PrintJuly 18, 2013
Hawks, Doves -- and Ostriches
Power politics is not about the good, the bad and the ugly. It is about hawks, doves, and ostriches. Hawks and doves can be good or bad, depending on the circumstances. Ostriches are always ugly.
Hawks are assertive and even aggressive, while doves are responsive and even submissive, but the ostriches always stick their heads in the sand. Ostriches ignore real conditions on the ground, and they dig in. They wave their tails in the air, hoping they will not get bitten in the rear.
In the Mideast, where the sand is hot, getting one's head stuck in the sand is not an optimal strategic position, but sometimes it's a great pose.
High-level poseurs, like European Union (EU) representatives, like group pictures with world leaders. Their book of achievements is never more than a picture portfolio. "We call on all sides to show restraint," is the caption on the photo of the ostrich at the White House , the EU or the State Department preaching to the rapists and those they raped, telling...(Read Full Article)
