Urban Odyssey

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The Luntz Memo

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Briefing Document: Communicating the War on Terror - Key Themes and Strategies

This briefing document summarizes the core themes, rhetorical strategies, and critical factual assertions outlined in the provided source, "Luntz-Memo-Full.pdf," which focuses on communicating the "principles of prevention & protection" in the "War on Terror." The document emphasizes a deliberate approach to language, aiming to shape public perception and support for Administration policies, particularly concerning the Iraq War.

I. Overarching Communication Strategy: Rhetorical Nuance and Public Perception

The memo explicitly states that certain terms, while reflecting policy, should be avoided due to negative public perception. Instead, a carefully constructed lexicon is presented to frame the "War on Terror" and the "War in Iraq."

  • Avoidance of Specific Terms: "You will not find any instance in which we suggest that you use the actual word 'preemption,' or the phrase 'The War in Iraq' to communicate your policies to the American public. To do so is to undermine your message from the start."
  • Preferred Terminology: The overarching theme should be "the principles of prevention and protection" in the "greater War on Terror."
  • Iraq as the "Poster-Child": The document acknowledges the public's focus on Iraq: "Like it or not, the situation in Iraq is the poster-child for the War on Terror. It is today’s ground zero." This necessitates a "better way to talk about Iraq in the greater context of the War on Terror."

II. Five Essential Message Points for Iraq and the War on Terror

The memo outlines five core messages to effectively link the Iraq War to the broader War on Terror and garner public support:

  1. "9/11 changed everything" as the Foundational Context: Every discussion about homeland security or Iraq must begin with a reference to 9/11. This "shared experience of the tragedy" provides the necessary emotional and strategic backdrop.
  2. Universal Support for "Prevention and Protection": These principles should be addressed before discussing Iraq, as they enjoy "universal support."
  3. Linking Prevention at Home with Action Abroad: "Prevention at home can require aggressive action abroad" is presented as the best way to connect public support for prevention with the Administration's policies. The key phrase is: "It is better to fight the War on Terror on the streets of Baghdad than on the streets of New York or Washington."
  4. Global Nature of Terrorism: "Terrorism has no boundaries, and neither should efforts to prevent it." Emphasize the international impact of terrorism, affecting diverse nationalities, to underscore that "Americans are not the only target."
  5. Saddam Hussein's Removal as a Positive Outcome: "The world is a better place without Saddam Hussein." This point is presented as self-evident and requires no further elaboration.

III. Making the Case: Detailed Language Strategies

The memo provides a comprehensive breakdown of how to communicate these themes, offering specific "Words That Work" from Administration officials:

  • 1. Setting the 9/11 Context: Remind Americans of the tragedy and its transformative impact on "the way we think about threats," "our vulnerabilities," and "the kind of national security strategy we need to pursue." (Vice President Dick Cheney quote).
  • 2. Prioritizing Homeland Security and Prevention: Before discussing Iraq, emphasize prevention at home. This involves painting a "vivid – but not too graphic – picture of what you hope to prevent." The goal is not just a future with opportunities, but a "future, period." Victory in this war is measured by "events that did NOT happen and lives that were NOT lost." The threat involves "tens or even hundreds of thousands of lives in a single day of horror" if terrorists acquire WMD. (Vice President Dick Cheney quotes).
  • 3. Protecting American Values and Freedoms: While advocating prevention, highlight what is being protected: "what we’ve been doing for the last 200 years – and that’s being America." Emphasize "being responsible and reasonable," while affirming that "we cannot and will not sacrifice our freedom." (Secretary Tom Ridge quote).
  • 4. Connecting Iraq to the "Wider War on Terror": Since "smoking-gun caliber evidence of weapons of mass destruction" against Iraq was not readily available, connect the Saddam regime to other terrorist actions by "their actions, their goals, and their behavior." This links violence in Iraq to global terrorist acts, portraying a "same ideology of murder." (President George W. Bush quote).
  • 5. Framing the Conflict as a "War Against Radical Political Ideologies," Not Religion: This approach "inoculate[s] yourself from criticisms that you are motivated by religious bigotry" and allows for challenging "ALL those who use violence as a political weapon." The ideology "seek[s] tyranny," "oppress and persecute women," and "seek the death of Jews and Christians and every Muslim who desires peace over theocratic terror." (President George W. Bush quote).
  • 6. Waging War "THERE, Not Here": Reframe "preemptive action" as "PREVENTION," personalized by fighting "the war on terror on THEIR turf, not ours – that it be fought on THEIR soil, not ours." This addresses public reservations about "hitting first." (Secretary Donald Rumsfeld quote).
  • 7. Addressing the "Root Causes" as a "Culture of Hate": To stop terror, end the "Culture of Hate" by condemning the teaching of hatred to children and the celebration of suicide bombers. This requires an "international effort." (Secretary Donald Rumsfeld quote).
  • 8. Leadership, Patience, and Perseverance for Freedom and Security: Frame the struggle against terror in terms of "the same qualities of leadership, patience and perseverance that saw our nation to victory in the Cold War." Americans are willing to accept sacrifice for "freedom and security," and leaders must be "confident in our nation's cause, and unwavering until the danger to our people is fully and finally removed." (Vice President Dick Cheney quotes).
  • 9. Remembering Saddam Hussein's Capture: Highlight "the dictator being pulled from his hole" as a "single most potent case" for actions in Iraq, but avoid claiming it ended the war. Frame it as a "significant victory in the war on terror" against "a remnant of violent Saddam supporters...joined by foreign terrorists." (President George W. Bush quote).
  • 10. Prioritizing American Casualties and Supporting Troops: "Nothing matters more than Americans in the line of fire." Emphasize appreciation and support for service members and their families. This is the "greatest concern among Americans" regarding the war. (President George W. Bush quote).

