At War in Afghanistan:

Militant America in Egyptian Political

Cartoons

Collected by

Mark Allen Peterson, PhD

• I collected these cartoons during the war in Afghanistan, primarily from Egyptian magazines and newspapers .

• Collectively, they represent a particular way of seeing the United States.

• I have included here those cartoons that have the most resonance with current events. Indeed, many cartoons about the Iraq War appearing in the Middle Eastern press are very similar, except for exchanging Iraq for Afghanistan, and a futile hunt for weapons of mass destruction for Osama bin Ladin.

Heeding World OpinionThe US went to war without the kind of UN authorization it had in the first Gulf War.

World opinion is portrayed as literally being set aside here, as the muscular United States prepares to deal with things on its own terms.

Off to War

With the domes and minarets of mosques in the background, an evil-looking Uncle Sam, astride his iron steed, shouts, “Afghanistan, Ho!”

World Leader

America’s insignificant coalition partners ride in its wake.

Looking for OsamaDuring the war in Afghanistan, the inability of the U.S. to locate Osama bin Ladin was the source of many jokes, verbal and visual. Left, an American pilot asks directions as to where he can find Osama bin Ladin. Below, the U.S. begins its quest for the terrorist, entering a vast maze. Later, similar cartoons would be made about the search for weapons of mass destruction.

Overwhelming Force

Even after 9/11, many in the Middle East do not understand how the mighty U.S. can fear any third world country. They do not see themselves as powerful or frightening. A common theme, therefore, is the notion that the U.S. is too big to fight such insignificant foes and indulges in overkill. In the cartoon on the left, the pilot radios for help in finding some target left to bomb. On the right, the ant is labeled “Afghanistan.”

The Scary Americans

America is frequently seen as a menace to world peace, even if with the best of intentions. On the left, Uncle Sam prepares to ignite the earth even as he assures the peace dove that what he is doing is necessary for her survival. Right, the US intends to get that bee (labeled Bin Ladin) at any cost to the peaceful world (and note the Israeli jet overhead).

President Bush

During the 2000 election, Egyptians used to urge us to vote for Bush. But when the U.S. went to war in Afghanistan, he came to be portrayed as a someone with no ability to understand the consequences of his actions.

War Crimes?

The United States is frequently depicted as not caring about who it hurts – civilian casualties in bombings, the starvation caused by economic sanctions, etc. The question is asked: wouldn’t these be crimes if committed by anyone but America?

Hope for PeaceIn the end, it is not a world leader but an Arab peasant (wearing his traditional galabiyya) who is portrayed as understanding the way to peace. This is the Middle East as it would like to imagine itself.

www.connectedincairo.com

Mark Allen PetersonProfessor, Anthropology Department& International Studies ProgramMiami UniversityOxford, OH 45056