Reducing civilizational conflict to a freedom-versus-hate slogan produced self-destructive policy consequences.

Evidence

Not surprisingly, some of the advocates of such extreme views were seduced after 9/11 by the clarion call for action that on the public level reduced elusive civilizational challenges confronting America to the simple slogan: “We love freedom, they hate freedom.” And no wonder that the policy conclusions drawn from such a simplistic and rather demagogic contrast had self-destructive consequences when applied to real life. — Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the…, 14

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to discussions of post-9/11 American foreign policy rhetoric and its failures, echoing themes about ideological framing overriding nuance.