Iraq Withdrawal
Iraq Withdrawal
Signe Wilkinson
10/06/08
http://cartoonbox.slate.com/hottopic/?image=19&topicid=47
What issue, event or idea does the cartoon address?
This cartoon deals with the time of withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. There is no real answer to the question to when the troops will be taken out of Iraq. There is no consensus in popular opinion or even with in the U.S. political system. Bush has been refusing to set a date for withdrawal from Iraq but Al-Maliki has said that he wants U.S. troops out of Iraq by the end of 2011.
What key people or groups are part of the cartoon’s message?
George Bush is the man with the large telescope. You can recognize him because he is commonly portrayed with exaggerated ears and mouth. Nouri Al-Maliki is the other man with the “Iraq Prime Minister” sign on his jacket.
Choose one technique (symbolism, exaggeration, labeling, humor/irony, or stereotype) and briefly explain how the artist used it in the cartoon.
What is the message of the cartoon? What do you think is the cartoonist’s opinion or point of view on this issue?
The size of the binoculars that Bush is holding is intentionally exaggerated because the author wanted to stress the fact that Bush doesn’t really have a plan for when the troops should come home which makes many people think that it will take a very long time. Compared to Bush’s binoculars, Al-Miliki’s opera glasses look absurdly small. This means that not only can both leaders not see eye-to-eye, but Al-Maliki wants U.S. troops out of his country much sooner than Bush wants them out.
The author most likely thinks that Al-Maliki has a better idea of how his country should be run. You can tell this by the way he has drawn the expressions on both faces. Bush has a rather scary look on his face, while Al-Maliki has a much more Innocent facial expression with his eyebrows raised.
Filed under: Week of Oct 6, Zoe
