Political Cartoon - "Bush Blasts Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty" by Peter Nicholson
Who: Peter Nicholson is an Australian political cartoonist, caricaturist and sculptor, and four-time winner of the Walkley Award for Journalism. In this political cartoon, Nicholson's caricature skills are clearly displayed, shining a light on subtle features to define significant characters. Currently Nicholson draws political cartoons for The Australian in which he draws weekly for Business, Media and page one. Basically, Nicholson draws cartoons to express current issues as well as to make a living.
What: President George W. Bush is pushing down on a detonator, triggering the detonation of what looks to be a nuclear bomb. This bomb is blowing up the Non-proliferation Treaty which swore to prevent the build up of nuclear weapons. Standing around president Bush are other world leaders including what looks to be the leader of India, as well as two other unidentified characters. Most likely, these men represent the countries that posses nuclear weapons but have not signed the NPT (Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty), and together with them, President Bush is going against the treaty.
Where: This cartoon was most likely published in Australia, due to Nicholson's point of origin, and can be found on Peter Nicholson's gallery website.
When: Published on March 11th of 2006, this drawing could be relating partially to the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany declaring that negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program have reached a dead end and recommend that Iran be referred to the United Nations Security Council. This council contains every Nuclear Weapons State under the NPT which consists of the United States, France, the United Kingdom, China, and Russia. However, this is most likely alluding to North Korea's drop out of the NPT in 2003, as well as their announcement and successful detonation of nuclear bombs in 2006. South Korea reported that the explosion had the amount of force of about 550 tons of TNT.
Why: Basically, Nicholson is attempting to explain how the NPT is ineffective given that President Bush can blow right through it with a nuclear bomb, and that the treaty won't stop other countries that aren't under the restrictions of the NPT from building up their nuclear arsenals. The target audience could really be anyone.
How: The fact that Bush is blowing up the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty with a nuclear bomb is ironic, because he represents the United States, which is a country with one of the largest nuclear arsenals, which shows how not even the United States cares about this treaty. If the United States doesn't care about the expansion of nuclear weapons, countries that aren't under the regulations of the NPT aren't going to care either. These countries, such as India which is present in the cartoon, are inexperienced in regards to safeguarding their nuclear weapons which poses a threat to the entire world. Given that North Korea was able to detonate a nuclear bomb with the force of 550 tons of TNT without global reaction shows how the treaty is ineffective for those who are not under its regulations and that these countries could be potentially the most dangerous. This threat is nuclear warfare, whether it be accidental or purposeful.
Statistical Map - BBC; Federation of American Scientists
Who: The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) works to provide science-based analysis of and solutions and protect against catastrophic threats to national and international security. FAS works to reduce the spread and number of nuclear weapons, prevent nuclear and radiological terrorism, promote high standards for nuclear energy's safety and security, illuminate government secrecy practices, and track and eliminate the global illicit trade of nuclear and chemical weapons. Thus, it would make sense why BBC would have a statistical map of the FAS dealing with nuclear numbers.
What: Basically, this map shows the distribution of nuclear stockpiles around the world. The darkest countries have the most nuclear warheads while the lighter colors have smaller nuclear stockpiles. While the exact numbers may be secret, this map still provides a reliable estimation and general trend of stockpiles per country. Russia and the United States have the most which makes sense due to the historical context of the Cold War, while countries such as Pakistan, India, and Israel have the least because they are newest to the game and are the evidence of nuclear proliferation in the world.
Where: Published on the British Broadcasting Corporation website, the actual map was created based of data collected by the Federation of American Scientists, and while the data was collected from all over the world, it was most likely created in the United States where FAS is located in Washington D.C.
When: This particular map was updated on March 6th of 2012, and which could be due to the European Union's decision to embargo Iran's Oil in protest to Iran's alleged Nuclear weapons program. Thus it would make sense for FAS to acquire new data with the expansion and changing numbers of Iran's program.
Why: This data gives the everyday person visualization of the current status of nuclear stockpiles and allows them to see how many countries have nuclear weapons and how many nuclear weapons each country roughly has. The target audience is your average citizen of any country, and its intentions revolve around informing the populous of the world's current nuclear stockpile. Also, it could be stressing the importance of nonproliferation due to the fact that a majority of these weapons can be fired at any time, and are specifically designed for cities and populated areas.
How: This map shows the recognized Nuclear Weapon States and the up-and-comers. While five nuclear states own a significant number of the total amount of nuclear weapons, it is evident that the newest countries that have acquired nuclear weapons are quickly developing weapons and producing more when compared to the rate of the other countries. It's as if India, North Korea, Pakistan, and Israel are all attempting to build up their arsenals to compete with one another, such as what occurred between the United States and Russia during the Cold War.
