I am a George Lakoff fan, who still likes the Strict Parent metaphor for the neocon ideology. What the Strict Parent will
always say is that
tough love is better than over-indulgent love.
The US is giving Iraq over-indulgent love, like a weak, can't-say-no parent.
Better to be a tough-love parent. Let the Iraqis work out their own problems. We'll give them a small allowance and a limited amount of emotional and military support.
Read the quote below the fold.
"Tough Love for Iraq."
We've done what we can, and now we're changing the nature of our presence in Iraq. We'll be there to provide the Iraqi army with logistical and air support, we'll be there to assist in targeted operations against insurgents, and we'll provide expertise and consultation in the reconstruction process. But we're not going to be patrolling the streets to keep order, and we're not going to have 130,000 of our soldiers acting as targets for discontent and violence. We'll help you, Iraq, but you've got to stand up on your own.
The idea of "tough love" places America and those who support the policy of withdrawal not as a victim but as a parent who's had it up to here. The Republicans, on the other hand, are those indulgent parents who won't say no. (Not only is it good politics, it will have the added benefit of making James Dobson's head explode.)
Paul Waldman
www.tompaine.com
This is the kind of thinking that will start the process of perforating the thin film of confusion put out by the Conservative Noise Machine.