U Thant Psychiatrist

This image is a black and white political cartoon set in a plain psychiatrist's office. In the center, there is a large couch where four men lie side by side with their heads on the left and their feet pointing to the right. From left to right, the first man appears to be King Hussein of Jordan, shown with a neat suit and a tired face with tears dripping from his eyes. Next to him is King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, who can be identified by his traditional Arab clothing, including a long robe and head covering. The third man is Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, recognizable by his fuller face and short hair. The fourth man, sitting more upright than the others, is President Abdul Rahman Arif of Iraq, who is drawn in a formal suit similar to Hussein’s. All four men lie shoulder to shoulder on the same couch, angrily pointing fingers at each other. To the right of the couch, a man with a passive expression on his face sits in a chair with a notepad and pen. This is U Thant, the Secretary General of the United Nations, shown as a therapist. Behind the couch on the wall is a sign that reads “U Thant Psychiatrist” along with a United Nations symbol. Papers are scattered on the floor near his chair. In the bottom right corner, a small drawn figure comments: “...But mostly I zink zey all are out of zer skulls”.

These four leaders represent Arab countries that were involved in the 1967 conflict with Israel. Showing them lying together on one psychiatrist’s couch symbolizes a shared political humiliation after defeat. Their exaggerated expressions signify embarrassment, and they also suggest that their actions may not have been logical. Their body language helps show this. The sign referring to U Thant, Secretary-General of the United Nations, represents the failure of international diplomacy before the war. His passionless expression suggests that the UN and its passive approach were unable to prevent conflict.

The image is meant to criticize these leaders and the way the conflict was handled. By placing them in therapy, the cartoon suggests that their decisions and actions were illogical. It also questions whether the United Nations, represented by U Thant, can really solve such a complicated conflict. The shared bed shows how closely tied their countries are in the conflict, while their exaggerated gestures show that they do not fully agree. The cartoon uses humor to make a serious point about leadership and the challenges of making peace after war.