Strategic Narratives, Public Opinion and War

"'This volume is a must-read to understand 21st century conflict. In today's supercharged world of social networks, instantaneous communications, and suddenly constructed narratives, national leaders must bring their publics along. The long, difficult, and still unfinished NATO campaign in Afghanistan offers many lessons -- both good and bad – for how to approach to aspect of creating security in a highly complex world.' -- Admiral James Stavridis, Supreme Allied Commander at NATO 2009-13 and Dean of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, USA 'How states explain their participation in conflict is not a passive reflection of a policy position, but actively shapes the scope of the conflict itself, and frames how actions are understood by the enemy, one's own side, and other audiences. So strategic narrative matters. This admirable book, focused primarily on strategic narrative and domestic audiences, serves as a guide for policymakers and students of contemporary conflict.' -- Emile Simpson, Harvard University, USA 'How do Western governments persuade their publics of the necessity for fighting ""wars of choice""? This fascinating volume explores the importance and effectiveness of different national strategic narratives for the war in Afghanistan and, in so doing, explains why some Western states were more successful than others in sustaining public support for this long and costly war.' -- Theo Farrell, King's College London, UK"