Political Cartoon: Barack Obama

This political cartoon criticizes President Obama's action plans in different fields: the war in Afghanistan, the New Health Care Reform, the increase in taxes, and  his attitude as President. The artist depicts this concept by illustrating four different situations involving the President in four different issues. In addition, the artist conveys President Obama with ignorance and naiveness in his expressions. The artist also use ironic diction and oxymoron to express the absurd contradiction of the President's plans.

In the war of Afghanistan, the artist presents the irony by using the quote "The only way to get out is to go in." This refers to the current President's plans to send more troops to Afghanistan, believing that it is the only way to defeat the corruption in Afghanistan, and withdrawing the US troops by 2011.

Numerous Americans oppose Obama's new single-player universal Health  Care plan because billions of dollars are going to be spent on it. However, Obama believes that this type of health care plan would appease and benefit today's poor economic situation.

Furthermore, the Obama administrative government is raising the taxes on many fields of the industry, in order to get the economy flowing. However, this artist depicts this action as hurtful to the lower, middle, and even the high class, given that the taxes are raised even more for them.

Lastly, the artist conveys the government as inattentive and  not vigilant of the nation by presenting it with the satirical quote above, "The only way to watch is to cover your eyes."

http://cartoonbox.slate.com/walthandelsman/

More troops to Afghanistan?

7,000 more troops are promised to be sent to Afghanistan to fight the Taliban and al Qaeda extremists and train Afghan forces, according to Nato. "At least 25 countries will send more forces to the mission in 2010," Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters after holding talks with NATO foreign ministers. "They have offered around 7,000 forces with more to come."

 Despite President Obama’s priority plan to withdraw the troops from the Afghanistan war in his presidential campaign by July 2011, more troops are needed to defeat corruption in Afghanistan. "ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) will have at least 37,000 more soldiers in 2010 than it did this year," Rasmussen said. "That is solidarity in action." Currently, there are 68,000 U.S. troops operating under both NATO and U.S. commands, and around 42,000 non-U.S. forces under NATO.

The US has also reaffirmed ISAF to be an ally and a partner in defeating the Afghan war and coordinate civilian and development assistance in increasing the troops. "We have come together in NATO and in ISAF because we recognize that our security is shared -- that we have a collective responsibility." 

Even though more troops are deemed to be sent in Afghanistan, hopefully, Obama's plan of withdrawing troops by July 2011 will be attained by this upcoming input of troops.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/12/04/afghan.nato.troops/index.html?section=cnn_latest