Rhetorical Analysis Of Operation Desert Storm By George Bush

In the world of politics, the relationship between the leader and the people is often hard to tell, especially in times of war. Citizens will start to form opinions on what actions taken and the results of those actions taken on by the leader. I will be analyzing George Bush’s speech about the successful of Operation Desert Storm and the Saddam Hussein’s speech to the Iraqis prior to the invasion of Kuwait. Both Bush and Saddam used certain rhetorical strategies in their speech in order to accomplish on what they have to say. I will be going over some the strategies used by George Bush and Saddam Hussein during their speech.
I will start with George Bush’s speech at Maxwell Air Force Base. Bush starts by thanking the men and women who participated

in Operation Desert Storm. He used a hyperbole when he said, “Our technology and training ensured minimal losses, and our precision -- your precision -- spared the lives of innocent civilians.” His overemphasis about how our serviceperson use of advance warfighting technology, boosts the troop’s morale. Bush also mentions, “But our victory also showed that technology alone is insufficient. A warrior's heart must burn with the will to fight.” He says that the soldier’s will to fight was the reason that the United States won the fight. Bush moves on with his speech and start to talk about the United States relationship with the Europeans. Bush wants to work together to solve disputes through communication instead of skirmishes. “By joining forces to defend one small nation, we showed that we can work together against aggressors in defense of principle.” Bush and other allies join together to stop tyranny around the world. Towards the end of his speech, Bush finish his speech by saying, “May God bless our great nation, the United States of America. And thank you all for what you have done for freedom and for our fundamental values. Thank you very much.” Bush appeals to God at the end of his speech.
Next, we go onto Saddam Hussein’s speech broadcasted on Baghdad Radio.

Saddam starts his speech with “O faithful, honest Muslims, wherever you may be; O people wherever faith in God has found its way to your hearts, and wherever it found what embodies it in the sincerity of your intentions and deeds”. Saddam sounds like he is reciting a passage from the Quran. Saddam is telling his people that he is taking actions for the good of Iraq. Saddam continued with his speech and talks about the United States and Zionism. “…some Arabs and to many foreigners so that some of them could not remember what Zionism and U.S. imperialism have done against Iraq, beginning with the Irangate plot or the Iran-Contra scandal in 1986 until the first months of 1990, when the plot against Iraq reached its dangerous phases…” Saddam states that Israel and the United States have already cause damage to the Iraqi people. Saddam also criticizes the United States for being greedy and bullying Iraq. “They want to deprive Iraq of every quality characterizing truly faithful people and good sons who are faithful to their people, homeland, and nation. Shame on them and shame on their cowardly act, and all they do.” Coming to the end of the speech, Saddam reiterates what he said in the beginning of the speech again. “O fair people, note all this, as the Iraqis have noted, acknowledged, and concluded.” Saddam closes his speech by calling to God again and states, “Dignity, glory, and victory for the heroes of this path, the sons of our nation and mankind. God is great, God is great; accursed be the

lowly.”
Both speakers had very good use of rhetorical strategy. Bush persuades the audience that the United States has the best military training and technology to give them the edge in a battle. Bush also talks about how the United States wants to come together with other countries to deal with disputes diplomatically instead of starting a war. Saddam persuades his audience that the actions he about to take is for the sake of Iraq. Saddam also talks about the United States and Israel are threats to the Iraqi people because they want to take everything his country has. In the end they both said what needed to be said.