Page 263 - Mass Media, Mass Propoganda Examining American News in the War on Terror

Afghanistan and 911 1 :
The "War on Terror" Declared

In his 2002 State of the Union Address to Congress, President Bush proudly
announced: "the last time we met in this chamber, the mothers and daughters of
Afghanistan were captives in their own homes, forbidden from working or going
to school. Today women are free, and are part of Afghanistan's new govern-
ment." The United States "saved a people from starvation and freed a country
from brutal oppression," and "America and Afghanistan are now allies against
terror. We will be partners in rebuilding the country."' In accord with the state-
ments of the President, the American press uncritically disseminated his prom-
ises regarding Afghan reconstruction, enhancement of women's rights, and de-
mocracy promotion.
To be sure, mainstream media coverage did also emphasize humanitarian
problems throughout Afghanistan at certain points. However, the repetition of
official declarations concerning Afghanistan characterized most reporting in
light of media over-reliance on official sources. At times, critical questions were
asked about the potential human consequences of war with Afghanistan after
911 1. In one example, Jack Kelley of USA Today argued shortly before the U.S.
invasion in 2001 that the looming war against Afghanistan carried with it a large
risk for the Afghan people: "The stakes are clear. Those left starving will pre-
sumably blame the nation whose bombs made them refugees, as will Muslims
around the world who see their plight on TV."'
More often the negative effects of the war on the Afghan people were lost
or neglected in the rush to war. Media outlets were primarily concerned with
"fighting terror" after the shocking attacks of 911 1. A shortage of reporting on
the deterioration of Afghanistan continued long after the end of "Operation En-
during Freedomy'-through the 2004 presidential and 2005 parliamentary elec-
tions-as news commentators and pundits applauded a "landmark election for
representatives to the [Afghan] national parliament and local legislators."3 Re-
sponsibility for the deterioration of social order was blamed primarily on Af-
ghan "militants trying to derail the vote," while American and NATO forces