On September 12, 2002, one year and one day after the horrific terrorist attacks upon the United States, President George W. Bush spoke to the United Nations General Assembly in an attempt to persuade the members that the United States warrants for attacking Iraq are concurrent with those for the war on terrorism. In his speech, President Bush's main claim is that the indictment of Hussein is the next logical and accurate move towards combating terrorism in the Middle East and the start of reducing the threat of terrorism in the rest of the world.
Bush backs this claim up with data, stating that the United Nations would not exist were it not for the United States and its contribution of troops from the U.S. Army. This creates a sense of legitimacy to the United Nations, showing that the United States is not some radical country trying to enforce an extremist regime change, but the most pivotal and influential country in the entire world.
President Bush goes on the further strengthen his claim by means of warrant. The first is his use of ethos, or appeal to authority, in stating that the United Nations helps to maintain a system of security and is so obliged to secure Iraq, a threat to the world's security. Next, Bush uses logos, or appeal to logic, as a warrant for his claim in affirming that Hussein's various violations of United Nations Security Council Resolutions, including 1373, supporting and sheltering a terrorists organization and also Resolutions 686 and 687, demanding that Iraq return all prisoners from Kuwait and that they renounce all involvement with terrorism. Lastly, Bush appeals to pathos, or appeal to the emotions of his audience by testifying how "Saddam Hussein's regime is a grave and gathering danger" and the fear that, in one place and under one regime, we find all of these dangers, such as weapons of mass destruction, terrorists plotting new attacks and a chemical arsenal.
