Blog Assignment #7

In starting this inquiry, my original question was did the war start because of oil or did it start because of the spreading of democracy and the ending of terrorism? What I realized was that it was going to be hard to develop an original idea to help answer that question. What I now revised the question for my inquiry in order to help generate better responses is to “What are some of the reasons that the United States is in the war in Iraq?” With this question, I was able to include the different arguments for oil and terrorism/democracy. Along with this, the phrasing of this question also provided room for original ideas to be developed. My inquiry has changed mainly because of the response I got from Laurie after Blog Assignment 5. With my original inquiry, it seemed as if I was going to choose a side for the paper, which stirred away from the purpose in writing this paper. I thought that in rephrasing the inquiry, it would help me develop more ideas after much research of all the reported reasons for going to war.
Through research, I have found out many things that I have not known before. For example, BBC reported in 2005, that the Bush Administration had plans to invade Iraq for oil within a “few weeks” after he was elected, which was before 9/11 had occurred. This, along with Greenspan’s comment of saying that the war was for oil, seems to reveal that the war was, in fact, for oil. However, I am not quick to rush to conclusions. Through research, I have researched past wars, in which the United States have been involved in. More specifically, I researched the Gulf War after comments were made about similarities between the Iraq War and the Gulf War. Similarly to the Iraq War, the slogan “No Blood For Oil” was used then too. However, Saddam Hussein and a possible invasion of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia by Iraqi troops involved the United States because of known use of biological weapons. Because of such similarities, I believe the reasons behind the war are much more complicated than just oil and democracy.
What I really want to know more about are the defenses for each side before I get into an original idea. For five years now, there have been anti-war protests saying that the war was being fought for oil. It is well known that Iraq is the second leading oil possessor behind Saudi Arabia, which may have been a target for the “No Blood for Oil” movement. But, has the U.S. significantly increased their oil imports from Iraq? How are the numbers within the past few years different than the years prior to 2001? I think that by digging into this information, it is possible to find out whether the oil was a reason behind the war. There is also the question of the correlation behind the rising as prices and oil, as well. The Bush Administration has claimed that the war was to get rid of the weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). It has been revealed that there were actually no WMDs in Iraq. Saddam Hussein has been removed from power. But is life in Iraq actually improving? How far is democracy along in Iraq? Are there any noticeable differences that can actually help the argument that the war was to promote democracy? If life in Iraq has not improved after five years, why exactly are armed forces still in Iraq after many armed soldiers are being killed every day. I think that digging into government reports about oil and reading reports about life in Iraq would definitely help me develop a conclusion and an answer to these questions. I would want to stay away from the opinion-swaying media, but I may have to resort to these sources as they may provide quotes from Iraqi citizens. If possible, I may try to consult Iraqi media reports, as well.
There are some specific gaps in my research. There are some holes that need to be filled, much of what was written in the previous paragraph. Most of my primary research seems to point towards the oil argument, but this just motivates me more to find alternate reasons for the war as I am and always have been in support of the war in Iraq. This leads to original ideas currently in my head. Right now, I am on the borderline of forming an idea of somewhat combining the two ideas into one. Rather than choosing one side, I believe that there is more than one reason for the war. It could be possible that oil was the major reason behind the war, and the attacks of 9/11 have fueled support for the war initially. Along with this idea, I think it is quite possible that the attacks of 9/11 have provided an additional reason for the Bush administration to declare war on Iraq. It can be that oil was the reason behind the war all along, but the attacks on 9/11 fueled the act of retaliation to end terrorism, more specifically Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.

Images

Give Victory a Chance

This image is a photo taken by Justin Sullivan of Getty Images during a pro-war demonstration. Because the photographer is a professional for a well-known photo website, I do not think that there is any main argument behind the photo being taken. However, there is some meaning behind the photo itself and what the people in it represent. The posters being held up say “Give Victory a Chance” and “Troops = Heroes.” The purpose behind the image itself is to show that there are actually many people who believe in what the United States is fighting for. There are people in support of the war and actually believe that it should take whatever needs to be done to achieve the goals of promoting democracy and ending terrorism. This image is relevant to my paper because it shows one of the sides of the Iraq War controversy. Both people in support of the war and against the war both have explanations for their reasoning, which is what I intend to explore.

Guns = Oil Pumps

This image is a photo of a soldier holding a weapon. However, the center of the photo is zoomed in to show what is pictured as an oil pump. The argument this image is obvious, with it being that the war is being fought for oil. It targets all those who are affected by the war, including the American public. The author of this photo shows obvious intent to imform people of his beliefs that soldiers are dying because of oil. The text including in this photo says “We get to the point.” I think that this is a reference to that whatever America wants, she goes after. This is possible because of the strength of America’s military. In this case, America wants oil and the military is being used to obtain that want. This is relevant to my paper, as well because oil can be cited as one of the main reasons for anti-war movements and protests.

Blog Assignment 6

http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/fdeb03a7-30b0-4ece-8e34-4c7ea83f11d8.htm
My first source is the John McCain 2008 campaign website. More specifically, it’s the part of the website which displays his views and agendas for the Iraq War. I feel that this is a good source at it gets a view from a residential candidate and a war veteran.