IV. "Just Say No To Terror": Language for an Editorial - Targeting Funding of Hate

This section advocates for legislation to prevent U.S. taxpayer dollars from funding organizations that "hate us" and "actively seek to harm us," particularly those that promote terrorism or teach hate to children.

  • Problem Statement: American taxpayers "continue to endow the hate-spewing organizations that celebrate the death of innocent Americans," and "line the pockets of evil men who turn around and bite the hand that feeds them."
  • Proposed Solution: Congress needs "binding legislation" requiring all recipients of U.S. taxpayer dollars (private, public, governmental, domestic, or international) to "publicly and thoroughly renounce terrorism of every sort, as well as the teaching of hate to children."
  • Specific Examples of Concern: Palestinian NGOs: Some "have refused to cooperate with U.S. authorities in eliminating their ties to such groups as Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad," and "use the money either directly or indirectly in the education of children to hate Western values, Western culture and Western people."
  • Palestinian Authority (PA) Municipalities: Receive USAID money but "promote terror by honoring terrorists and making them into role models for society and especially for children." An example cited is the funding of renovations for the "Dalal Mughrabi girls’ high school named for the terrorist who killed 31 innocents."
  • UNICEF: "helped fund the summer camp named after Wafa Idris, the first woman suicide bomber."
  • Legislation Requirements: The proposed law would mandate that recipients "accept the U.S. definition of terror and terror groups, and renounce terrorism accordingly. They must not use any money, American supplied or otherwise, to aid, honor or promote in any way any terrorist or terrorist organization or facilitate their activities."
  • Expected Outcomes: "Deplete the money supply of active terrorist organizations," send a "message to the world community that America is serious," and force extremist groups to "alter their tactics and will find financing much more difficult."
  • Justification: Given "tight budgetary constraints," "hostile atmosphere within radical Islam," and "rampant anti-American sentiment," Congress is "justified in its scrutiny." The document asserts that "If it meant more books for American children and less books that teach hate for Middle East kids, Americans would stand up and applaud."

This briefing document highlights the memo's strategic approach to public communication, emphasizing careful word choice, framing narratives around 9/11 and prevention, linking the Iraq War to broader anti-terrorism efforts, and advocating for stringent financial measures against organizations deemed to support terrorism or propagate hate.

Timeline & Figures

Detailed Timeline of Main Events

This timeline focuses on the rhetorical and policy framing surrounding the "War on Terror" and the conflict in Iraq, as presented in the "Luntz-Memo-Full.pdf" excerpts.

Pre-September 11th, 2001:

  • Prior to 9/11: Americans have a generally shorter attention span and may not always see the "big picture" regarding national security threats. The US had a different national security strategy.
  • Decades before the War on Terror: Iraq is described as having been a "terrorist state."
  • Several Decades before the War on Terror: Concessions or retreats by the US against fanatical political ideologies are seen to embolden enemies and invite bloodshed.
  • September 11th, 2001:
  • September 11th Attacks: This event is presented as a fundamental turning point, "changing everything" for the United States. It altered the economy, spending priorities, the perception of threats, recognition of vulnerabilities, and the required national security strategy. It also served as a "merest glimpse" of the potential destruction from international terrorism, especially if terrorists acquired weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

Immediately Following September 11th, 2001:

