Shon, Roberts, Strong, Tran 1

Lexi Shon, Rachel Roberts, Nehemiah Strong, Giang Tran

Professor Blair

WRDS 1103

26 October 2023

Analyzing Fallacies and Propaganda in Michael Moore's "Cut and Run: the only

Brave Thing to Do"

In Michael Moore's article, "Cut and Run: The Only Brave Thing to Do," the author

offers a vehement critique of the United States' involvement in the Iraq War, criticizing its

failure to assist the Iraqis but rather destroying the country. Moore's blunt and unapologetic

style provides ample material for analysis, particularly in the realm of fallacies and propaganda.

In this essay, we will delve into the fallacies and propaganda techniques present in Moore's

article, specifically historical analogy, slippery slope, and hasty generalization using the

frameworks proposed by Wood and Lutz to critically examine his arguments and rhetoric.

Moore's article contains several instances of logical fallacies, which undermine the

strength of his argument. One prominent fallacy is the "historical analogy," as Moore frequently

draws parallels between the Iraq War and past events, creating an emotional appeal without

necessarily providing a strong factual basis. His words have a particular weight to them

because of the onslaught of emotions every American is feeling at this time. It can be widely

argued that the death toll is at its peak in 2006, which is when he released his article and

because of this, Moore’s urgency for the United States to pull back can be seen as a logical
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move from many points of views. However, Moore's use of historical analogies is intended to

sway readers' opinions through these emotional connections that are heightened due to what is

going on at the time of the war, rather than empirical evidence. For example, he states, "That's

what happens, and history is full of these examples…," thereby invoking an emotional reaction

based on past historical atrocities. Wood's analysis of fallacies, particularly historical analogies,

assists us in identifying this technique in Moore's writing. At the beginning of his essay, Moore

also compares the defeat of Nazi Germany and what a triumph it was to how much of a

failure the United States seems to be for not being able to shut down Iraq. “We were able to

defeat all of Nazi Germany, Mussolini, and the entire Japanese empire in LESS time than

it's taken the world's only superpower to secure the road from the airport to downtown

Baghdad.” This is an extreme case of hasty generalization because Moore does not

acknowledge how different the situations of World War II and the Iraq War are from each

other; for instance, the United States had big allies assisting them in battling Germany

while for Iraq, they have no one.

Another fallacy that Moore employs is the "slippery slope." He warns of the dire

consequences if the United States continues its involvement in the Iraq War, suggesting that not

pulling out will lead to the "wrath of the voters." Again, drawing from the fear and sadness

that his readers are likely feeling, he uses the fact that death tolls continue to rise as his

reasoning, implying the United States government is cruel and unfeeling for not pulling

back even though there is substantial evidence on why they cannot. The slippery slope

fallacy overstates the potential consequences, thus weakening the argument. Wood's framework

for identifying such fallacies is instrumental in pinpointing this form of faulty reasoning.
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Moore also uses propaganda techniques, such as hasty generalization, to enhance the

impact of his argument. Lutz's analysis of hasty generalization becomes particularly relevant

when assessing Moore's writing. Hasty generalization refers to making a claim based on a

sample size far too small to support the claim. Moore employs hasty generalization when he

says, "At least they've been liberated, permanently." By using the term "liberated," Moore

attempts to make a morally ambiguous statement sound positive, and does not provide evidence

as to what “liberated” actually means in the context of the Iraq War, which had over one-

hundred-fifty-thousand deaths combined. It is a hasty generalization meant to merely

make the reader jump to conclusions about what Moore wants them to think happened

during the “liberation”. Thankfully, Lutz's framework enables us to identify this deceptive

language and recognize its persuasive intent.

In another instance, Moore employs hasty generalization by stating, "We must atone for

the atrocity we have perpetuated on the people of Iraq." Here, he uses the word "atone" to frame

the situation in a way that assigns collective guilt to all Americans, again jumping to

conclusions about what he thinks Americans need to apologize for as well as ignoring how

most of Iraq is against westernization, AKA the United States trying to replace their entire

way of governing. Moore's choice of words, overall, has a manipulative effect on the reader's

perception of the situation. Additionally, when Moore suggests, "You can get the world to

boycott a regime until they are so ostracized they capitulate," he oversimplifies a complex issue,

making it susceptible to manipulation and misinformation. These instances exemplify how hasty

generalization is employed as a propaganda tool to shape public opinion.

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Furthermore, Moore employs "guilt by association" by juxtaposing images of

Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid with collages of American soldiers who died in the war. This

creates an emotional connection between the politicians and the casualties of the war,

suggesting an association between them that may not be grounded in fact.

In "Cut and Run: the only Brave Thing to Do," Michael Moore utilizes various fallacies

and propaganda techniques to present his staunch critique of the Iraq War. His use of historical

analogies, slippery slope fallacies, and hasty generalizations can be identified using the

frameworks proposed by Wood and Lutz. Examination of the articles provides insight into the

persuasive strategies employed by the author, encouraging readers to approach the text with a

discerning eye and spreading awareness of the rhetorical tools used to advance his argument.

While Moore's bold opinions may provoke strong reactions, it is essential to recognize and

evaluate the underlying communication strategies he uses to shape the narrative.

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Citations

Lutz, William. " Doubts about Doublespeak." Models for Writers. Eds. Alfred

Rosa and Paul Eschholz. New York: Bedford/ St. Martin's, 2004. 122-126. Print.

McClintok, Ann. "Propaganda Techniques in Today's Advertising." The Longman

Reader. Ed. Judith Nadell. New York: Longman, 2003. 304-311. Print.

Moore, Michael. “Cut and Run: the only Brave Thing to Do”.

Wood, Nancy. “Essentials of Argument.” Upper Saddle River: Pearson/ Prentice Hall, 2006. Print.

“The Iraq War.” Council on Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations,

www.cfr.org/timeline/iraq-war .

“Casualties of the Iraq War.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Sept. 2023,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Iraq_War.