An Examination of the Role of U.S. Media Diplomacy in the Second Gulf War (The 2003 Invasion of Iraq)

Soft power is one of the relatively new concepts that entered the political literature in the late twentieth century. It is primarily defined as the manifestation of media power in mobilizing public opinion. In 2003, during the invasion of Iraq, the United States focused more on media power than military strength. This indicates that media diplomacy today not only plays an informational role but also legitimizes governmental actions. Considering the importance of this topic, the research question is: What role did U.S. media diplomacy play in the Second Gulf War? The author's hypothesis is that contemporary media are not only tools for dissemination of information but also act as new actors in the political arena. The United States optimally utilized media diplomacy to justify its military actions. This research employs an analytical-descriptive method and uses library resources for data collection. The findings indicate that by leveraging media diplomacy and implementing the embedded journalist project during the 2003 Iraq invasion, the United States successfully mobilized global public opinion in its favor.