The World According to W
Although Telnaes has spent most of her life in the United States,
she was born in Sweden. Her experience of living and working abroad,
she says, has made her keenly aware of how other countries view the
United States and has led her to consider foreign affairs issues
from other nations' perspectives. A member of the Cartoonists Rights
Network since 2002, Telnaes has stated unequivocally how grateful
she is for the freedom of expression that she exercises as a cartoonist
in the U.S.
In her cartoons on foreign affairs, Telnaes brings attention to
the ongoing denial of women's basic civil and human rights in Africa
and the Middle East, the lack of separation between religion and
government in some nations, media coverage of recent wars in Afghanistan
and Iraq, and efforts to link patriotism to increased surveillance.
In addition to U.S. leaders, she has also lampooned world leaders
such as Vladimir Putin, Yassir Arafat, Ariel Sharon, and Queen Elizabeth
II. She notes that she bases her caricatures less on physical features
than on her own observations of each person's words and actions over
time.
Afghan Radicals,
September 10, 1996
Brush and ink, opaque white, and paste on
over violet and blue pencil on bristol
board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04674; LC-USZ62-134277
© Ann Telnaes (7)
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Taliban's Treatment of Women
On September 27, 1996, radical Islamic rebels ousted the existing
Afghan government. This Taliban regime immediately banned women
and girls from work and school. Required to be accompanied
by a male relative in public, women were also compelled to
wear the burka--a garment that concealed them completely, shielding
even their eyes with cloth mesh. "This was the first cartoon
I ever did about the Taliban and their treatment of women," Telnaes
recalls. "I didn't even know they were Taliban--I just put
'Afghan Radicals,' a nice, all-purpose term. I thought, 'Let's
have them pulling a roller over a face, so the woman disappears'." |
The President's View of the World
On June 11, 2001, President George W. Bush embarked on his
first notable international tour, hoping to improve public
perceptions of himself at home and abroad. Criticism of his
administration was widespread because of its seemingly indifferent,
domineering, or arrogant attitude on a variety of foreign policy
issues, including missile defense and the environment. Other
countries viewed Bush as putting the United States at the center
of the world. "I think this cartoon says pretty much what I
still believe," observes Telnaes. |
The World According to
W,
June 14, 2001
Brush and ink over blue pencil
and graphite on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04696; LC-USZ62-134250
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (21)
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We Can Do It,
September 25, 2001
Brush and ink and opaque white
over blue pencil on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04686; LC-USZ62-134249
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (22)
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Women of Afghanistan
In the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United
States, Telnaes asked Americans not to overlook the suffering
of women in Afghanistan, who had endured severe restrictions
since the Taliban took control of their country in 1996. In
this cartoon she contrasts a famous World War II poster of
Rosy the Riveter, which encouraged U.S. women's contributions
to the war effort, with the Taliban's efforts to make their
women invisible members of society. |
Plea to Avoid the Innocent
When this cartoon was drawn, U.S. forces were preparing to
attack Afghanistan in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks. Telnaes's cartoon addresses the particular vulnerability
of Afghan women, whose movement and ability to be informed
were severely limited. Telnaes comments, "At the time I was
thinking, just be careful where you're aiming those bombs."
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"Aim Carefully Please,"
October 2, 2001
Brush and ink and opaque white
over blue pencil on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-01970
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (24)
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I Want Your Civil Liberties,
December 18, 2001, for The American Prospect
Brush and ink and opaque white
over pink and blue pencil on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04718; LC-USZ62-134251
© Ann Telnaes (27)
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Effects of the U.S.A. Patriot Act
On October 26, 2001, the U.S.A. Patriot Act was signed into
law by President Bush, giving the federal government a wide
range of new powers--among them, increased wiretapping and
electronic surveillance capabilities, greater access to previously
private records, and the ability to detain immigrants without
legal charges. Attorney General John Ashcroft, the driving
force behind the act, claimed that it was necessary to combat
terrorism. Others, however, argued that it threatened civil
liberties. Telnaes's cartoon is a take-off on James Montgomery
Flagg's famous World War I recruiting poster of Uncle Sam and
plays off the strict Puritan culture of New England. |
Hear, See and Do No Evil
The government of Saudi Arabia cut ties with the Taliban after
the September 11th attacks on the United States. However, the
Saudi regime came under fire for not doing more to prevent
international terrorism because Saudi nationals were among
those responsible for several acts of recent terrorism. As
the U.S. focused attention on Afghanistan and Iraq, some raised
questions about Saudi Arabia's hands-off approach and its role
in terrorism. Critics claimed that the Saudi government had
looked the other way as its citizens joined militant Islamic
organizations in other countries and had ignored the financing
of terrorism by private parties. "I thought, shouldn't this
be something that should be looked at," says Telnaes, "rather
than stopping every single Pakistani and African person who
comes through our airports?"
