-centered images in the news magazines. In terms of the compositional elements used in photographs, the study found that the news organizations conveyed a sense of credibility by using images that acted as records of events and that minimized the constructed nature of photographs by using few compositional elements. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My heartfelt thanks go to my parents, Andreas and Silvia, for their continued love and support through my most recent academic pursuit. They have instilled in me an unquenchable curiosity that pushes me to learn and grow, and for that I am eternally grateful. I will forever be indebted to my dear friend, Joseph Garcia. His unwavering encouragement and enthusiasm kept me going. He acted as my rock when it seemed this whole process would never end. His guidance along this journey has meant the world to me, and I truly cannot thank him enough. Finally, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to Dr. Diana Stover, Dr. Scott Fosdick, and Dr. William Tillinghast for all their inspiration, hard work, and gracious support. I wish to particularly thank my primary advisor, Dr. Diana Stover, who has gone well above the call of duty to guide me along this path. Her dedication has been an inspiration, and will never be forgotten. v TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction 1 Purpose of the Study 3 II. Review of the Literature 6 Framing 6 The Process of Framing 9 Policies, Social Movements, and Framing 11 Power of Visuals 12 Constructions and Records of Reality 13 The Impact of Visuals 14 Photographic Composition 17 Size and Placement 18 Camera Angle 19 Color versus Black and White Images 19 Proximity of Subject to Viewer 20 Selective Focus 20 Framing the Gulf War and the Iraq War 21 Framing the Gulf War 23 Framing the Iraq War 25 War and Public Opinion 29 Historical Context of the Invasion of Iraq 31 Media Events from the Invasion of Iraq 33 vi Overview and Theoretical Framework 36 Research Questions 40 III. Method 41 Publications Analyzed 41 News Magazines 42 Newsweek 42 Time 43 The Associated Press 43 The Sample 44 Measures 46 Frame Definitions 46 Composition 49 Analysis 51 IV. Results 53 Overview: Descriptive Analysis of Frames 53 Military Frames 55 Politics Frames 59 Humanization Frames 62 Minor Frames 66 Research Questions 69 Research Question 1 70 Analysis of variance 71 vii Newsweek 73 Time 73 The Associated Press 74 Research Question 2 74 Research Question 3 75 Research Question 4 78 Research Question 5 82 Camera angle 83 Selective focus 84 Proximity of subject to viewer 86 Size 87 Placement 89 Color versus black and white 92 V. Conclusion 94 Discussion 94 Contributions to the Literature 100 Implications of the Study 102 Directions for Future Research 103 VI. References 104 VII. Appendix A: Codebook Ill via LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Major Frames in Newsweek, Time, and The Associated Press 54 Table 2: Means of Major Frames in Newsweek, Time, and The Associated Press 72 Table 3: Analysis of Variance for Major Frames in Newsweek, Time, and The Associated Press 73 Table 4: Major Photograph Sources Used by Newsweek and Time 77 Table 5: Chi-Square for Major Photograph Sources Used by Newsweek and Time 78 Table 6: Major Frames in News Magazines—Newsweek and Time—and The Associated Press 79 Table 7: Two-Tailed T-Test for Frames in News Magazines—Newsweek and Time—and The Associated Press 81 Table 8: Camera Angles in Photographs in Newsweek, Time, and The Associated Press 84 Table 9: Selective Focus in Photographs in Newsweek, Time, and The Associated Press 85 TablelO: Proximity of Subject to Viewer in Photographs in Newsweek, Time, and The Associated Press 86 Table 11: The Size of Photographs in Newsweek and Time 88 Table 12: Means for the Size of Photographs in Newsweek and Time 90 Table 13: Two-Tailed T-Test for the Size of Photographs in Newsweek and Time 90 Table 14: Prominence/Placement of Photographs in Newsweek and Time 91 Table 15: Means for Prominence/Placement of Photographs in Newsweek and Time... 92 Table 16: Two-Tailed T-Test for Prominence/Placement of Photographs in Newsweek and Time 92 ix 1 CHAPTER I Introduction In a complex world with seemingly endless current-events information available around the clock, audiences depend on reputable news outlets to organize information and present it clearly. Individual and societal realities are constructed from the information that is interpreted and shared. It would be difficult to imagine a life with no information about what is happening past one's own front door. Mass communications scholars have long examined the nature of news, and more recently have addressed how news is framed. An ever-growing area of mass communications research is the exploration of how news organizations utilize visuals as framing devices. This study analyzed how the 2003 invasion of Iraq was visually framed by Newsweek, Time, and The Associated Press. Research has shown that photographs are powerful communication tools that evoke strong emotional responses and can be more memorable than words alone (Coleman, 2006; Graber, 1988). It is therefore important to