The argument against winning hearts and minds

Résumé

This commentary asks a provocative question: what if 9/11 conspirators were to have walked through NY during and after the attacks to attempt community relations? As horrific and absurd as this might sound, that is how we are perceived in some corners of the world, in the aftermath of airstrikes and destruction, attempting to persuade or engender good will. This commentary arrives at the conclusion that it is disingenuous to attempt to win the hearts and minds of an indigenous population when those efforts are set against the backdrop of military materiel and personnel.

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