The war on terror - Essay Example

Strongest work The topic war on terror is the strongest piece of work. This was an argumentative essay over the current war on terror being fought by the United States of America against the most elusive enemy of all time. While writing this piece of writing and after carefully studying the background of this war, I realized that how much it would be painful to lose friend, brother, husband or any other relationship without any fault. It felt very terrible and painful. I learnt that the current war on terror must be continued and every possible attempt must not be left to hunt down any terrorists who do not respect human values and human lives.

Additionally, terrorists consider it reasonable and acceptable to kill someone on the basis that he or she has an American nationality or someone belongs to a particular religion. Although it is very financially painful to bear the cost burden of maintaining American or NATO troops in Afghanistan, what I believe that the sane leaders of the world have no choice but to stay their wipe out the heavens of terror. Most effective revision I revised the topic ‘Propaganda’. In this topic, the use and application of propaganda are greatly discussed and analyzed.

First, I narrowly read this concept and submitted. However, it did not work. I was asked to revise the paper to provide some relevant but authentic references to the points that I initially did not provide in the assignment. While revising this paper, I realized that the work of revision has provided me some greater and deeper understanding of the use of propaganda in different political and non-political events. I learnt the context of propaganda does not remain the same throughout the world.

In some countries, it is associated or linked with the activity of advertising. Additionally, I learnt while revising the paper, that propaganda has more time relevancy. Self assessment I avoid believing information and facts as they are provided to me. By believing what is being told to me means that I am being forced to believe what someone else wants me to believe. This means I will not have my own way to assess and analyze information or circumstances with my mental capabilities. In contrast, if I adopt a critical approach while I am asked to believe on a piece of information, then I would be in a better position to assess the information impartially and properly as well.

Final thoughts Learning is a lifelong process (Belcher, 2001, pp.135), which continues throughout life. Nowadays, providing information is not sufficient. It must be kept in mind. And, the best way to retain information is achieved with the help of writing. While writing, all mental capacities are pushed in one single direction. Consequently, the mind starts retaining it more effectively. Additionally, to retain a piece of information is not sufficient but a permanent placement of information in mind requires more efforts and some additional steps such as practical application of the knowledge via experiments and observations.

On the whole, writing only helps in sufficiently comprehending a piece of information, but the real essence of learning depends on the practical application of information. References Belcher, D. (2001). Reflections on multiliterate lives Clevedon  England?;;Buffalo  N.Y.: Multilingual Matters. War on Terror War brings misery and suffering. There would be no way to avoid a collateral damage in case of war (Harrman, & Lombardo, 2009, pp.216). Ordinary civilians, women, elderly and children cannot be saved in case a war is fought.

No one would be able to stop its social, economic, geographic implications after the end of a war. War would not only bring massacre, but also put the entire humanity back to centuries. Not only one generation, but the next generations would also pay a heavy price for the war fought among the generation before their birth. These arguments sound convincing and appear to be more dramatic. However, times have changed now. In this new century, we do not face an enemy who appears to have no face; nor cares of human, moral and ethical standards; nor is respecting any human social values.

Such people use violence to force their hatred ideology. For them, violence, killing, terrorism are the only way to bring about their ideology. Al-Qaeda and its terrorist groups around the world have a dangerous and inhumane agenda. Al-Qaeda contributes insurgencies, rebellions and local brands of terrorism (Coolsaet, 2005; pp.100).Under this agenda, they subscribe to a particular doctrine. And, that doctrine dictates them to enforce the tenets of such doctrine around the world. For that, they can challenge any government policies and writ of the government anywhere in the world.

They legitimize killing police, army and other law enforcing personals. Interestingly, they are not limited to one particular country rather they have spread in different countries. Al-Qaeda declared its war over the sovereign nations by attacking on the United States of America in September 2001. In which more than 3,000 innocent ordinary American were killed (Curtis, 2010; pp. 628). They not only targeted the Pentagon, but also hit the aero planes with the World Trade Centre.(Herbst, 2003; pp.138). Even if they had military agenda to target military installations, they why did they choose to hit Twin Towers?

That was not a military target. This proves that the terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and its associate groups do not care while launching their attacks. They do not differentiate between a military and civilian target. In front of them, both-military and civilians- are deserved to be targeted. So, those who argue that war must not be taken and it must be avoided. They must give some serious thought over the latest inhumane form of terrorism. There are certain critics who criticize the U.S. government over its actions in Afghanistan and other parts of the world.

But, it is reminded to them, initially, the U.S. government and other governments did give some time and asked then Afghan government to hand over the Al-Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden. Instead of going directly into the war, the Government of United States of America did try to avoid the war option. They put their sincere efforts as they were fully aware of serious consequences in the shape of collateral damage. But, the Afghan government did not respond positively, as a result, the U.S. government took the option of war as a last resort to prevent the world from experiencing further terrorism at the hands of Al-Qaeda.