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Saudi Response To Islamic
Radicalism,
December 27, 2001
Brush and ink and opaque white
over blue pencil and graphite on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04698; LC-USZ62-134279
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (28)
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Man of a missing piece,
April 20, 2002
Brush and ink and opaque white over pink
and blue pencil and graphite on bristol
board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04720; LC-USZ62-134281
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (30)
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Ariel Sharon
Sparked by the March 27, 2002, Palestinian suicide bombing
that claimed twenty-six Israeli civilians, Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon authorized military occupation of several Palestinian
cities. Violence erupted, with Israeli troops imposing detentions
and curfews in the West Bank, as well as trapping Palestinian
leader Yassir Arafat inside his compound and threatening him
with exile. On April 7, President Bush urged Sharon to withdraw
his forces "without delay." Over a week later, however, Israeli
troops still had not withdrawn, and on April 18, Bush reneged
on his firm stance, calling Sharon "a man of peace." |
Reproductive Rights and AIDS
"One of my recurring themes is the issue about reproductive
rights and the spread of AIDS in Africa," says Telnaes, "but
institutions like the Vatican don't condone condom use." The
Catholic Church insists that only abstinence will provide protection
against HIV and AIDS and that the distribution of condoms encourages
promiscuity. Although ample scientific evidence shows that
correct use of condoms reduces one's risk of contracting HIV
and other sexually transmitted diseases, the church continues
to oppose their use. "I'm not talking about Catholicism, I'm
talking about policies," Telnaes explains. "There's a difference
between religion, and religion and politics together."
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"Good-I see you're not
using condoms,"
July 5, 2002
Brush and ink and opaque white over blue
and pink pencil and graphite on bristol
board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04699; LC-USZ62-134282
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (32)
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[Arafat in hangman's noose
yoked with Hamas],
August 4, 2002
Brush and ink and opaque white
over pink pencil on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04692; LC-USZ62-134283
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (33)
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Yassir Arafat Blamed for Tactics of Hamas
The Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas claimed responsibility
for suicide bombings on August 4, 2002, that killed eighteen
people in the Israel-Palestine area. Dozens more were wounded.
The Israeli government blamed Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat
for the violence, faulting him for allowing Hamas to get out
of control. Some claimed that Arafat tolerated the tactics
of Hamas because acts of violence brought attention to the
Palestinian cause, even though the violent and strongly religious
group is Arafat's rival for power. |
Sex-Abuse Scandal and Gay Marriage
The Vatican released a document in July 2003 denouncing same-sex
marriages. Telnaes viewed the announcement in light of the
church's recent sex-abuse scandal, which forced the resignations
or dismissals of around 325 U.S. priests. When in October 2002
the Vatican rejected the U.S. Catholic Church's new zero-tolerance
sexual abuse policy, many people saw it as a decision to protect
priests rather than their victims. "It's a bit of a stretch
to put gay marriage and sexual abuse together," Telnaes says, "but
I think it's legitimate. I don't choose a brutal idea just
to be brutal, to shock. There was a lot of covering up going
on regarding the behavior of priests, which I think is inexcusable."
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"We reject legalizing
same sex unions--,"
July 30, 2003
Brush and ink and opaque white over pink pencil on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04784; LC-USZ62-134248
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (77)
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Miss Sharia,
November 11, 2002
Ink brush over blue pencil and graphite
underdrawing with opaque white
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04701; LC-USZ62-134284
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (71)
Color print
from digital scan |
Miss World Beauty Pageant
The 52nd Miss World beauty pageant, set to be hosted by Nigeria
on December 7, 2002, aroused immediate disapproval from conservative
Muslims, who claimed that the contest promoted immorality.