“John McCain believes it is essential to be honest with the American people about the opportunities and risks that lie ahead. The American people deserve the truth from their leaders.”

I feel that this quote is crucial to the debate of what the Iraq is being fought for. With McCain saying that the American people deserve the truth about the war, the real reasons for war are being revealed from the side of a potential president. The truth of this statement may be somewhat challenged as politicians have earned the reputation of lying their way through to get their way. He later goes on to say on his website that his goal for the Iraq War is to establish peace in Iraq and make it a democratic ally. He also believes this can be achieved sooner than people think. I feel that this quote would help in my survey interview. If the war in Iraq were better explained to the American public, how would people’s views have changed? Would there be more support for the war?

“It would be a grave mistake to leave before Al Qaeda in Iraq is defeated and before a competent, trained, and capable Iraqi security force is in place and operating effectively.”
This quote by McCain gives another view on his beliefs on why the war is being fought. This gives an explanation of the war as it being a fight against Al Qaeda and terrorism, while also making Iraq a better nation. This supports something that I believe because I truly believe that the war is being fought for the bettering of Iraq’s government and Iraq as a nation. This does raise questions, however. In the five years that the war is being fought, what significant changes are shown in Iraq as a country and government? It also brings into the question the success of the McCain’s portrayed views and goals.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24434071/

My secondary source is a news report in which John McCain had to clarify his statement on oil.
“My friends, I will have an energy policy that we will be talking about, which will eliminate our dependence on oil from the Middle East that will prevent us from having ever to send our young men and women into conflict again in the Middle East,” McCain said.

At first it was interpreted that the statement McCain said was thought to be of the Iraq War. He was then forced to clarify himself saying he meant the Gulf War. He then went on to state that the Gulf War was fought partially because of Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, but also because the United States did not want him to have control over the oil, as well. This brings up some questions regarding the Iraq War. How is it ensured that this is not the same case for the Iraq War? If it was possible for the Gulf War, it is surely possible that the United States is going to war for oil. This article also brought up some interesting questions for me. In reading this, I was hoping to compare the oil imports from pre-Iraq War periods to the current oil imports. If there is a drastic change in numbers, this could end the debate easily.

Survey Questions

Are you in support of the war in Iraq? Explain your reasoning.

What do you believe are the reasons behind the war in Iraq?

Does the media sway your position about the war? If yes, how so?

Do you have any reason to believe that the main purpose of the war is to obtain oil? Explain.

Do you have any reason to believe that the main purpose of the war is to stop terrorism? Explain.

If 9/11 had not happened, how would that have had an impact on the war in Iraq?

If Bush had not been elected, how would that have had an impact on the war in Iraq?

Primary Research

For my primary research method, I would like to conduct surveys. With surveys, I can find opinions that people have regarding the war in Iraq. I would be able to get a general consensus of those who are in support of the war and those who aren’t in support of it. I would also be able to find out why people believe the United States went into war. Most of the answers will probably be related to either oil or to end terrorism, but I believe there will be a few answers which would not be related to those two topics. Finding out these answers will be incredibly helpful in my Unit 2 paper. Some of my participants will be people that I know including my coworkers and students. I will have access to these people because I have two jobs at Syracuse University, both of which provide me access to dormitories. I have biases towards this topic. I am generally in favor of the war and in favor of troops being stationed in Iraq. I expect to discover similar answers about the war in Iraq such as the United States being involved for oil and the ending of terrorism.

Blog Assignment #5

The topic that I want to continue to research is the role of oil in the war in Iraq. Because the war in Iraq has only been fought for around five years, I think it is fit to include all five years, as all sources of information during this time are important. To go into more depth about this situation, I would like to find out if oil is the actual cause of the war. If it is not, is it actually about democracy? I want to find out what statistics support each side of the argument. I then want to develop my own opinion based on these statistics and other statistics that I may find. This war may have a deeper meaning behind it than just being declared for oil. Perhaps it was not just for oil, but actually for something else besides oil and democracy. These are all questions that I intend to find out to develop my own opinion.
I intend to research about this topic because the war in Iraq is going on now and it affects my generation. When first starting this class, I was in support of the war. As I have researched more about this topic, I have found out more information that leads to evidence of false info provided by the Bush administration. Because of the contrasting arguments between pro-war and anti-war groups, this led me to want to find out more information to unravel the truth about this situation. Since I was in support of the war in the beginning, I wanted to see if I was in support of war for the wrong reasons. I have some fears about this topic, as I fear that many people are dying in the war for the sole purpose of gaining oil.
I intend to research this topic and the questions by first finding reliable sources. These sources may include online journals provided by LexisNexis or reputable newspapers such as the New York Times or USA Today. I also have some information provided by the sources in my first paper. These sources include a former member of the Bush administration in Alan Greenspan and members of the current Bush administration. I will consider all sources presented to me when researching for this paper. I feel that it is important to follow any information, as the slightest information may prove helpful in writing this paper. I will also look at the footnotes of wikipedia to see if they are reliable sources. If they are reliable, I may incorporate them into my paper, as well.
I think that this topic should matter to many people living in the United States. This war is affecting everyone in the United States. This is especially true with the upcoming election as people’s views of war may very well decide the future President of the United States. This topic should also matter to the people in Iraq as they are suffering a lot of the consequences of the war with innocent people dying. If the war is in fact directly correlated with oil, the United States army should pull out of Iraq

