"No, wait! Monday we've got the world waterboarding finals."

Just spotted this recent Doonesbury.  (Keep cliicking on "next" to read the whole sequence.  It's mildly amusing.)

Now, "Berzerkistan" is obviously inspired by Turkmenistan, which does indeed share a land boundary with Iran and which was indeed, until recently, run by a maniac.  However, the country on the map -- with mountains, lakes, and a 19-mile boundary with Iran -- resembles Armenia.  (Well, insofar as it resembles anyplace, which it doesn't much).

Apropos of nothing, I've been reading Doonesbury for over thirty years now.  Dang.

Comments

[Paul]

I liked the comment on how the maniac now has K Street representation. Not that they are maniacs, but it is remeniscent on how Turkey was able to get the ambassador to Armenia in extreme trouble within mere minutes of using the g-word. I don't think recalling was proper at all, and foreign countries should not have a say on the fate of US ambassadors to (third party!!!) countries.
This is an interesting article which was just released in which the former ambassador to Armenia's wife shares a lot of details from behind the scenes during thoes days. I keep wondering if we'll ever see another ambassador to Armenia at this rate:
http://hyelog.blogspot.com/2007/11/mrs-evans-reveals-intriguing-details-of.html

[claudia]

Did you see the farewell card that the Evanses sent out when they left? It showed Adam and Eve in Paradise -- clearly carrying the faces of the Ambassador and his wife, with Ararat in the background, and a stern "God" showing them out of the grounds...

It was a work of genius.

I must see if I can get a hold of that card somewhere.

[Paul]

Hahaha I've often read in their biographies that they collect depictions of Adam & Eve. I always thought that was an interestingly random hobby (though appropriate seeing as Arax River is often pegged as one of those two mystery rivers making up the borders of Eden along with Tigris&Eu.) That card is ingenious, please find it indeed!