PRESIDENT BUSH’S NARRATIVE OF ‘DIFFERENT KIND OF WAR’
Jari J. Rantapelkonen
University of Helsinki, Department of Political Science
Abstract
This study discusses President George W. Bush’s narrative of ‘different kind of war’ presented to the
military audience and the narrative’s relationship to information, knowledge and information technology.
One way for the military to step up efficiency for its military operations is through buzzwords such as
‘transformation’ and ‘revolution in military affairs’ in order to solve problems. Words, phrases and images
are powerful ‘weapons’ in the current era of ‘precision warfare’ for the President. Effects of his ‘different
kind of war’ are based on requirements to change the thinking and actions of American national security,
which can be seen all over the world, and therefore questioned. The President’s totalizing narrative of
‘civilization’s fight,’ requesting more efficiency and performance in the form of speed and precision also
raises questions over the relationship between narrative knowledge and technological knowledge, in the
past, the present and future, virtual reality and local reality. This paper suggests that the President’s
metanarrative legitimates his military actions in Iraq because it is based on efficiency, progress, freedom
and liberty which are actually legitimizations not to be disagreed upon on the narrative level. The Presi-
dent’s ‘different kind of war’ narrative does not necessarily increase public knowledge but instead in-
creases the pool of information and information technology. This paper tries to go beyond the decon-
struction of President Bush’s narrative in order to understand his stories through the American Revolu-
tion and exceptionalism. What this study postulates is that the changing faces of the enemy and the ur-
gency to speed up military transformation are perpetual means the President uses with help of the past
to show his version of the future, the American Dream, in the present.
We'll be able to strike across the world with pinpoint accuracy.
President George W. Bush, Feb 13, 2001.
1. Tendency for Efficiency
“The world must have more effective means to stabilize regions in turmoil,” said President
George W. Bush on September 22, 2004
1
in New York. With this he referred to the situation
where the United States did not wish to wait for debates about Iraq or arguments over what
kinds of means should be used for the enforcement. Instead the US decided to attack Iraq
based on its own decision with a coalition
2
of military forces without UN authorization. There
1
His speech at the UN was aimed more at American voters than the leaders listening to him.
2
Critics have charged that the invasion and occupation of Iraq is “America’s” war. Defenders of the Bush Administration have
been keen on using the word “coalition” to support American-led efforts. In 2003 Dana Milbank wrote in the Washington Post
that the “34-member group [in 1991] was an actual military coalition, with all members providing troops, aircraft, ships or
medics. By that standard, there are only about a half dozen members of the coalition in the current war." She went onto write
“Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld argued, that the current coalition "is larger than the coalition that existed during the
Gulf War in 1991."” But the 34-member group was an actual military coalition, with all members providing assistance. By that
standard, there are only about a half dozen members of the coalition in the current war. In addition to the 250,000 or so US
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