  • Administration's Initial Playbook: The Administration begins framing the conflict not as a "war of religion," but as a war against those with "radical political ideologies."
  • Post-September 11th, 2001 (Specific Dates Not Provided, but Actions/Policies Discussed):
  • Implementation of "Prevention and Protection" Principles: The US government prioritizes doing "everything in its power to protect our people from terrorist attack, and to keep terrorists from ever acquiring weapons of mass destruction." This involves both homeland security measures and aggressive action abroad.
  • Shift in US Strategy: The US adopts a strategy of fighting the War on Terror on "their turf" (abroad) rather than "ours" (at home). This is explicitly framed as "prevention" rather than "preemption."
  • US-led "War on Terror" Commences: This is defined as a struggle requiring leadership, patience, and perseverance, akin to the Cold War. It involves building and maintaining military strength capable of decisive force.
  • Military Actions in Iraq (Implied): The memo discusses the situation in Iraq as the "poster-child for the War on Terror" and "today’s ground zero." It describes the toppling of Saddam Hussein and his capture as a "significant victory."
  • Continued Violence in Iraq: Following Saddam's capture, a "remnant of violent Saddam supporters" and "foreign terrorists" continue to pose a serious danger, with ongoing attacks.
  • Congressional Debate (Two-plus years after 9/11): Congress has debated domestic spending (bridges to nowhere, museums) but not sufficiently addressed the funding of organizations that "hate us" and "actively seek to harm us" with US taxpayer dollars.
  • Continued US Funding of Problematic Organizations (Ongoing): The memo alleges that some Palestinian NGOs receiving American aid refuse to cooperate with US authorities to eliminate ties with groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad. USAID funds are also alleged to have supported Palestinian Authority municipalities that honor terrorists, including the renovation of a school named after a terrorist. UNICEF is also mentioned as having funded a summer camp named after a suicide bomber.
  • Lack of Comprehensive Anti-Terrorism Certification: The federal Anti-Terrorism Certification (ATC) is noted as not applying to contracts and government institutions, creating a "loophole."
  • Ongoing Calls for Legislative Reform: There is an urgent call for Congress to enact binding legislation to require all recipients of US taxpayer dollars (public, private, governmental, national, international) to accept the US definition of terror, publicly and thoroughly renounce terrorism, and renounce the teaching of hate to children.

Cast of Characters

This list includes individuals explicitly mentioned in the provided text, along with brief bios as derived from the sources.

Vice President Dick Cheney:

  • Bio: A key figure in the US administration, heavily quoted in the memo for his language regarding the "War on Terror," the impact of 9/11, the nature of the terrorist threat (especially regarding WMDs), the importance of prevention, and the qualities required for leadership in the fight against terrorism, drawing parallels to the Cold War and President Reagan's leadership.
  • Secretary Tom Ridge:
  • Bio: Secretary of Homeland Security. Quoted for his advice to Americans on how to react to the threat of terror, emphasizing the importance of continuing to "be America" and not letting terrorists alter our way of life significantly, while still being responsible and reasonable.

President George W. Bush:

  • Bio: The Commander-in-Chief during the period described. Quoted for his language connecting the violence in Iraq to a wider global ideology of murder and terrorism, distinguishing the conflict from a "war of religion," and acknowledging the ongoing fight against Saddam's supporters and foreign terrorists in Iraq after his capture. He also emphasized the importance of supporting US troops.

Secretary Donald Rumsfeld:

  • Bio: Secretary of Defense. Quoted for his articulation of the need to take the battle to terrorists on "their turf" and for advocating for an international effort to reduce the "Culture of Hate" by ending the teaching of terrorism in schools and preventing individuals from becoming terrorists.

President Reagan:

  • Bio: A former US President, whose commitment to bringing down Communism is invoked as an example of strong leadership, optimistic confidence, patience, and perseverance required for victory in the "War on Terror."

Saddam Hussein:

  • Bio: The former ruler of Iraq, described as a dictator and leader of a "terrorist state" for decades. His toppling and capture from "a hole" are presented as a "single most potent case" for US actions in Iraq and a "significant victory in the war on terror."

Dalal Mughrabi:

  • Bio: A terrorist mentioned in the context of a girls' high school in the Palestinian Authority being named after her. She is described as having killed 31 innocents, including an American citizen.

Wafa Idris:

  • Bio: The first woman suicide bomber, mentioned in the context of UNICEF reportedly helping to fund a summer camp named after her.

Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad:

  • Bio: Terrorist groups mentioned as organizations with which some Palestinian NGOs receiving American aid have allegedly refused to cut ties, and which promote terrorism through ongoing suicide bombing campaigns.