Critique of Article Titled "An American Attack on Iraq is not Justified"

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"An American Attack on Iraq is Not Justified" was written by John E. Farley in 2002 when congress was considering a resolution to the 9-11 attacks. Farley is a professor of sociology at Southern Illinois University and still participates in war protests to this day. Farley's argument is exactly what the title states, a war in Iraq is not justifiable. The United States ultimately went to war against Iraq on March 19, 2003. Since then, the question of whether or not the war is ll, showing that he cares to inform everyone about the current situation.

Although Farley does not use outside sources in his article, he seems to be a reliable source who would be knowledgeable about the subject. In the introduction to the article it is prefaced that Farley is a professor of sociology, a subject which looks deeply into situations such as the one in Iraq. This is beneficial to his argument because it makes it easier for the reader to trust that he knows what he is talking about since sociologists study these types of situations and their effects on society. Since Farley participates actively in protests against the war, he is part of the movement and knows about the situation.

Furthermore, the organization of Farley's article helps his argument. He separates the article into different sections with subtitles for all the different claims he is making to support his thesis. He states the claim and then gives his evidence and reasoning in an organized paragraph or two. This assists him in his argument because his writing is well structured, helping the reader clearly understand each claim he is making. Also, if an author can't organize his ideas in writing, he is showing his weakness and the audience will not take him seriously as an int...

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...othing false about them.

Overall, I believe Farley would do an excellent job persuading any audience that "An American Attack on Iraq is Not Justified." Through his language he proved to the audience that he was serious about the subject. Through his clear thesis, concise organization, and even his educational background, he showed the audience that he is intelligent and knows what he is writing about. Through his explanation of the pro-war side he proved that he cares about his audience and he is not scared of proving anyone wrong. His use of logic, rhetoric, and language proved to be persuasive in his argument. He succeeds masterfully in persuading his audience that going to war in Iraq is not justified.

Works Cited

Farley, John E. "An American Attack on Iraq is Not Justified." Iraq Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. William Dudley. Greenhaven Press, 2004. 27-31.

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