Several beauty pageant contestants also boycotted the event,
protesting the harsh form of sharia law practiced
in parts of Nigeria. Recent sharia court sentences
included amputations of limbs as punishment for theft, and
stoning of women who bore children outside marriage. A November
16 newspaper article about the competition sparked riots injuring
more than 500 people and killing more than 100, and the pageant
was moved to London. Telnaes captures the intensity of cultural
tensions at play in this cartoon of international beauty contestants,
all drawn as elegant, long limbed, and perfectly proportioned
figures--with one shocking exception. |
The Energy Policy Task Force
In 2001,Vice President Cheney led an energy task force to
determine the Bush administration's national energy policy.
Its conclusions were called into question after the Chapter
11 bankruptcy of Enron--an energy broker that had held several
meetings with Cheney and members of his staff. Cheney refused
to release details of the meetings or the names of those involved.
He argued that the administration had a constitutional right
to keep those records secret because the meetings were instrumental
in developing national policy. A federal judge agreed with
Cheney in December 2002, but the Supreme Court agreed to hear
the case on appeal.
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I Don't Kiss and I Don't
Tell,
February 11, 2002, for The American Prospect
Brush and ink and opaque white
over pink pencil on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04719; LC-USZ62-134285
© Ann Telnaes (36)
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"He is a brutal dictator,"
February 3, 2003
Brush and ink and opaque white
over pink pencil and graphite on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04702; LC-USZ62-134286
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (37)
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Which Dictator Has WMD?
President Bush accused Saddam Hussein of possessing weapons
of mass destruction (WMD) in his 2003 State of the Union address.
Saddam was painted as a dangerous dictator whose "sanity and
restraint" could not be trusted. In the same speech, the behavior
of Kim Jong II of North Korea was brushed over. Jong had controlled
a Stalinist regime since 1994 and announced in October 2002
that his country was developing a nuclear arms program. In
December 2002 United Nations inspectors were dismissed from
the country, and withdrew North Korea from the Nuclear Non-proliferation
Treaty. The North Korean leader appears persistently in the
background of Telnaes's cartoon as Bush accuses Saddam--with
less evidence--of similar actions. |
Television Networks' Conformity in Coverage
of the War
Telnaes's cartoon criticizes televison network coverage during
the war in Iraq. "All the major television media outlets--Fox,
CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS--didn't do a lot of questioning about why
we were really going to war," she says. "They are now, some
of them, but they should have done it before the fact. They
have a responsibility to the American public. If you're a sheep,
you just follow the herd without thinking."
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Network
sheep and war,
February 14, 2003
Ink brush over pink pencil and graphite
underdrawing with
opaque white
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04703; LC-USZ62-134287
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (72)
Color print
from digital scan |
U.S. War Coverage,
April 1, 2003
Brush and ink and opaque white
over pink pencil and graphite on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04704; LC-USZ62-134288
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (40)
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Slanted Television Coverage of War in Iraq
"I felt, as many American felt, that television coverage about
Iraq was very slanted toward being pro-war," asserts Telnaes. "There
were a lot of stories that kind of glamorized going to war,
the machismo of it. I drew the large microphone to show that
television coverage here was very macho, which might reflect
the fact that mostly men are in charge of that medium. I didn't
see many stories about Iraqi families who were on the receiving
end of all this. They could have at least shown the effects
our actions were having." |
An Army of Liberation or Occupation?
"Operation Iraqi Freedom" commenced on March 20, 2003. At
home, the Bush administration presented the war as promoting
liberty and democracy, and in Iraq distributed propaganda portraying
Americans as liberators--not as an army of occupation. International
debate raged about the difference between liberation and occupation
and left Defense Secretary Rumsfeld having to defend his strategy.
In an April 1 speech, Bush stated: "We are coming with a mighty
force to end the reign of your oppressors," but not all Iraqis
welcomed their "liberators," as American troops faced unexpectedly
bitter resistance.
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Rumsfeld, Needing a Cultural
Interpreter,
April 3, 2003
Ink and opaque white over pink pencil
and graphite on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04705; LC-USZ62134289
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (51)
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Threats Posed
by Iraq
President George W. Bush persuaded many Americans of the need
to go to war with Iraq by repeating that Iraq had ties to Al
Qaida and weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). In May 2003,
the Program on International Policy Attitudes found that 41
percent of Americans polled believed that the U.S. had found
WMDs, or were unsure if they had; 31 percent believed that
Iraq had used chemical or biological weapons during the war,
or were unsure; 60 percent considered the weapons the main
reason to invade. As this exhibition was being mounted, no
weapons of mass destruction had been found.
