Date of Graduation
2008
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
Committee Chair
Lawrence T. Nichols
Committee Chair
Lawrence T. Nichols
Abstract
This study looks at the construction of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a social problem by the New York Times and USA Today between July 2002 and June 2007. Articles were coded as political, military, social, economic, or “other.” Key word searches were conducted to further explore these categories. Antiwar articles were also counted. Primary and secondary themes throughout the period of analysis were then developed. Interestingly, the findings indicate that there were two constructions of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The first construction, which we called the Antiterrorism Mission, focused on the necessity of military intervention due to the terrorist threat. The transition period, called Mission in Doubt, focused on the change from conventional warfare to a counterinsurgency for which the U.S. was unprepared. The second, more negative construction was called Misguided Mission and focused on the need for a change of strategy due to the lack of military and political progress.
Recommended Citation
Martin, Amanda Ellaina, "The construction of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a social problem." (2008). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD). 11089.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/11089