Ethically speaking, war is not taken as a first option but the last resort to establish peace. In the case of Iraq, the U.S. government did give some time to nuclear inspectors to inspect the nuclear installations inside Iraq. Ethically, the U.S. government fulfilled its responsible role. References 1. Herbst, P. (2003). Talking terrorism?: a dictionary of the loaded language of political violence. Westport  CT: Greenwood Press. 2. Haarman, L. (2009). Evaluation and stance in war news?: a linguistic analysis of American, British and Italian television news reporting of the 2003 Iraqi war.

London: Continuum. 3. Coolsaet, R. (2005). Al-Qaeda, the myth?: the root causes of international terrorism and how to tackle them. Gent: Academia Press. 4. Curtis, E. (2010). Encyclopedia of Muslim-American history. New York: Facts on File. Propaganda Propaganda works for and around human emotions. Without the role of emotions and their direct or indirect influence over the process of opinion making, the use of propaganda would be meaningless. According to Webster’s third International Dictionary (1960), dissemination of ideas, rumor or information with the intention of helping or injuring an institution, a person or a cause can be identified as propaganda.

Furthermore, propaganda can only an interactive way to achieve certain purposes. As a result, propaganda is defined as a systematic way to influence certain behaviors, attitudes for attaining the desired response (Jowett and O’Donnell, 1999) Historically as well as currently, propaganda is associated with enemy talking lie (Marlin, 2002). Or it is being associated with something that is identified as a wrong or incorrect. However, in certain Latin countries, such association is rare rather propaganda is linked with the term of advertising.

However, in both the world wars, both sides heavily used the tool of propaganda against each other openly terming their actions something deceptive or something that cannot be trusted. Additionally, intent is a necessary condition for the purpose of propaganda (Cunningham, 2002). Propaganda is based certain characteristics- such as time, total, truth, trust and trigger. Each element of propaganda is separately usable both in wartime as well as in peacetime. Basically, propaganda is a type of persuasion determined and implemented to keep a targeted audience to think in the required way.

And it is used to target on the emotional side of the targeted audience rather than on the logical and argumentative side. As most of the time propaganda does not look logical, some propaganda techniques are used to do so. First, trigger is used like a bandwagon appeal. In which, the audience is emotionally molded in a way to do something because everybody else is having and doing it. It is based on the concept of molding an aggregate behavior and action. Consequently, the audience is asked to follow the trend.

Additionally, a stereotype or total concept of propaganda is based on a fixed idea relating to all members of a group. As a result, actions of all group members are observed with only one single but total idea and on the basis of it, the members of the group cannot be separately identified. Additionally, trust is established when a testimonial comes from a personal recommendation of a famous or renowned personality from or the one who can be trusted because of its position or bearing on to the topic.

It can be a personality, institution or anything else on which mostly creditability is attached. As a result, trust is established and used. It can be used for either negative or positive propaganda. However, most of the time, in advertising campaigns such characteristics of propaganda is used to achieve the desired outcomes. In the given picture, a non-verbal propaganda may be used with integration propaganda. Integration propaganda is defined as an attempt to depict the interests and positions represented by officials, who support a particular propaganda message.

It is an American flag carrying words “Thank you.” Now, nothing is appearing anything suggesting being a part of propaganda. There is no extra message written on it. It would have been a propaganda message if it had certain words or sentences like ones mentioned at website-civilization.ca, where certain historical posters are provided on which a flag with additional words or sentences are written in a way to propagate certain information such as “HELP THE BOYS TO KEEP THEM RUNNING” (Civilization. Ca, n.d).

Additionally, above mentioned sentence is not only provided with some soldiers, but also it is being shown that they are in trouble, they are being fired by the enemy forces and they must be helped. Such propaganda posters represent the way propaganda should take place as they have certain emotional attachment and emotional appeal as well. On the other hand, the given picture holds nothing anything like that. However, it can be used for the purpose of propaganda by using integration propaganda.

For example, in an American election, a presidential candidate may use this kind of flag to propagate its ideas. For that purpose, he or she has to integrate her ideas needed to be integrated with the concept of patriotism. For example, the presidential candidate may want to expand relations with the Russian Federation. In its election campaign, the presidential candidate argues that it is in the interest of the United States of America to extend relations with Russia. In return to it, the audience welcomes this statement and agrees with it.

And this flag is attached near to the rostrum saying “Thank you “for your support for this cause. Indirectly, the presence of this flag authenticates the use of integration propaganda. Works cited Jowett, Garth. &, O’Donnell, Victoria. Propaganda and Persuasion. 3rd Ed. California: Sage Publications, (1999) Civilizations, “Propaganda Posters”. [Available at: http://www.civilization.ca/cwm/exhibitions/guerre/propaganda-posters-e.aspx] ]Accessed on : 27 May, 2011] Marlin, Randal. Propaganda and the Ethics of Persuasion.

Peterborough  Ont.?;;Orchard Park  N.Y.: Broadview Press, 2002. Print. Cunningham, Stanley. The Idea of Propaganda : A Reconstruction. Westport  Conn.: Praeger, 2002. Print.