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"Is
an Immediate Threat to Americans . . . Has Ties to Al Qaida
. . . Has Weapons of Mass Destruction,"
May 25, 2003
Ink brush over pink pencil and graphite underdrawing with opaque white
LC-DIG-ppmsca-05502; LC-USZ62-134309 [left side]
LC-DIG-ppmsca-05503; LC-USZ62-134310 [right side]
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (78)
Color print from digital scan
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Flag Day, Post-September 11
Telnaes drew this cartoon on the eve of Flag Day, a traditional
celebration in the United States. In the post-September 11
United States, Telnaes's flag is surrounded by cameras, whose
presence indicates the Bush Administration's preoccupation
with surveillance, a practice being defended as patriotic even
when it infringes on civil liberties.
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Patriotic surveillance,
June 13, 2003
Ink brush over pink pencil and graphite
underdrawing with opaque white
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04707; LC-USZ62-134291
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (73)
Color print from digital scan |
"The CIA Had Cleared The
President's
Speech In Its Entirety,"
July 11, 2003
Ink and opaque white over blue pencil
and graphite on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04709; LC-USZ62-134292
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (54)
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2003 State of the Union Address
A key piece of information used in Bush's 2003 State of the
Union address to support the U.S. attack on Iraq--that Iraq
was attempting to obtain uranium from Africa--was proved to
be based on forged documents. The Bush administration was accused
of distorting facts to convince Americans to go to war. On
July 11, national security advisor Condoleezza Rice defended
the president, insisting that "the CIA cleared the speech in
its entirety." Later that day, CIA Director George Tenet took
responsibility for the intelligence. In this cartoon Rice presents
his head on a platter, as did Salome with the head of John
the Baptist. |
The Human Costs of the Global War on Terrorism
In this cartoon U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Vice-President
Dick Cheney, President Bush, and Attorney General John Ashcroft
appear patriotically swathed in the American flag. The Bush
administration had publicly extolled the success of the Afghanistan
and Iraq invasions, but Rumsfeld revealed more realistic sentiments
in an October 16 memo leaked to USA Today in which
he asked, "Are we winning or losing the Global War on Terror?" Because
of this memo and a policy that strictly banned media coverage
of dead American soldiers returning to the U.S., the administration
was suspected of manipulating public opinion. Nearly 350 military
personnel had died in the Iraq conflict by October 23, 2003.
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You
can see these guys wrapped in the flag on TV
. . . but you
can't see this guy,
October 23, 2003
Color print from digital scan
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04710; LC-USZ62-134293
(top)
Ink over graphite and pink pencil on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04711; LC-USZ62-134294
(bottom--casket only)
Ink and opaque white over pink pencil
and graphite on bristol board
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (74)
Color print from
digital scan |
Putin's Soul,
November 11, 2003
Brush and ink and opaque white over
pink pencil and graphite on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04794; LC-USZ62-134295
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (57)
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Russia's Leader
After his first meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin,
on June 16, 2001, President Bush declared, "I looked the man
in the eye. I was able to get a sense of his soul." A friendship
between the two men persisted, even when their opinions diverged
on serious policy issues. During his tenure, Putin has imprisoned
and removed from office a number of political opponents, including
his own chief of staff and Mikhail Khodorkhovsky, a powerful
oil company executive. In November, Grigory Yavlinsky, head
of a liberal opposition party, recollected Putin's 2000 pledge
to "eradicate oligarchs as a class," and labeled Russia's current
government as "capitalism with a Stalinist face"--reflected
here by the distinctive sickle-and-hammer gleam in Putin's
eye. |
President Bush's Visit to England
President Bush and his wife, Laura, arrived in England on
November 18, 2003, as official guests of Queen Elizabeth II.
Their visit was filled with ceremonial occasions, including
an opulent royal banquet at Buckingham Palace on November 19.
During the trip Bush defended his anti-terrorism policies,
including his highly controversial invasion of Iraq. Many British
citizens objected to Bush's presence and his apparent closeness
with the royal family and Prime Minister Tony Blair. Demonstrations
against his military policies drew between 100,000 and 200,000
protestors in Trafalgar Square on November 20. Popular opposition
to his commitment to war in Iraq is symbolized by the missile
in the crown Bush wears in this cartoon.
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Queen Elizabeth and King
George,
November 19, 2003
Brush and ink over pink pencil
and graphite on bristol board
LC-DIG-ppmsca-04795; LC-USZ62-134296
Courtesy of Tribune Media Services (58)
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