further explore the relationship between visual news content and framing. It is also important to look past the subject of an image, and to examine the manner in which the image is constructed. Formal composition decisions can greatly impact how the viewer interprets an image. For instance, the research of Mandell and Shaw (1973) found that a dramatic high or low camera angle could directly affect the viewer's perception of a politician's power and authority. Visuals as framing devices are a crucial part of the overall presentation of news coverage. Particularly during times of critical events, people depend on news, 2 especially visuals, to learn about events that may be happening at great distances away from them. Since most individuals collect information about foreign affairs and war through the media, the manner in which news about conflict is presented can be critical to how the public forms opinions about war. In a society that continues to put great value on a free press, it becomes increasingly important to examine how media outlets frame news content as it can significantly influence how audiences understand international cultures and events (Kim, 2002). Particularly during volatile times of conflict, media frames can have a direct impact on public opinion and affect attitudes and behaviors (Chong & Druckman, 2007). How media organizations frame war is therefore an important area that benefits from continuous exploration by mass communications researchers. On March 20,2003, the United States along with Coalition forces invaded Iraq on the premise of defending the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq, including the threat of weapons of mass destruction, and enforcing the United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • International Law and the 2003 Invasion of Iraq Revisited
    International Law and the 2003 Invasion of Iraq Revisited Donald K. Anton Associate Professor of Law The Australian National University College of Law Paper delivered April 30, 2013 Australian National University Asia-Pacific College of Diplomacy The Invasion of Iraq: Canadian and Australian Perspectives Seminar1 INTRODUCTION Good morning. Thank you to the organizers for inviting me to participate today in this retrospective on the 2003 invasion of Iraq. My role this morning, as I understand it, is to parse the international legal arguments surrounding the invasion and to reconsider them in the fullness of time that has elapsed. It is a role I agreed to take on with hesitation because it is difficult to add much that is new. I suppose I can take comfort in saying what I’ve already said, and saying it again today, because of how I view my obligations as an international lawyer. I believe we lawyers have a duty to stand up and insist that our leaders adhere to the rule of law in international relations and to help ensure that they are held accountable for the failure to do so. As I am sure you are all aware, much remains to be done in terms of accountability, especially in the United States, and it is disappointing that the Obama Administration has so far refused to prosecute what seem to be clear violations of the Torture Convention, including all the way up the chain of command if necessary. Today, however, my talk is confined to the legal arguments about the use of force in Iraq and an analysis of their persuasiveness.
    [Show full text]
  • The Real Outcome of the Iraq War: US and Iranian Strategic Competition in Iraq
    The Real Outcome of the Iraq War: US and Iranian Strategic Competition in Iraq By Anthony H. Cordesman, Peter Alsis, Adam Mausner, and Charles Loi Anthony H. Cordesman Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy Revised: December 20, 2011 Note: This draft is being circulated for comments and suggestions. Please provide them to [email protected] Chapter 6: US Strategic Competition with Iran: Competition in Iraq 2 Executive Summary "Americans planted a tree in Iraq. They watered that tree, pruned it, and cared for it. Ask your American friends why they're leaving now before the tree bears fruit." --Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.1 Iraq has become a key focus of the strategic competition between the United States and Iran. The history of this competition has been shaped by the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), the 1991 Gulf War, and the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Since the 2003 war, both the US and Iran have competed to shape the structure of Post-Saddam Iraq’s politics, governance, economics, and security. The US has gone to great lengths to counter Iranian influence in Iraq, including using its status as an occupying power and Iraq’s main source of aid, as well as through information operations and more traditional press statements highlighting Iranian meddling. However, containing Iranian influence, while important, is not America’s main goal in Iraq. It is rather to create a stable democratic Iraq that can defeat the remaining extremist and insurgent elements, defend against foreign threats, sustain an able civil society, and emerge as a stable power friendly to the US and its Gulf allies.
