Intention
George W. Bush’s “War on Terror” speech covers themes like solidarity, freedom and democracy, war, violence, and terrorism. The speech is a political address in reply to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The speaker’s main intentions were to reassure the American people and to gain national and international support for the war he declared against terrori…
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Promoting solidarity and comforting the American people
As the 9/11 terrorist attacks were shocking for the American people and a tragedy for those who lost loved ones in the attacks, part of George W. Bush’s intention is to comfort the American people and promote unity. The speaker achieves these intentions by combining pathos with ethos. He appeals to people’s emotions to show them he understands their grief and pain but also that these feelings will pass: “We'll go back to our lives and routines and that is good. Even grief rece…
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Identifying and accusing those responsible for the terrorist attacks
George W. Bush’s intention is also to offer answers to the questions of the American public and identify those behind the terrorist attacks. To achieve this purpose, the speaker uses factual details (appealing to logos) that describes the members of Al-Qaeda, the way it is operated, and in which countries the terrorists are active:
This group and its leader, a person named Osama bin Laden, are linked to many other organizations in different countries, including the E…
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Convincing the international community to support the war against terrorism
Lastly, George W. Bush wants to gain the military and practical support of the international community in the fight against terrorism. To achieve this, he first presents other states in a positive light, as he did with Congress: “The United States is grateful that many nations and many international organizations have already responded with sympathy and with support…” (ll. 239-241)
To further pursue his intention, Bush also mentions the British Prime Minister and calls him and Britain friends, using Great Britain as …
