Why we published what one reader called a "disgusting anti-American'' editorial cartoon

Q. It was a disgraceful act of The Tribune to allow a disgusting anti-American propaganda piece, such as the cartoon by Gary Markstein, to be posted among the Letters to the Editor on Sept. 12. This was an obvious and vicious attempt to portray General David Petraeus as a liar. Shame on The Tribune.
-- R. Dunbar Salin, Avila Beach

Q. I’m just appalled or really curious as to why you would stoop so low with today’s cartoon that portrays General Petraeus as such a buffoon … I watched General Petraeus on Brit Hume and I was never so impressed … I’m sure there were many cartoons you could have chosen from. I’m sure you could have found something more positive. Do you people just not understand war? Quit playing to the extremist left of people who want this country to go down the tube.
-- Melinda Rice

A. When Opinion Editor Stephanie Finucane selected this particular cartoon, she had three to choose from on the subject that were available for us to publish. All were critical of Army Gen. David Petraeus’ report. One was visually cluttered and difficult to understand, and in a second one, Patraeus was seated at a table draped to look like a coffin, which Finucane found to be off-topic and in poor taste. Since then, another cartoon arrived with the headline, “Once upon a time.” In summary, we did not have cartoons available to us that portrayed a different point of view on this topic. But because the general’s report was the main news of the day, we wanted to offer a commentary on it, and the cartoon we selected was one form.
We select editorial cartoons on all subjects to offer readers another source of commentary, along with political columns, editorials and local Letters to the Editor. They are all part of the mix on our Opinion Page to offer diverse points of view – conservative, liberal, middle-of-the-road. “We encourage readers to judge the Opinion Page on all of this content, not solely on our editorial cartoons,’’ Finucane said. “On this particular day, for example, in addition to the cartoon we ran a column from Cal Thomas headlined, ‘Accept nothing short of victory in Iraq.’”
For the record, all sitting presidents, Republican or Democrat, are a favorite target of cartoonists, who set out to create provocative cartoons to stir up debate.

-- Sandy Duerr