The Global War on Terror Comes Home to D.C.

The Global War on Terror Comes Home to D.C.

Soldiers are a poor tool for remaking societies.

Men in camouflage military uniforms rake leaves in a park. A canopy of leaves is visible overhead; the grass beneath has patchy brown spots from the late-summer heat. August 28, 2025, 4:42 PM Comment icon View Comments ( )

For two decades of the global war on terror, U.S. troops were tasked with missions far beyond their training. In Iraq and Afghanistan, infantry units became de facto police, conventional soldiers trained local forces, and junior officers were sent to mediate local disputes in societies that they barely understood. Most infamously, they were told to win the “ hearts and minds ” of communities that did not want them there. Their uniforms and armored vehicles, meant t