The Impact of Language on Strategic Communication. A Discourse Analysis of the Public Debate about Germany's Mission in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2010

Master's Thesis from the year 2017 in the subject Politics - Region: Near East, Near Orient, grade: A- (Class I), National University of Ireland, Maynooth (Military History and Strategic Studies), course: Leadership, Management and Defence Studies, language: English, abstract: The thesis examines how language shaped the public discourse concerning the German ISAF mission between 2009 and 2010. It focuses on the political and strategic communication concerning the German contribution to the mission. This paper examines a variety of definitions of war and discusses their applicability for the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. Although traditional, state-centered definitions of war are still relevant in legal respects, today inter-state wars between two belligerent states are the exception. Therefore, to be useful any definition of wars have to emphasise the effects of warfare and cover inter-state wars, and intra-state wars. After a series of incidents in Afghanistan, including the so-called Kunduz Airstrike and the Good Friday Battle, German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg described the security situation in Afghanistan as 'kriegsähnlich' (war-like). He later progressed to describing it as 'war'. This started a controversial debate. Before his pronouncements, the neutral term 'Stabilisierungseinsatz' (stabilisation mission) was in official use. His actions stirred debate amongst the press and politicians in Germany about the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission. This debate centred on the political and military objectives in Afghanistan and the label of war.