Magazine Article - Forbes
Who: James Conca is a scientist of earth and environmental sciences and specializes in the disposal of nuclear waste, energy-related research, subsurface transport and environmental clean-up of heavy metals. Conca's article most likely possesses bias views because of his connections to nuclear waste disposal. The creation and proliferation of nuclear weapons requires more nuclear energy which in turn, requires more clean up, thus it would make since why he advocates for nonproliferation of nuclear weapons.
What: Conca's article regards how nuclear energy is growing around the world and while nuclear weapons states have only grown to a smaller extent, having more countries dependent on nuclear energy allows for more opportunity to weaponize such energy and to create nuclear arms. Conca makes it clear that only North Korea, Pakistan, and Iran have acquired nuclear weapons after 1990, however, these countries posses huge threats due to their inexperience with nuclear arms. Conca makes the connection between energy and weapons: that nuclear energy states have some of the basic knowledge and some of the infrastructure to start a weapons program.
Where: Originally issued into a copy of Forbes Magazine and distributed throughout the United States, the version that I've accessed was posted to the Forbes website, thus distributed over the internet.
When: Posted in 2014, this article is an accurate representation of the worlds current status regarding nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. North Korea successfully detonated, most recently, in 2013 showing strong signs of a possible classification of yet another nuclear state.
Why: Conca points out how the older Nuclear Weapon States such as the United States or Russia, have decreased their arsenals since the times during the Cold War and have greatly decreased their numbers, however, four significant countries have acquired nuclear weapons and pose threats to the rest of the world, due to inexperience and fragile relationships with surrounding countries. For example, India and China both posses nuclear weapons and have been trying to "out do" one another for a significant duration.
How: In the article, a graphic of rising trends of nuclear energy states nuclear weapons states is shown, and while the amount of nuclear energy states has risen by thirty one countries, the amount of nuclear weapon states has not increased very much. This small increase is still significant, because the jump happened recently when compared to the five nuclear weapon states recognized under the NPT. When comparing the development times of nuclear weapons for China, Russia, France, the UK, and the US, we can see that their nuclear arsenals developed over a large chunk of time, whereas Israel, India, Pakistan, and North Korea have begun to develop theirs at a much quicker rate. This shows the possibility of future nuclear development due to a growing importance of technology and advancement throughout the world. The weapons and armies of all countries will require adaption to current times and technology will keep advancing, and weapons will keep advancing.
Song - "Who's Next" by Tom Lehrer
Who: Thomas Andrew Lehrer was born in 1928, thus he has lived his life for a majority during the Cold War era which explains his motivation for writing such a song. He is a singer-songwriter, pianist, satirist, and mathematician. While a majority of his music career consisted of humorous songs, he did release a series of songs during the 1960s focusing with social and political issues of the day, writing them for the television show: That Was the Week That Was.
What: In the song, Lehrer sings in regards to the atomic bomb because not only did the United States acquire it at the end of World War Two, but now the Soviet Union had successfully detonated a nuclear bomb showing its nuclear progression and capabilities. While France and China had detonated nuclear bombs, the USSR and the United States were still in control of a majority of the nuclear weapons at the time. Explaining how France and China have acquired the bomb in the song, just provides for examples of nuclear proliferation. Lehrer then goes on to question who is going to get the bomb next, listing out countries that could possibly develop nuclear programs and from that, nuclear bombs. Every country that has the ability to develop a nuclear program creates an excuse for developing the bomb, for example Israel wants one for self-defense. Lehrer is trying to warn anyone about the nuclear expansion, for it is an extremely under-exaggerated problem and possibility.
Where: During the Cold War era, many Americans were considered with the current standings between the United States and Russia. Many feared that Russia would begin to outperform and produce the United States in technology evident by the arms race and the space race. Tom Lehrer was, at the time, an entertainer, and entertainers require content and when a majority of the country and world is focused around one issue that basically govern their lives, it requires whoever to focus on that specific topic in order to pull the audience back in. Lehrer was an American, thus the song was released in the United States
When: Released in 1967, Lehrer wrote this song during the height of the Cold War, when nuclear warfare knocked on the door almost every other day, creating a lingering possibility of world destruction which would come through the detonation of nuclear weapons. During 1967, the United States successfully tested nuclear bombs three separate times all at the Nevada Testing site, while Russia had tested its nuclear bombs three separate times as well.
