KAL's Cartoon

This cartoon is from The Economist.  This cartoon at the present time has had 59 comments.  Cartoons spark debate in ways that print media cannot.  Why not use cartoons in the classroom as a discussion starter?

One problem with cartoons is that they only show one aspect of the problem.  In this case, the cartoonist calls Mr. Assad a butcher and infers that China and Russia are somehow behind the bloody violence in Syria.

The cartoon also makes the point that there's nothing the world can do about the violence in Syria except object to it.  Let's turn to the comments left by readers and summarize their points.

One comment makes the point that rebels might be a worse regime than the current.  Another makes the point that their might be religious cleansing.  The Usual Suspect makes the point that Russia has much to gain by backing Syria.  Syria does not have a huge impact on the world market for crude oil, thus, the West is not protecting it.

I think that Syria has different values and beliefs that the West doesn't understand.  If the West intervenes in the unrest, then the West will destabilize the region just like it did in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam.  I wish the violence would end.  It's easy to see what happens when one dictator gets too much power and will stop at nothing to get it.  But I don't think using violence to end violence is the answer either.  I wish I knew what the answer was.  On CNN I see children mutilated, civilians innocently killed, homes ruined, and hate flaunted in colors in a holy land.