    [Show full text]
  • Mosul After the Battle
    Mosul after the Battle Reparations for civilian harm and the future of Ninewa © Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and Minority Rights Group International January 2020 Cover photo: This report has been produced with the financial assistance of the Swiss Federal De- A woman peeks out of a gate partment of Foreign Affairs and the European Union. The contents of this report are peppered with bullet marks after fighting between the Iraqi Army the sole responsibility of the publishers and can under no circumstances be regarded and ISIS militants in Al-Qadisiyah as reflecting the position of the Swiss FDFA or the European Union. district, Mosul, Iraq. © Iva Zimova/Panos This report was written by Khaled Zaza and Élise Steiner of Zaza Consulting, Mariam Bilikhodze and Dr. Mahmood Azzo Hamdow of the Faculty of Political Sci- ence, University of Mosul. Special thanks to Dr. Tine Gade for research support and review of the report. Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights The Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights is a new initiative to develop ‘civilian-led monitoring’ of violations of international humanitarian law or human rights, to pursue legal and political accountability for those responsible for such violations, and to develop the practice of civilian rights. The Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights is registered as a charity and a company limited by guarantee under English law; charity no: 1160083, company no: 9069133. Minority Rights Group International MRG is an NGO working to secure the rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples worldwide, and to promote cooperation and understanding between communities. MRG works with over 150 partner orga- nizations in nearly 50 countries.
    [Show full text]
  • Iraq Ten Years On’ Conference and at the Suleimani Forum at the American University of Suleimaniya, Both in March 2013
    Iraq on the International Stage Iraq on the International Stage Foreign Policy and National Jane Kinninmont, Gareth Stansfield and Omar Sirri Identity in Transition Jane Kinninmont, Gareth Stansfield and Omar Sirri July 2013 Chatham House, 10 St James’s Square, London SW1Y 4LE T: +44 (0)20 7957 5700 E: [email protected] F: +44 (0)20 7957 5710 www.chathamhouse.org Charity Registration Number: 208223 Iraq on the International Stage Foreign Policy and National Identity in Transition Jane Kinninmont, Gareth Stansfield and Omar Sirri July 2013 © The Royal Institute of International Affairs, 2013 Chatham House (The Royal Institute of International Affairs) is an independent body which promotes the rigorous study of international questions and does not express opinions of its own. The opinions expressed in this publication are the responsibility of the authors. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. Please direct all enquiries to the publishers. Chatham House 10 St James’s Square London SW1Y 4LE T: +44 (0) 20 7957 5700 F: + 44 (0) 20 7957 5710 www.chathamhouse.org Charity Registration No. 208223 ISBN 978 1 86203 292 7 A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library. Cover image: © Getty Images/AFP Designed and typeset by Soapbox Communications Limited www.soapbox.co.uk Printed
    [Show full text]
  • Was the 2003 Invasion of Iraq Legal?
    Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen IV Was the 2003 Invasion of Iraq Legal? Andru E. Wall* I. Introduction iscussion of the jus ad bellum and the Iraq war is anything but simple and Duncontroversial. There is certainly no shortage of opinions on the subject. One of the author’s favorite quotes is from General Wesley Clark, who said the 2003 invasion was legal, but illegitimate.1 You will appreciate the irony if you re- member that the Independent International Commission on Kosovo established by the United Nations called General Clark’s 1999 Kosovo campaign illegal, but legitimate.2 When several leading international law professors were asked by a British news- paper, “Was the 2003 Iraq war legal?” their responses were illustrative.3 Professor Malcom Shaw replied: “[O]n the basis of the intelligence we had at the time and the publicly available knowledge, there was a credible and reasonable argument in favor of the legality of the war.” Professor Christine Chinkin answered “no” because she believed UN Security Council Resolution 1441 preserved for the Security Council the decision on enforcement action. Professor Sir Adam Roberts replied: “There was in principle a possible case for the lawfulness of resort to war by the US and its small coalition.” Professor James Crawford answered simply: “It comes down to a political judgment.” Unfortunately this author thinks Professor Crawford’s statement is quite accu- rate, as it reflects the truism that law and policy are mutually affecting; nowhere is *Lieutenant Commander, JAGC, US Navy. This article is derived in part from Andru E.
    [Show full text]
  • Refugees from Iraq Their History, Cultures, and Background Experiences
    COR Center Enhanced Refugee Backgrounder No. 1 October 2008 Refugees fromIraq COR Center Enhanced Refugee Backgrounder No. 1 October 2008 Refugees from Iraq Their History, Cultures, and Background Experiences Writers: Edmund Ghareeb, Donald Ranard, and Jenab Tutunji Editor: Donald A. Ranard Published by the Center for Applied Linguistics Cultural Orientation Resource Center Center for Applied Linguistics 4646 40th Street, NW Washington, DC 20016-1859 Tel. (202) 362-0700 Fax (202) 363-7204 http://www.culturalorientation.net http://www.cal.org The contents of this Backgrounder were developed with funding from the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, United States Department of State, but do not necessarily represent the policy of that agency and the reader should not assume endorsement by the federal government. The Backgrounder was published by the Center for Applied Linquistics (CAL), but the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of CAL. Production supervision: Sanja Bebic Writers: Edmund Ghareeb, Donald Ranard, and Jenab Tutunji Editor: Donald A. Ranard Copyediting: Jeannie Rennie Proofreading: Craig Packard Cover: Ellipse Design Design, illustration, production: Ellipse Design ©2008 by the Center for Applied Linguistics The U.S. Department of State reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use, and to authorize others to use, the work for Government purposes. All other rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to the Cultural Orientation Resource Center, Center for Applied Linguistics, 4646 40th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
    [Show full text]
  • An Analysis of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq James Zandstra
    Seton Hall University eRepository @ Seton Hall Law School Student Scholarship Seton Hall Law 2013 An Analysis of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq James Zandstra Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.shu.edu/student_scholarship Recommended Citation Zandstra, James, "An Analysis of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq" (2013). Law School Student Scholarship. 330. https://scholarship.shu.edu/student_scholarship/330 An Analysis of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq James Zandstra APRIL 25, 2012 Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………….1 II. THE INVASION..…………………………………………………………………….1 III. THE LEGAL DEBATE...……………………………………………………………..7 IV. POLITICAL AND DOMESTIC PERCEPTION.……………………………………11 V. FINNIS, PRACTICAL REASONABLENESS AND THE INVASION……………20 VI. CONCLUSION....……………………………………………………………………32 I. INTRODUCTION The US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 was and continues to be controversial throughout the domestic and international community. With the matter of the subsequent US occupancy of Iraq aside, a deep divide exists among scholars in different fields as to the question of whether or not the US was justified in its initial decision to invade. Within the legal field, controversy surrounds the question as to whether the US could rightfully invade without explicit UN authorization. While, at the time of the invasion, a majority of Americans and their elected officials supported the action, moral scholars remained, and continue to remain, split on the justness of the action. Even those who used the same ethical framework of analysis, namely the just war theory, are split on the morality of the decision. Considering this disparity, it is helpful to analyze the situation according to John Finnis’ perception of the good, as established in Natural Law and Natural Rights.