Blog Assignment #4

The rhetorical purpose was for the author to develop her own ideas and representation of war porn. The original idea that she made is clearly defined by a sentence in this paper: “I argue that war porn as a genre is a social actor in which spectacle enacts and encourages democratic participation through the public screen.” She provides a different point of view from Baudrillard and Sontag, in which they describe war porn as the “reflection of a shameless military culture that has lost their moral compass.” I think that she realized her original idea after quoting and referencing these two writers and their arguments. After she cited them, she provided her point of view to what war porn actually represented and symbolized. In the next few sentences, she states her argument and provides her explanations for each argument. She also provides a contrasting view to Latour, in which he said that dismissals of war porn as a representation of social forces at work in contemporary U.S. culture “excludes the opportunity for scholars and general viewers to develop a rhetorical understanding of war porn as well as its political potential.” The main point throughout the paper that she tries to make is that war porn is a mediator, as opposed to a social actor as several of her sources have claimed.

She used primary research several times in this paper. Some of these, as mentioned above, include the work of Baudrillard, Sontag, and Latour. The use of these sources is very similar. She starts off by stating the authors’ case and explanation. By stating these interpretations, she provides the first point of view in which she can argue against. After stating each of these arguments, she provides her own interpretation of the subject. She uses the images in her essay to her advantage as she identifies the different parts of each image to her advantage and to strengthen her argument.

Appeals made by the images are used frequently throught the paper. A very good technique that was used was spreading out the images throughout the paper rather than putting all the images on one page. By spreading out the images, it allows the user to be continuously introduced to the visual subject of war porn. All the images tend to be disturbing, which creates an emotional appeal to the audience. By including pictures of the soldiers forcing the Iraq soldiers to perform sexual acts, it creates an emotional feeling of disgust. It also creates an ethical appeal. It makes the audience question if these acts forced upon by the United States military are right. Why exactly are these acts forced upon the Iraqi soldiers? What is the basis behind these acts? There are several answers provided to these questions: some by the author of the paper and others by contrasting opinions cited by the author.

Blog Assignment #3

There are certain abilities and knowledge that a strong reader and writer must possess. Kantz explains this possession into more detail. She says that the writer must make something of the material one uses in writing, and the familiarity one has with the subject also contributes to one being a strong reader and writer. One must go into more detail when writing, such as paraphrasing rather than quoting and using many lengthy sources rather than one short source. Kantz also mentions the goals that one sets for one’s self contributes to the success of interpretation of readings and writing, as well. If one sets a high goal, it will be more likely that the writing and interpretation of reading will be better than if one set a lower goal. Also, awareness of the possibilities and confidence in one’s writing skills also contributes to those goals. Kantz also distinguishes between opinions and facts. She mentions that instead of giving a one sided view of the argument, one should have an opposing view as well, which would provide more emphasis on one’s writing. I think that Edward Said might be a role model for the kind of reader, writer, and thinker that Krantz advocates in different ways. Said’s analysis of orientalism differs from the different views that were previously presented. He mentioned that the views of the orientals in the 1990s was similar to those views that were presented in the 1920s and nothing has seemed to change. He wanted to go deeper into that analysis and went beneath the history of the orientals. He goes into different research including the book by French poet Gerard de Neval.
In my sustained research essay, I might go into more detail as Said did and Kantz emphasized. Instead of using a short source, I would go into more depth to find research that is long and lengthy. Such research would be needed to further enhance my argument, but at the same time provide a different point of view. I believe that this research would enhance my knowledge about the topic, which Kantz cites as an ability a good writer and reader possesses. I will draw on different point of views. For example, my topic in Unit 1 was about the role of oil in the war. I only went into dept about American views. Perhaps, with sustained research, I could have went into Iraqi views as well and see how they viewed the role of oil behind the war in Iraq. Obstacles that I see myself facing are interpretation of the research that I find. I might have a problem understanding the language and wording used by more reputable sources such as the United States government and the Iraqi government.

Blog Assignment #1

http://willblogforfood.typepad.com/will_blog_for_food/2006/05/the_real_reason.html

I believe that the blog above will be very helpful in my Unit 2 formal assignment. This blog provides the rhetorical situation of oil being behind the war in Iraq. The context included in this blog is rich, including multiple outside sources and interesting quotes and facts, which would appeal to the audience. Along with quotes from sources about the war in Iraq being about oil, the blogger also posts different factual information from the years before the war in Iraq. This information states that the Bush administration had decided long ago before the Iraq War that Saddam should be removed and that he wanted to seize Iraqi oil. This blog will help me in my formal assignment with providing more information that I need to help enhance my argument.