constructed through media texts - specifically newspapers.

In 1982 I was not old enough to fully understand what was happening when my country went to war with Argentina over a group of islands called The Falklands. However, I was old enough to understand the comments of my parents when they discussed the situation, as well as the headlines they had read in the papers. One such comment being something I have since heard repeated time and time again from various people; this being on the Sun newspapers headlines throughout the conflict. One of these headlines was 'GOTCHA', splashed over the front page when the first major incident happened - the sinking of the Belgrano on May 2nd 1982 (Greenslade, 2002); an event that cost many Argentine lives.

In this paper I am going to discuss the ways in which newspapers report on war and terrorism, using language such as the Sun's example above, and the impact that they are able to achieve on their readers. I am going to argue that newspapers, along with other media, are a tool for constructing both support and understanding of any conflict, thus being a major propaganda machine, without this ever being fully

The thinking behind this type of propaganda also comes from Lippmann, who famously described the majority of the public as '"the bewildered herd"', who's function it is to '"spectate"' whilst the 'specialised class', the select men in power, take control (1991, p. 12). Lippmann goes on to say that the herd is able to participate in decisions at times, via elections, thus ensuring a democracy rather than a totalitarian state, but that the herd continues to need 'taming', which is done through the '...new revolution in the art of democracy: the manufacture of consent', one route of which is the media (1991, p. 13-14).

Indeed, war was waged on Afghanistan, after some planning, and a few small voices questioning the knowledge that Osama bin Laden was indeed responsible. Lessons have certainly been learned on how to use media texts as propaganda, as we have seen a slightly more guarded response in the newspapers in comparison to those Sun headlines of 1982. However, the consistency of the media's power to construct understanding and support continues, a fact that can be exemplified if we look at the type of reporting given to the 'new' threat to emerge from the 9/11 attacks - bio-terrorism. I raise this as the newspaper reporting of the anthrax incidents in the US, as well as scares that took place here in the UK, were instrumental, if not wholly responsible, along with television, for a mass panic on bio-terrorism. Proof of which, I'm sure, could be seen were I to have access to statistics on the sharp rise in gas mask sales in the autumn of 2001. Again, the kind of language used instilled fear, which in turn gives rise to a kind of understanding (even if not wholly correct) of just how 'evil' these terrorists can be, who remain faceless and use an invisible weapon. The language gave rise to all westerners suddenly realising that they're not necessarily safe, as the western illusion tells them - that the all-powerful, rich western nations, are actually open to attack, from jets and from tiny spores, naked to the human eye. Much like the very real fear about nuclear weaponry in the 1970's and 80's, people suddenly, and it was sudden, had a very real fear of contracting anthrax. Just some of the words used to create this fear were, 'lethal', 'danger in the air', 'proof' (Observer, 14.10.01), and 'deadly spores', 'killer bug' (Mirror, 16.05.02). Not only do these words give rise to an understanding of how 'evil' these terrorists can be, but it gives support for war out of fear.

The Dean of American Journalists, Walter Lippmann is quoted in Chomsky as saying, '...a... "revolution in the art of democracy" could be used to "manufacture consent"', i.e. gain public agreement on 'things they didn't want' (1991, p. 10). He was talking about the kind of propaganda employed by Woodrow Wilson, President of the U.S. Wilson set up the Creel Commission in 1916, a propaganda commission made up of 'intellectual men'. Wilson's administration was in need of such a commission to gain the publics backing for getting involved in the war in Europe - something the American people had little interest in. This goal was achieved through '...terrifying them and eliciting jingoistic fanaticism'

Some common words found in the essay are:
Proof I'm, Luke Skywalker, Language War, Saddam Hussein, Daily Star, Gulf War, Europe American, Philo McLaughlin, Security Council, Walter Lippmann, gulf war, support war, 1995 147, war terrorism, saddam hussein, support understanding, philo mclaughlin, reversed quick resort, understanding war, front page, western nations, rewarded aggression reversed, quick resort violence', aggression reversed quick, 'aggressors rewarded aggression,
Approximate Word count = 2150
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)