Rhetorical Analysis Essay On 9/11

Some mornings lead to long nights and lengthy wars. September 11, 2001 was one such morning. The devastating terrorist attacks stole the lives of innocent Americans and stole the innocence with which many Americans viewed the world. The United States quickly plunged into intense combat operations in the Middle East. Fathers and mothers watched their children board planes to fight for freedom, and many Americans watched on television screens as news anchors revealed the devastation that always follows conflict. Americans – weary, enraged, and heartbroken – found it nearly impossible to avoid thinking about what was happening halfway across the world. Like most people living through a nightmare, they were anxiously waiting for the conflict to

There are few concepts more dear to Americans than victory, liberty, and strength. Ever the politician, Bush skillfully appeals to these fundamental American values. He relies on the American citizen’s love of success and victory while redeeming the toughness of war with the kinder voice of Christianity. Still speaking in past tense, and to the delight of his audience, Bush exalts, “Operation Iraqi Freedom was carried out with a combination of precision and speed and boldness the enemy did not expect and the world had not seen before.” American patriotism, at its greatest level following 9/11, responds well to news of victory and excellence. Bush leans into this idea. By inferring what the enemy experienced to his benefit, Bush places his military on a pedestal and signals his confidence in the American people. In challenging times, citizens love to support a capable and strong leader. Yet, because Bush is sensitive to the emotional fragility of the average American, he balances his strength with tenderness by quoting the prophet Isaiah, a well-known figure in the Christian

At the end of his speech, most Americans have been assured that their country is strong and has successfully completed combat in Iraq. The only problem is the ad. His speech ends years before the conflict. If one views the speech from a more critical lens, Bush’s choices appear more manipulative than they are skillful. His appeals to Christian religion at the height of Islamophobia in America seem ill-timed. His characterization of Iraq as free after bringing war to their country seems counterintuitive. The precision and speed he speaks of disregard the high numbers of civilian casualties at the hands of America. Yet, Bush is at his most dishonest when he leads his audience to believe that the American presence in Iraq is complete. Towards the end of his speech, his own words betrayed him. He admits, “‘And now our coalition is engaged in securing and reconstructing that country.”’ While this small concession may shield Bush from claims of outright lying, the contradictions make him untrustworthy at best. At the time of his speech, combat operations were still ongoing in the Sunni Triangle and the city of