ABSTRACT
The metaphorical juxtapositions creates mythical parallels, such as good vs. evil, attack vs. defence, law vs. lawless and alliance vs. opposition, shapes and defines terrorism in relation to the political climate. This chapter shows how range of political discourses, including political speeches, press conferences and governmental dossiers published during the War on Terror's in 2001 and 2006, which includes the pre and post Iraq War periods, in order to investigate how similar rhetorical and linguistic tools are manipulated by people in a position of power or authority to influence society as they attempt to depict their individual representations of reality. Terrorism is portrayed as barbaric violence intended to harm, America's actions are illustrated as part of strategic military planning, legitimate and resorted to diplomatic options have been exhausted. The chapter reveals that emotionalization of fact, is not necessarily a result of lies, exaggeration or even intentional withholding of truth but rather product of powerful discourse clan's subjective representation of reality.
