COVID-19 and the irony of military expenditures: non-verbal semiotic discourse study

This article presents a study in the non-verbal semiotic discourse analysis of visual ironies of military expenditures in some selected cartoons amid COVID-19 spread. Visual irony can be expressed through using humorous or sardonic cartoons or posters with written expressions to express the opposite of what is really going on. Global military expenditure reaches $1917 billion in 2019. Such massive spending on military equipment failed to fight an unseen enemy. This article aims to analyse, from a non-verbal semiotic discourse perspective, some selected cartoons related to military spending amid the rise of COVID-19 pandemic. The selected cartoons are analysed according to Peirce's triadic system of the sign. The analysis of the ironic cartoons related to military spending indicates that governments should reduce spending on military. Instead, they should focus on spending on other crucial humane, economic, and health problems.