    [Show full text]
  • Iraq in Crisis
    MAY 2014 Iraq in Crisis ANTHONY H. CORDESMAN AND SAM KHAZAI AND SAM ANTHONY H. CORDESMAN 1616 Rhode Island Avenue NW| Washington DC 20036 t. (202) 887-0200 | f. (202) 775-3199 | www.csis.org Iraq in ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD Lanham • Boulder • New York • Toronto • Plymouth, UK 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Lanham, MD 20706 t. (800) 462-6420 | f. (301) 429-5749 | www.rowman.com Crisis AUTHORS Cover photo: Photo by Kaveh Seyedahmadian. http://www.flickr.com/photos/samanvari/3388535986/. Anthony H. Cordesman ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD ISBN 978-1-4422-2855-9 Sam Khazai Ë|xHSLEOCy228559z v*:+:!:+:! A Report of the CSIS Burke Chair in Strategy Blank Iraq in Crisis Authors Anthony H. Cordesman Sam Khazai A Report of the CSIS Burke Chair in Strategy May 2014 ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD Lanham • Boulder • New York • Toronto • Plymouth, UK About CSIS For over 50 years, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has worked to develop solutions to the world’s greatest policy challenges. Today, CSIS scholars are providing strategic insights and bipartisan policy solutions to help decisionmakers chart a course toward a better world. CSIS is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Center’s 220 full-time staff and large network of affiliated scholars conduct research and analysis and develop policy initiatives that look into the future and anticipate change. Founded at the height of the Cold War by David M. Abshire and Admiral Arleigh Burke, CSIS was dedicated to finding ways to sustain American prominence and prosperity as a force for good in the world. Since 1962, CSIS has become one of the world’s preeminent international institutions focused on defense and security; regional stability; and transnational challenges ranging from energy and climate to global health and economic integration.
    [Show full text]
  • George W. Bush and the Iraq War of 2003 Deception
    GEORGE W. BUSH AND THE IRAQ WAR OF 2003 DECEPTION, DISCOURSE, AND THE ILLUSION OF EXPANSION by Mike Maxey A thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Political Science University of Central Oklahoma December, 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………….1 CHAPTER II: JUSTIFICATION FOR DECEPTION………………………………...6 CHAPTER III: DECEPTION AND THE ILLUSION OF EXPANSION………........27 CHAPTER IV: DISCOURSE OF NEOCONSERVATISM AND AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM………………………………………………..34 CHAPTER V: THE UTOPIAN REALISM OF GEORGE W. BUSH……………….41 CHAPTER VI:BUSH AND THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX: A FAMILY AFFAIR…………………………………………………..51 CHAPTER VII: THE INFLUENCE OF GROUPTHINK……………………………62 CHAPTER VIII: FEAR, PARANOIA, AND DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR……..71 CHAPTER IX: CONCLUSIONS……………………………………………………80 REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………….85 APPENDIX…………………………………………………………………………..96 Chapter I Introduction The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions. -Leonardo Da Vinci, Notebooks The use of deception to provoke political support for the extraordinary governmental use of force is an important theme of public diplomacy studies. John J. Mearsheimer has argued that deception, “where an individual purposely takes steps that are designed to prevent others from knowing the full truth” (Mearsheimer 2011, 15), is a practice followed by “leaders of all kinds” who consider it “a useful tool of statecraft that can and should be employed in a variety of circumstances” (Mearsheimer 2011, 99). Mearsheimer’s insights into the foreign policy decision making process reflect the intellectual tradition to which he affiliates. Within that intellectual tradition, Sun Tzu, Thomas Hobbes, Niccolo Machiavelli, and Thucydides have all noted the usefulness of deception in drumming up political support.
