Storytelling and Terrorism: Towards a Comprehensive 'Counter-Narrative Strategy'; Strategic Insights, v. 6, issue 3 (2005 March)

Abstract : Scarcely a day goes by without a senior government official commenting on the "war on terror" or the "global war on terrorism," or with some reference the "the terrorists." This terminology is also bandied about on popular media outlet--in print and on television and radio. In short, the terminology of "terrorism" has become part and parlance of daily public discourse. The terminology now forms part of the indelible fabric of communications in the globalizing international environment. The use of this terminology carries with it certain connotations and intuitive images that for the United States public congers up the painful and searing memories of the September 11 attacks. To be sure, however, these painful memories are interspersed with other, more pleasant thoughts. We recall, for example, the heroism of the New York City firefighters and the passengers on board United Airlines Flight 93 that brought down the third plane en route to Washington. The reports of U.S. military personnel riding on horseback through the valleys and mountains of Afghanistan marshaling troops and calling in air strikes also come vividly to mind as the nation struck back at perpetrators of the attacks.