Use of False Analogies in Public Discourse Concerning the Iraq War Essa

Iraq is no diversion. It is a place where nuance is taking a decisive stand against chaos and terror, we must not waiver, said President George W. Bush in favor of the Iraq War of 2003. When considering the empty talk used by those to gain support for the state of war and by those to counterbalance the war, it is clear that both sides tried to use historical proportion to designate for their side. While the proponents of the war argued that the Iraq War was similar to World War II, the opponents argued that it was comparable to Vietnam. Both of these sides used this kind of rhetoric among many other tools, to influence people to support their side by asserting that if they want to quash another Hitler, or another Vietnam, then they should support their side. However, both of these sides take a leak used false analogies. When considering the historical facts of both World War II and Vietnam, neither of these conflicts compare to pre-war Iraq. Nevertheless, this kind of argu mentation provides many implications about war and American society. In order to understand the basis of these implications, the idea of the analogy depart be examined, then the World War II and Vietnam comparisons will be scrutinized, and finally, the implications of this rhetoric will be explained. Arguments from analogy seek to pass that two situations X and Y are alike (Trenholm, 2001). For example, the statement, It worked for Canada, so it must work for the United States, is an analogy. The validity of this analogy, however, is determined by two criterion. The maiden criteria is that the two cases compared must be alike in all authoritative respects. The other criteria is that any differences between the cases must be insignificant. When looking at the argument, It work... ...ton Gazette ( West Virginia). 4 April 2003 Pg. P5A. Academic Universe. Lexis Nexis. Washburn University Library, Topeka, Kansas. 13 February 2005. Dunham, Charlotte Chorn. Generation units and the su stenance course A sociological perspective on youth and the anti-war movement. ledger of Political and Military Sociology. Winter 1998. 4 April 2005. http//www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3719/is_199801/ai_n8759989/print Rieger, Cheryl. Schuman, Howard. historic Analogies, Generational Effects, and Attitudes Toward War. American Sociological Review. June 1992 pg. 315(12). Academic Universe. Lexis Nexis. Washburn University Library, Topeka, Kansas. 13 February 2005. Barone, Michael. The Long quarter of Vietnam. US News and World Report. 12 April 2004 pg 21. Academic Universe. Lexis Nexis. Washburn University Library, Topeka, Kansas. 13 February 2005.