Page 41 - Mass Media, Mass Propoganda Examining American News in the War on Terror

Public Trust, Media, and the "War on Terror"

Figure 1.3

Confidence Levels in George W. Bush

Source: Pew Research Center, "U.S. Image up Slightly, But Still
Negative," 24 June 2005,
http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?Page=8O (12 Septem-
ber 2005).

While one could persuasively argue that the forces of nationalism have
much to do with reinforcing Americans' conceptions of U.S. humanitarianism,
this is likely only part of the story. The American mainstream press has also
been tremendously effective in convincing Americans of the necessity of war
with Iraq. As Americans look to the media with trust and in search of the infor-
mation necessary to evaluate U.S. policy abroad, they are exposed to a very nar-
row range of "acceptable" views seeking to reinforce American prestige and
power. However, as the Iraq war went on, Americans also became more critical
of the U.S. presence in Iraq. Despite consistent calls in the corporate press to
"stay the course," and fierce opposition to setting some sort of time table for
withdrawal, the majority of Americans began in 2005 to call for a phased with-
drawal from Iraq in light of mounting American and Iraqi casualties, as well as
the significant economic burden of the occupation. This should be viewed as a
major challenge to those within the media and government who promote con-
ventional arguments that require the continued "pacification" of Iraqi resistance
and a long-term occupation of Iraq. That public opinion could shift so dramati-
cally away from the official policy agenda of the Bush administration and the