Mike
Winning hearts and minds is a slogan and nothing more to address the non-lethal aspects of COIN, IW or whatever we are calling it at the time. When used in the context of a conflict, it is never applied in isolation. The lethal is always present.
As for the hearts and minds, the reality is like the two guys running from the same bear. One says to the other, "I don't have to out run him. Just you." It is not a popularity context; it is an acceptance of legitimacy issue for the government versus the insurgent.
Are you positing a thriving modern state as the target of a western intervention or the result of such an intervention?
Tom
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