"Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil, See No Evil"

This political cartoon, drawn by Petar Pismestrovic in July of 2006, shows the Russian President, Vladimir Putin; the President of the United States, George Bush; and a member of the European Union. They are all sitting in front of a representation of the war between Israel and Hisbollah. Putin is covering his mouth, Bush is covering his ears, and the member of the European Union is covering his eyes. This is a very famous saying that originated in Japan at the entrance to Nikkō Tōshō-gū shrine. The statue consists of 3 monkeys that speak no evil, hear no evil, and see no evil. This phrase is commonly used to describe people who do not want to get involved in a situation. This cartoon depicts Putin, Bush, and a member of the European Union all attempting to ignore the situation going on in the Middle East and focus on their own problems.