How Does A Wingnut's Mind Work?

Atrios gets all psycho-analytical today:

There are a lot of people out there who either supported the war or who have friends who supported the war. They imagine themselves to be smart, well-intentioned, decent people. They don't like coming to terms with the fact that they fucked up big time, and they don't like the idea that anyone should suffer any consequences for that. No harm, no foul, they want to say. We meant well. Bygones.

He cites an Yglesias post on similar lines, The Green Lantern Theory of Geopolitics:

Suffice it to say that I think all this makes an okay premise for a comic book. But a lot of people seem to think that American military might is like one of these power rings. They seem to think that, roughly speaking, we can accomplish absolutely anything in the world through the application of sufficient military force. The only thing limiting us is a lack of willpower.

What's more, this theory can't be empirically demonstrated to be wrong. Things that you or I might take as demonstrating the limited utility of military power to accomplish certain kinds of things are, instead, taken as evidence of lack of will.

Says Atrios of this mindset:

It's the animating force behind the 101st Fighting Keyboarders. It's what gets Andrew Sullivan through the day, imagining that he's someone fighting a noble war. It's the belief that what differentiates them from those who aren't so thrilled about sending other peoples' kids off to die is their personal courage, when in fact it's nothing more than rank cowardice. It animates the "wishes are ponies" views of Friedman and the gang. It's what has caused the prominence of the Tinkerbell Approach.

It allows weak people to imagine they are strong in the comfort of their homes. I'll leave the pop psychology to others, but these people creep me out.

Speaking of comics, the Fantastic Four movie sequel will be called... (wait for it!) ... Fantastic Four and the Silver Surfer.

The Silver Surfer is one of my big childhood heroes! And it will be starring Jessica Alba! Whoo hoo!

There is a God! But he is the one who created Jessica Alba, not the one who creates power rings. OK?