Justifying Sacrifice: Barack Obama and the Selling and Ending of the War in Afghanistan
Summary
In his article, McCrisken (2012) outlines what wartime “sacrifice” means to America and how President Obama had used this image provoking word to gain support in the 2012 presidential election. In his election, President Obama praised America’s sacrifice and pledged that he will end OEF by 2014. President Obama stated that the U.S.’s security was his primary concern in comparison to rebuilding Afghanistan; however, to accomplish this task, the President must reenergize America’s resolve in order to sustain the Afghan War, to its end. When President Obama first entered the White House, he lifted the ban on taking pictures of flag-draped coffins …show more content…
Presently, one can see the public support of military members who fight thousands of miles away from the U.S. One can witness civilians thanking a military member/veteran for their service and one can see stickers and yellow ribbons which also convey the same message. What confuses the matter is that it is this same public’s opinion that “supports the troops” will ultimately decide if a drawdown in Afghanistan will happen prior to achieving the war’s objective which would bastardize veterans’ …show more content…
In the article, McCrisken paints a picture of the President walking a tightrope: satisfying his progressive base on one side and gaining support for the Afghanistan campaign in order to end the war with some resemblance to an accomplished mission, on the other. In trying to launch a pleasing solution (one where the expense of military lives were justified), President Obama increases the number of troops in Afghanistan and announces to the world a timeline bringing American troops home. To accomplish this task, the President calls upon the American “icon/mantra” of sacrifice. Traditionally, Americans have sacrificed much to survive as a country and need to continue to sacrifice in order to keep our country safe from
Summary
In his article, McCrisken (2012) outlines what wartime “sacrifice” means to America and how President Obama had used this image provoking word to gain support in the 2012 presidential election. In his election, President Obama praised America’s sacrifice and pledged that he will end OEF by 2014. President Obama stated that the U.S.’s security was his primary concern in comparison to rebuilding Afghanistan; however, to accomplish this task, the President must reenergize America’s resolve in order to sustain the Afghan War, to its end. When President Obama first entered the White House, he lifted the ban on taking pictures of flag-draped coffins …show more content…
Presently, one can see the public support of military members who fight thousands of miles away from the U.S. One can witness civilians thanking a military member/veteran for their service and one can see stickers and yellow ribbons which also convey the same message. What confuses the matter is that it is this same public’s opinion that “supports the troops” will ultimately decide if a drawdown in Afghanistan will happen prior to achieving the war’s objective which would bastardize veterans’ …show more content…
In the article, McCrisken paints a picture of the President walking a tightrope: satisfying his progressive base on one side and gaining support for the Afghanistan campaign in order to end the war with some resemblance to an accomplished mission, on the other. In trying to launch a pleasing solution (one where the expense of military lives were justified), President Obama increases the number of troops in Afghanistan and announces to the world a timeline bringing American troops home. To accomplish this task, the President calls upon the American “icon/mantra” of sacrifice. Traditionally, Americans have sacrificed much to survive as a country and need to continue to sacrifice in order to keep our country safe from