The U.S. Military Withdrawal From Afghanistan – In Cartoons In Chinese Communist Party Media Outlets

Following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Chinese Communist Party media outlets published cartoons depicting the U.S. as hypocritical and concerned only for its own interests. One major theme in both media and cartoons was comparing this event to the end of the Vietnam War and the capture of Saigon in 1975.

Below is a selection of cartoons from CCP media outlets:

The U.S. As Hypocritical

(Source: Global Times, August 23, 2021)

Commenting on the cartoon, the Global Times wrote: "Photos which show U.S. soldier giving children water went viral. But the U.S. destroyed their homes in the first place."[1]

(Source: Global Times, August 19, 2021)

Commenting on the cartoon, the Global Times wrote: "Do you know what real hypocrisy is like? Check this."[2]

(Source: Global Times, August 23, 2021)

The above cartoon, showing Uncle Sam shielding an Afghan woman and her child with an umbrella equipped with knives, accompanied an article titled "The U.S. Has Moral Responsibility For The Flood Of Refugees In Afghanistan." The article stressed that the new refugee crisis in Afghanistan is directly linked to the political upheaval triggered by "the hasty withdrawal of the U.S. military."

It added: "The U.S. military occupation has exacerbated the economic difficulties in Afghanistan and foreshadowed the refugee crisis. The past 20 years have been Afghanistan's 'lost decades.' The U.S. has been a destroyer instead of a builder. They occupied the country, not to rebuild it, but purely for hegemony and geopolitical ambitions. The U.S. occupation did nothing to help Afghanistan with infrastructure, agriculture and industry, but increased its economic dependence, fostering a dysfunctional economy reliant on external aid and rife with clientelism, nepotism and corruption."[3]

Comparing U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan With The End Of Vietnam War

(Source: Global Times, August 16, 2021)

Commenting on the above cartoon, the Global Times wrote: "[It's] yesterday once more. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week, 'This is manifestly not Saigon.'"[4]

It is worth noting that a recent Global Times editorial stated that "abandoning allies to protect U.S. interests is an inherent flaw that has been deeply rooted in the U.S. since the founding of the country." It added: "Many people cannot help but recall how the Vietnam War ended in 1975: The U.S. abandoned its allies in South Vietnam; Saigon was taken over; then the U.S. evacuated almost all its citizens in Saigon. And in 2019, U.S. troops withdrew from northern Syria abruptly and abandoned their allies, the Kurds... During the American War of Independence, the U.S. humbly begged the king of France, Louis XVI, to ally with it. After the war, it quickly made peace with Britain unilaterally and concluded a peace treaty with Britain that was detrimental to France's interests. This put Louis XVI's regime in a difficult position, giving cause for the French Revolution."[5]

(Source: Global Times, August 18, 2021)

Commenting on the above illustration, the Global Times wrote: "Saigon 2021. 1975 in Vietnam; 2019 in Syria; 2021 in Afghanistan. Who will be the next 'ally' abandoned by the U.S.?"[6]

Depicting The U.S. As Caring Only For Its Own Interests

Source: News.cgtn.com, August 22, 2021)

Commenting on the above cartoon, the official website for China Global Television Network wrote: "Afghanistan can never build on U.S.' interests."[7]

'America First... To Flee'

(Source: Xinhuanet.com, August 17, 2021)

Commenting on the above cartoon, Xinhuanet.com wrote: "America first... to flee" and "First to invade, first to flee. #AmericaFirst"[8]

'Dogs Get Priority' Over Afghans

(Source: Global Times, August 17, 2021)

Commenting on the above cartoon, the Global Times wrote: "Dogs get priority. U.S. military dogs in Kabul are evacuated from the city's airport, among other officials, as the Taliban takes control of Afghanistan."[9]

Afghanistan As A 'Hot Potato' In Biden's Hands

(Source: Global Times, August 18, 2021)

Commenting on the above cartoon, depicting Biden holding the "Afghanistan Debacle" against a backdrop of portraits of Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump, the Global Times wrote: "Hot potato. It's yours now."[10]

Biden Depicted As Unable To Deal With Afghanistan, COVID-19

(Source: Global Times, August 22, 2021)

Commenting on the above cartoon, the Global Times claimed that "most voters deem Biden unfit to be president, poll shows."[11]

The "War-Go-Round" Of "U.S. Military Failures"

(Source: Xinhuanet.com, August 16, 2021)

Commenting on the above cartoon, Xinhuanet.com wrote: "War-Go-Round... Here we go again ..." Depicted are "Korea 1953," "Cuba 1961," "Vietnam 1975," and "Afghanistan 2021!"[12]

The U.S. Withdraws, Wreaking Further Havoc

(Source: Global Times, August 15, 2021)

Commenting on the above cartoon, the Global Times wrote: "Fleeing the ruins. The U.S. is fleeing. But will that be the end of the havoc the U.S. has wreaked in Afghanistan?"[13]

(Source: Chinadaily.com.cn, August 17, 2021)

Above, U.S. forces bring "chaos and riots" wherever they go.

The U.S. Has Dug Its "Own Hole'' In Afghanistan

(Source: Global Times, August 18, 2021)

Commenting on the above cartoon, the Global Times wrote: "Digging own hole. Hard to climb out."[14]

The U.S. Destroys Both Afghanistan And "Scientific Justice"

(Source: Chinadaily.com, August 18, 2021)

In the above cartoon, the China Daily accused the U.S. Army of destroying Afghanistan, comparing this with how "U.S. Politics" allegedly destroyed "scientific justice" with the "lab-leak theory" about the origins of COVID-19.[15]

Commenting on the cartoon, the China Daily wrote: "Wrecking the world"[16]

Mocking U.S. As "Beacon Of Democracy"

(Source: Global Times, August 12, 2021)

In the above cartoon, The Global Times mocked the Biden administration for its plan to hold the first of two Summits for Democracy, on December 9-10, 2021. According to the White House, the summit "will bring together leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector to set forth an affirmative agenda for democratic renewal and to tackle the greatest threats faced by democracies today through collective action."[17]

 

The outlet wrote: "Shaky summit. Sitting in a shaky house, Uncle Sam still believes the U.S. is the 'beacon of democracy.'"[18]