Blog Assignment #5: Research Proposal

The specific topic I intend to research is recruitment for the Iraq war. To get even narrower than that, I am going to specifically focus on the recruitment of minors in our country to join the war when they are of age. This is a serious problem that began with the military’s rapid falling numbers of enlistees in September of 2005. So, the limited time period for this topic will be from then to the present day. Geographically this obviously only takes place in the United States because it is American children being persuaded to join the American army. However, I am aware that certain areas are targeted much more heavily than others due to race, gender, and most importantly, class, and I will need to be looking into that. It is important to recognize what types of children are targeted more than others and why. By seeing this the topic will be limited itself. The historical and critical context of this topic is the war in Iraq, and very specifically the army failing to meet their recruitment numbers for the first time in over a decade. Another major part of the overall context is the extreme controversies that are debated and caused by this war throughout our nation. One major example of which specifically, is my topic, recruitment of minors. Through research I want to look at how they are targeted, who targets them, and what methods of campaigning are used to reel them in. I want to look into the type of advertising that is being used and directed towards these children and if it is false or not. I also want to look at importantly, what people are doing to prevent and stop this act of greed by the army, and how they are going to do so. These questions don’t investigate whether I agree or disagree with my topic, the delve into it to see the controversies about in depth and exploit them. These questions have rhetorical substance and the answers to them will persuade my reader to understand my rhetorical purpose.

My topic is valid because it fits perfectly into our them of war. The war in Iraq is a tragic ongoing war, and we have learned in depth details of this through our Unit 1 assignments. I was very disturbed by the emotional appeals I got from my visual artifact in my Unit 1 essay, as well as by the information I found and used in order to support my purpose. These facts, opinions, and overall information wanted me to dig deeper and get to the roots of the disturbing problem of the recruitment of minors in our country to sign up for such a dangerous future. It is one of the numerous controversies brought about throughout our country from the war with Iraq, but it is one that personally disturbed me. I want to know how bad it is, and if it is going to be a problem that continues if the war does. I want to see if this controversy is one that proves the war must end immediately or if is one of many that is blown out of proportion. So, I intend to research this topic and these questions because it is something I am not only particularly interested in but have developed and emotional feel for. I think tampering with the minds of not only the children of our country but the future of our country is a dangerous and immoral thing. Why is our government allowing such a thing? Don’t they think they are also taking the easy way out by targeting a specific group of people? I am concerned for the children of our country if they are being recruited to the army which leads to my concern for the future of our country because we the children are the future.

I intend to research this topic and those questions starting with the research I have already done. I will go back to my sources from my first essay and read them over again to see what else I can find and if they can take me to other sources that will be of help. I want statistics and facts as well as the many opinions that are out there to add to my research and paper. I will take both fact and opinion into consideration and incorporate them both into my paper because they matter equally. Facts are facts, but the opinions are what are creating the controversies and upheavals throughout our nations. The opinions are going to change what is going on in our country for better or for worse. I want to get all different perspectives on this topic and then delve into why these people are saying what they are saying and upon further research see if it is all justified or not. What do the children or better yet the parents of the children who are being recruited feel? What do the children and parents of the children who are not being targeted feel? This matters.

My topic matters not only to me but to everyone living in the United States. If our children are being recruited to the army as such a young age it is imperative that this is recognized by everyone, and we work together for a change. I think one important part of my research, however, is that although this topic should be recognized by everyone, who does is matter to more within the United States? Who does it matter to the most? I will discover this answer throughout my research as well as why. But overall as a country this issue needs to be looked at and addressed and with that, to me, our nation can see the bigger picture and problem. Importantly, also, I think children would be interested in my work. They are the ones this is happening to, or people just like them. Not only is it important that they are in the know but that they see what is happening to their peers and their similar types. Our nation is at stake here and it is imperative that we recognize a huge controversy and problem, such as my topic, that is being caused do to the context in which is it in; the continuing war with Iraq. 

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