[spex]

Hello,
I'd like to hear your opinions about this comic. I think the four sitting men stand for the four different stagesin Afghanistan (Germany, Italy, Canada, USA). Can you tell me why it is four times the same guy? Why is he / are they supposed to go? And what's the bag and the gun in the middle of the NATO-symbol.
Thank you very much.

[spex]

Sorry that the picture didn't work. Here it is again. I hope it's better.

[Donna]

At least they got it surrounded.

[theodd1out]

They have got their backs to Afghanistan coz they expect to get a good kicking anytime soon.

[Thunderhawk]

When the USA was attacked on 9/11, the USA invoked the NATO treaty for its allies to help out. This eventually lead to a war against the 9/11 terrorists, AlQueda and their protectors, the Taliban.


It is implied that occupation of Afghanistan is part of the call to arms. Various NATO countries however disagree with that as they view their NATO obligations to have been fulfilled by ousting the Taliban and making Afghanistan no longer a threat to the USA/NATO. They view rounding up the left over Taliban and AlQueda as an internal Afghani issue, a policing action, and therefore not part of the NATO mission in Afghanistan.

The truth however, is that the various countries called to arms by the NATO treaty have no interest in sending their soliders into Afghanistan. They are willing to send Aircraft, equipment, material goods, monetary aid, etc.. but not troops for occupation duty because the death of soldiers is politically unpalpable.




The picture is satire: Various members of NATO throughout the world (the people sitting at the points) refuse to send troops, and are saying others should go. Arms and equipment await them in Afghanistan (the centre) .

[spex]

Thanks a lot for this great interpretation. It sounds so easy and obvious but I never would have managed to figure that out on my own.