Critical Analysis of “What We Are Fighting for” by Rex Murphy
Assignment #3 ENG255
Critical Response: “What We Are Fighting For” by Rex Murphy; The Reader, Section 3, Page 438 In May of 2006, Rex Murphy; a former veteran journalist for the Globe and Mail, understood a great deal more than the average Canadian why Canadian troops are fighting in Afghanistan. In an attempt to help free the many Canadians of the frustration they felt with the government, Murphy published an essay entitled “What We Are Fighting For” that outlines the reasons Canadian troops are fighting in Afghanistan in an expository and informal way that Canadians will be able to understand. Murphy’s essay features an interesting mix of an informative but persuasive style of writing that attracts the reader to keep reading on and maybe even do some research on the issue of their own. His essay circulates around the speculation that “Canada agreed that eliminating a government that had sheltered and nursed the terrorist organization that committed the atrocity of 9/11 was both right and in our own self-interest, that not pursuing the Taliban and al-Qaeda would only leave Afghanistan as a potential site of similar designs in the future”. This being his thesis briefly answers the underlying question of the essay and he later goes on to answer the question in more depth. The essay itself supports Murphy’s thesis with great strength because Murphy’s reasoning is sound and concrete, he has done his research to give his essay accuracy, and his methods and style of writing are effective. September the 11th 2001 was a tremendously horrific day for not only the United States of America, but for the entire nation as a whole. People in different countries all over the world felt the pain of 9/11 and Canadians were no exception. Shortly after the attacks on 9/11, Canada became a big part of the UN approved mission that declared war on the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. Murphy’s position on the issue is that he believes many Canadians are
Critical Response: “What We Are Fighting For” by Rex Murphy; The Reader, Section 3, Page 438 In May of 2006, Rex Murphy; a former veteran journalist for the Globe and Mail, understood a great deal more than the average Canadian why Canadian troops are fighting in Afghanistan. In an attempt to help free the many Canadians of the frustration they felt with the government, Murphy published an essay entitled “What We Are Fighting For” that outlines the reasons Canadian troops are fighting in Afghanistan in an expository and informal way that Canadians will be able to understand. Murphy’s essay features an interesting mix of an informative but persuasive style of writing that attracts the reader to keep reading on and maybe even do some research on the issue of their own. His essay circulates around the speculation that “Canada agreed that eliminating a government that had sheltered and nursed the terrorist organization that committed the atrocity of 9/11 was both right and in our own self-interest, that not pursuing the Taliban and al-Qaeda would only leave Afghanistan as a potential site of similar designs in the future”. This being his thesis briefly answers the underlying question of the essay and he later goes on to answer the question in more depth. The essay itself supports Murphy’s thesis with great strength because Murphy’s reasoning is sound and concrete, he has done his research to give his essay accuracy, and his methods and style of writing are effective. September the 11th 2001 was a tremendously horrific day for not only the United States of America, but for the entire nation as a whole. People in different countries all over the world felt the pain of 9/11 and Canadians were no exception. Shortly after the attacks on 9/11, Canada became a big part of the UN approved mission that declared war on the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. Murphy’s position on the issue is that he believes many Canadians are