Post for the day ...

From the BBC: The USA has issued a new manual that puts as much emphasis into winning "hearts and minds" as it does on force.

the US army had learned from its experiences since 2001 that stabilising countries and winning over locals required more than just military skills.

Knowledge of foreign languages and local cultures are also important, he said.

The US army might win every battle it fought, he said, without achieving its real goal - winning the peace.

This is ridiculous on two levels: First, the term "hearts and minds" is infamous from its cynical, incompetent deluded application in Vietnam. The US military didn't just find out yesterday that not treating people like shit is important. This is 10 years too late even if it were sincere, which it isn't. And that leads to the second point; the way establishment media feels compelled to report even the most imbecilic pronouncements with a straight face, as long as they come from traditional power sources.