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Re-readings of the Algerian War during the US `war on terror'

Between recognition and denial

Kent State University, USA, mkemp3{at}kent.edu

In the light of the Iraq insurgency and the revelations of torture by American soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison, an increasing volume of academic and media commentary has drawn parallels between France's experience during the Algerian War (1954—62), and the current situation facing the United States in Iraq and in its broader `war on terror'. It has been argued that the Algerian War — now viewed by most as a catastrophe which has left an indelible scar on the French national psyche — provides a useful template for understanding the tactical and ideological flaws of the Bush administration today. The aim of this article is twofold: firstly to analyse the main contours of the Algerian War/`war on terror' parallel as it has been debated in academic and media circles, and secondly to examine an aspect of this debate which has attracted less direct scholarly attention, namely the respective attitudes of the French and US governments towards these parallels.

Key Words: Abu Ghraib • counter-insurgency • interrogation • Iraq War • torture

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