Why: Essentially. Lehrer is focusing on bringing the issue of nuclear proliferation to the surface, asking which countries are going to get the bomb next, implying that it is going to spread into other countries. His intended audience is most likely to the citizens of the United States because during this time, the arms race as well as general competition between the United States and the USSR were at an all time high.
How: Throughout his song, Lehrer repeatedly asks the question of "who's next" talking about countries acquiring the atomic bomb. His use of a wide variety of countries stresses the idea that although the United States and Russia are currently the main Nuclear states, the idea of nuclear proliferation is still a worldwide problem and that any country theoretically could contribute to such an expansion, thus endangering world peace even further.
Article - The Heritage Foundation
Who: Bob Graham and Jim Talent both have history in the political arena, thus they should be well informed and qualified to write in regards to international nuclear arm status. Graham was the Governor of Florida from 1979 to 1987, the period ending the Cold War, while Jim Talent is a former senator of Missouri.
What: The article focuses around how nuclear proliferation endangers world stability as given by the title. Terrorists have continued to attempt to acquire nuclear weapons in order to use them if it develops what the group is sufficiently capable of. On average, a half million people crowd the area within a half-mile radius of Times Square and one detonation of a nuclear missile would kill all of them. A nuclear attack would also have devastating impacts economically because millions of individuals would be stricken with poverty as a result of such a strike. Basically the article continues to describe the negative effects of a nuclear strike. These men bring up the inexperience North Korea, Iran has while detonating nuclear tests, thus contributing to destabilization.
Where: Originally posted in an issue of the Miama Herald, the Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institution whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.
When: This article was published on September 15th, 2008, around the time of North Korea's first successful detonation after declaring a series of nuclear tests. Iran's nuclear involvement was also a hot topic during this era.
Why: The article basically stresses the importance of nonproliferation describes how nuclear proliferation not only increases the possibility of nuclear war, but also the fact that the world would be left in a detrimental state after the blast. Graham and Talent both stress the lack of presidential involvement in regards to nuclear proliferation. Basically, more executive action is needed in dealing with the entire nuclear proliferation situation.
How: These politicians express their views through the use of statistical evidence of increasing nuclear stockpiles in countries such as North Korea and Iran. They also show the negatives of proliferation by stating multiple reasons why nuclear expansion would be detrimental such as increasing accessibility for terrorist groups or creating an destroyed economy incapable of recovery.
Political Cartoon - "Anti-proliferation Brigade" by Khalil Bendib
Who: Khalil Bendib is an Algerian artist and political cartoonist. He was born during the Algerian revolution, spending three years in Morocco before returning to Algeria at the age of six after being born in Paris, France. Bendib attended the University of Southern California earning his Master's degree in 1982. On this personal website, Bendib explains how he created "cartoon that speak truth to power."
What: In the cartoon, three larger men, the United States, Europe, and the United Nations, all focus around one extremely tiny missile. While they are focusing on the small missile labeled Iran, a smaller man pulls on the United States and points at a row of larger missiles with country names on them, those being China, France, Russia, Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The man that is depicted as the United States is brushing the man aside, saying "Enough already! Can't you see we're busy," implying that their main focus is on the small missile rather than the towering ominous missiles.
Where: Since Khalil Bendib did move to California, this cartoon was most likely published within the United States, and thus distributed in the United States, as well as on the internet, in order to spread the views held within the cartoon as to address problems and to adjust the focus of the United States, Europe, and the United Nations.
When: Published in October of 2012, it is evident that this cartoon relates to the recent decision of the European Union to embargo Iran Oil in protest to the country's growing nuclear program. At the time, super powers of the world were focused on Iran's current progress with nuclear weapons rather than the rising numbers of other stockpiles.
Why: Essentially, Bendib wants to express how while world super powers focus on Iran's nuclear expansion, the real problem regarding nuclear expansion deals with the countries that already have large arsenals, rather that countries that are simply just starting to develop a nuclear program. It's as if these countries and agency are oblivious to the real problem, themselves, and are only focusing on the unordinary new threat that has only negative connotations and history. The whole idea of unchecked nuclear proliferation is present in the cartoon because these nations are worried about a smaller threat, when they should be checking their own expansion. All nuclear bomb pose threats, not just in the hands of new nuclear countries such as Iran.
How: The size of the missiles symbolizes the level of threat and attention that should be associated with each country. Iran is extremely small implying that it isn't a big issue in regards to nuclear programs when comparing it to countries such as the United States or China. The fact that the three men in the picture represent an "Anti-Proliferation Brigade" is ironic because behind their backs more important countries are expanding on their nuclear programs while Iran is the only country that is being watched.
