Holland, J (2012) Blair's War on Terror: Selling Intervention to Middle England. British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 14 (1). pp. 74-95. ISSN 1467-856X
Abstract
In December 2009 Tony Blair indicated that he would have pursued a policy of intervention in Iraq regardless of Saddam Hussein's possession of weapons of mass destruction. In this situation he would merely have had to employ alternative arguments. Such a statement should come as little surprise. Blair's language throughout his prime ministership was highly strategic; it was framed to achieve support from his primary target audience, ‘Middle England’. Two key tropes—rationality and leadership—were repeatedly deployed in order to sell Blair's wars to the British public. This article demonstrates how Blair's strategically framed language was politically enabling in three analytical moments, helping to craft a conceivable, coercive and communicable British foreign policy discourse.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2011, The Author. British Journal of Politics and International Relations. This is an author produced version of a paper published in British Journal of Politics and International Relations. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Tony Blair; war on terror; British foreign policy; discourse |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Education, Social Sciences and Law (Leeds) > School of Politics & International Studies (POLIS) (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 12 Aug 2016 15:22 |
Last Modified: | 19 Jan 2018 23:04 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-856X.2011.00469.x |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | SAGE Publications |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/j.1467-856X.2011.00469.x |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:93324 |