Final answer:
President Bush constructed an argument for a united American response to 9/11 through the Bush Doctrine, calling for pre-emptive action against threats, and labeling Iraq an 'axis of evil' despite no direct link to al-Qaeda.
Step-by-step explanation:
After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush logically built an argument for a united American response by appealing to the nation’s sense of vulnerability and the need for security. One example is his address to a joint session of Congress on September 20, where he presented the Bush Doctrine, which advocated for pre-emptive wars or the toppling of hostile governments to protect U.S. interests. He framed the pursuit of these actions as a moral imperative and national duty, calling for the Taliban to turn over Osama bin Laden or face an American attack. Another example is the portrayal of Iraq under Saddam Hussein as part of an “axis of evil” and a threat due to the possession of weapons of mass destruction, despite Hussein’s opposition to bin Laden. Bush’s narrative was clear: the United States faced a new kind of danger that required a new kind of response, one that united all Americans behind their government’s bid to ensure national security.