This study analyses the use of ;;fear’ in US presidential rhetoric as an active soft power strategy designed to achieve support mobilisation and maintenance for the Iraq War. A quantitative content analysis of the Weekly Radio Broadcasts of the President of the United States between January 2001 and January 2009 is conducted in order to study presidential rhetoric in isolation from the broader media framing of war discourse. Such analysis shows that ;;terror’ and the threat of WMDs were central elements in the creation of a rhetoric of fear, and that such elements were often juxtaposed with reference to a US role of promoting peace and security in the region within presidential rhetoric. This study finds that in the highly sensitised environment the US found itself in following the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, ;;fear’ proved to be a highly effective tool for mobilising public support for short-term policy initiatives. However, due to a lack of flexibility and adaptability, the rhetoric of fear as employed by President Bush was ineffective in overcoming a loss of credibility and legitimacy, therefore proving ineffective as a mechanism for achieving long-term support maintenance amongst the US population. Thus, this study suggests that rhetoric strategies for successful for long-term support maintenance require elements of adaptability and verifiability, which are not essential in achieving initial support mobilisation.
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a content analysis of US presidential rhetoric (2001-2009)
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