Violent extremism is on the rise around the world, and its perpetrators are more emboldened than ever. Since 9/11, the U.S. has spent nearly $6 trillion on the global War on Terror and lost more than six thousand personnel in Afghanistan alone, yet we are no closer to finding a viable solution, much less winning this multilayered generational conflict. U.S. policymakers and military leaders have long known that the success of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts in Afghanistan depend on gaining the support of the local people most affected by violent extremism, a strategy known as “winning hearts and minds.” Yet, relationships with local Muslim communities have persistently been eroded by Islamophobic incidents and policies that alienate and sometimes radicalize crucial Muslim allies. weiterlesen