    [Show full text]
  • THEORIES of CONFLICT and the IRAQ WAR Daniel Lieberfeld
    International Journal of Peace Studies, Volume 10, Number 2, Autumn/Winter 2005 THEORIES OF CONFLICT AND THE IRAQ WAR Daniel Lieberfeld Abstract The article examines the U.S. decision to invade Iraq from a range of analytic perspectives—realism, liberalism, elite interests, ideological influences, and personal and social psychology—in order to better understand the causes of the invasion decision and implications of the particular case study for general theories of war causes. The analysis distinguishes among different types of causal influences and traces links among the various analytic perspectives. The 2003 invasion of Iraq has become the largest, longest, and most costly use of armed force by the United States since the Vietnam war. It is the first major post-Cold- war U.S. military action taken apart from an international organization and the first U.S. experience as an occupying power in a Middle Eastern country. Although the invasion decision is in some respects unprecedented, particularly concerning extensive U.S. military involvement in an Arab or Muslim country, the contention here is that the Iraq invasion is not sui generis and can be usefully understood with reference to established theories of war causes. This article considers how theories concerning the causes of war can help explain the U.S. decision. It explores how contending interpretations of this particular war can add to understanding of war causes generally, and also traces linkages among the theoretical perspectives. Table 1 summarizes the theoretical perspectives under discussion, beginning with realism, which, emphasizes motives related to national security, power, and resources. By contrast, liberalism considers differences between democracies and non-democracies to be a fundamental cause of war.
    [Show full text]
  • Justifying the War in Iraq: What the Bush Administration's Uses of Evidence Reveal
    University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Departmental Papers (ASC) Annenberg School for Communication 6-1-2007 Justifying the War in Iraq: What the Bush Administration's Uses of Evidence Reveal Kathleen Hall Jamieson University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/asc_papers Part of the Communication Commons Recommended Citation Jamieson, K. H. (2007). Justifying the War in Iraq: What the Bush Administration's Uses of Evidence Reveal. Rhetoric & Public Affairs, 10 (2), 249-273. https://doi.org/10.1353/rap.2007.0038 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/asc_papers/355 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Justifying the War in Iraq: What the Bush Administration's Uses of Evidence Reveal Abstract This essay argues that, if carefully read, the public statements of the Bush administration in the run-up to the March 2003 U.S.-led military intervention in Iraq reveal that the available evidence did not warrant the administration’s confident claims that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction(WMD). To support this argument, the essay explores the administration’s verbal leakage and Freudian slips, shifts in the burden of proof, strategies that minimized evidentiary accountability, assertions of the presence of convincing evidence that could not be publicly revealed, and tacit concessions that the case for WMD was a patchwork. Disciplines Communication | Social and Behavioral Sciences This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/asc_papers/355 Justifying the War in Iraq: What the Bush Administration's Uses of Evidence Reveal Kathleen Hall Jamieson Rhetoric & Public Affairs, Volume 10, Number 2, Summer 2007, pp.
    [Show full text]
  • An Enduring American Commitment in Iraq Shaping a Long-Term Strategy with Iraqi Army Partners
    Perspective EXPERT INSIGHTS ON A TIMELY POLICY ISSUE BEN CONNABLE AN ENDURING AMERICAN COMMITMENT IN IRAQ SHAPING A LONG-TERM STRATEGY WITH IRAQI ARMY PARTNERS March 2020 C O R P O R A T I O N Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................ 1 1. Introduction: Iraq’s Army and U.S. National Security ................................. 2 2. Iraq’s Importance to U.S. National Security Interests ................................ 3 3. America’s Experience with and in Iraq, 1979–2019 .................................... 4 4. Iraq at the Heart of American Foreign Policy: 1979–2019 .......................... 7 5. Current Strategic Importance of Iraq and Its Army: Late 2019 ................11 6. Iraq’s Army as a Focal Point for Enduring Strategic Development ..........18 7. A Policy for Enduring Commitment in Iraq ................................................25 8. Building Iraqi Army Combat Effectiveness ...............................................27 9. Summing Up .............................................................................................33 Notes .............................................................................................................34 References ....................................................................................................44 Executive Summary 440,000 square kilometers of Iraq’s interior, its nearly 4,000-kilometer border, or its nearly 40 mil- A clear-eyed look at the current situation in Iraq suggests lion people.
    [Show full text]