This monograph examines the rhetorical nature and function of representations of the future in political discourse, focusing on political actors' use of hegemonic images of future "e;reality"e; to achieve their political goals. It argues that a key ideological dimension of political rhetoric lies in politicians' use of projections of the future to legitimate policies and actions. This argument is grounded in systemic-functional and critical discourse analyses of the "e;Bush Doctrine,"e; the U.S. policy response to the September 11 terrorist attacks which sanctioned a "e;preemptive"e; military posture. By focusing on the discursive construction of the future, this project addresses a lacunae in critical discourse studies and calls attention to the crucial role that the discourse and practice of "e;futurology"e; has played in post-Cold War politics and society. It will be of value to scholars interested in the discourses of politics, the "e;war on terror,"e; U.S. national security, and futurology.