In the old days we called it "psyops", or psychological operations.  Actually that discipline is still around but modern warfare calls for friendlier names so we refer to Information Operations, or InfoOps, or simply, IO, when we're talking about efforts to win the hearts and minds of the local population.  Generally, the bad guys beat us every time at this game.  For some reason there is a natural inclination to believe everything the Taliban says and disregard everything the Coalition Forces (CF) say.  Here's an example.

In some parts of the country children will bring unexploded ordnance (UXOs) to CF in the hopes they will get a reward.  They find grenades or un-detonated rocket propelled grenade (RPG) rounds in the fields and then when a convoy approaches they run toward it to exchange what they've found for food or candy or money.  This is not encouraged by CF for obvious reasons.  They ask instead to be shown to UXOs in place, rather than have them delivered.  Anyway, some kids were playing with a UXO, probably a grenade they were kicking around (not unusual) as a non-US convoy was driving past and tragically, it detonated, killing two children.  However, because it was in the presence of a CF convoy, the Taliban spun it that the CF killed the kids.  The locals were enraged.  We tried to explain the truth but it just didn't sell. 

Sometime after the incident, a foreign soldier I know ended up talking to a generally pro-coalition journalist in the town.  He brought up the incident and asked what the sentiments were in town.  The journalist said it was still largely believed that the soldiers killed the children but mentioned that, "Personally, I know it was the Americans, not your people."  Great.

This information war is constant, and perhaps more important than the bullets and bombs kind of war.  We are making progress but it's slow.  The US and other nations have great credibility in many parts of the nation but other areas are more difficult to reach, physically and in other ways.  The good news is that the more interaction we have with the locals, the more they tend to trust us.  That which is unknown or mysterious or foreign is always easier to manipulate into fear and mistrust.  Until next time.