The Discourse Trap and the US Military From the War on Terror to the Surge [Paperback]

This book proposes the idea of a 'discourse trap' in which the discourses and associated terminology devised for political or military reasons can entrap policymakers by motivating or constraining their actions.1. Introduction 2. Global War on Terrorism 3. Shock and Awe 4. Characterizing the Irregular Adversary in Iraq 5. The Surge: From Iraq to Afghanistan 6. Conclusion

The Discourse Trap and the US Military is one of the most important books written on warfare since 9/11. It exposes how military officers and policy makers become trapped by the language that they use to describe and justify the conduct of war. Moralistic sounding bromides like 'protect the population' cover up and give a faux-reality to the death and destruction of war. Jeffrey Michaels' excellent new book brings to the fore the reality of American warfare since 9/11 and how that reality has been distorted by the discourse trap. - Gian P. Gentile, Professor of Military History, United States Military Academy, USA

Michaels has produced an important and challenging study of how terminology constrains both analysis and action. This book demonstrates how terms, once introduced, gain a life of their own and end up distorting rather than aiding policy-making. Michaels reminds us that discourse is prescriptive as well as descriptive and challenges policy-makers to use it with far greater precision than is commonly the case. In his examination of this critically worthy yet hitherto under-researched topic, Michaels has produced an important book that should be widely read by academics and policy makers alike. - David Ucko, Assistant Professor, College of International Security Affairs, U.S. National Defense University, USA

This book is the first systematic analysis of the pernicious effects U.S. official rhetoric had on military operations in the first decade of the 21st century. Through the prism of language and discourse, Jeffrey Michaels gul£J