Wednesday February 13, 2003

February 13, 2003‘I drew this cartoon of familiar European stereotypes at the height of the brinkmanship in the lead-up to the war in Iraq, with the French and Germans on one side and the hawkish Americans on the other. There was a healthy surge of jokes and slights based on nationalities, including a favourite of mine from The Simpsons characterizing the French as “cheese-eating surrender monkeys.’ - Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday February 13, 2003

Europeans in Love

Graeme’s Gallery 2003

US lawmakers are threatening to take retaliatory action against France, Belgium and Germany for their opposition to US policy towards Iraq. 

Anger with the French and German stand has led some US congressmen to call for a trade boycott of French products and the withdrawal of some US troops from Germany. 

The failure of these three states to honour their commitments is beneath contempt 

And some consumers are already reducing their purchases of French cheese and wine. 

The increased rhetoric and demands for action are a concrete sign of the growing tensions within the Nato alliance. 

The bitterness is evident across the political spectrum. 

Democratic Congressman Tom Lantos of California said he was “particularly disgusted by the blind intransigence and utter ingratitude” of France, Germany and Belgium. (BBC)