Propaganda and the 9/11 ‘Global War on Terror' - Introduction

Presented by the Working Group on Propaganda and the 9/11 Global ‘War on Terror’ - https://propgwot.org/

The ‘Global War on Terror’ instigated after the events of 9/11 led directly to war in Afghanistan and the manufactured pre-emptive invasion of Iraq. It also set the conditions for conflicts in Libya, Syria, and Yemen, among others. Indeed, the ‘Global War on Terror’ has, in multiple ways, defined the political conditions of Western military action for 20 years now. Millions of lives have been lost as a result of these military campaigns; countless more irreparably damaged on all sides of these conflicts, and the ‘War on Terror’ has both eroded civil rights and deflected attention and resources away from more pressing political issues. As with all military campaigns throughout history, the ‘Global War on Terror’ has been enabled through a massive and concerted propaganda drive. From the initial promotion of al-Qaeda as the sole actor responsible for the events of 9/11, to the demonstrable lies and distortions about the ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction’ that precipitated the invasion of Iraq, through to misleading “narratives” regarding Libya and Syria, the manipulation of public opinion via techniques of propaganda has been commonplace across Western public spheres.

This Webinar presents a range of analyses developed by researchers who have explored key aspects surrounding the propaganda campaigns that serve to support the ‘Global War on Terror.’ This ranges from controversies over the events of 9/11 itself, through to the wars which followed – including Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. Implicit to this will be issues surrounding Academia and the study of controversial issues.