The Fanonite

Powerful artwork by Andy Singer.

I’m not sure why but this cartoon also reminds me of the Orwellian use of the term “Humanitarian Aid.” Often the US has used it when it’s actually delivering weapons, in other words, the bombs in the top section of the drawing might have been “Humanitarian Aid” too! Here’s a good example from Noam Chomsky.

Ten years ago …. the International Court of Justice was found to be an inappropriate forum for judging Nicaragua’s charges against Washington. The U.S. rejected ICJ jurisdiction, and when the Court condemned the U.S. for the “unlawful use of force,” ordering Washington to cease its international terrorism, violation of treaties, and illegal economic warfare, and to pay substantial reparations, the Democrat-controlled Congress reacted by instantly escalating the crimes while the Court was roundly denounced on all sides as a “hostile forum” that had discredited itself by rendering a decision against the United States. The Court judgment itself was scarcely reported, including the words just quoted and the explicit ruling that U.S. aid to the contras is “military” and not “humanitarian.” Along with U.S. direction of the terrorist forces, the aid continued until the U.S. imposed its will, always called “humanitarian aid.” Public history keeps to the same conventions.

For more see Peoples Geography (Thanks Ann!).