From some columnists and TV news anchors, we are starting to hear that our battle in Afghanistan is for the hearts and minds of the people.

I abhor having that phrase promulgated. That same phrase was adopted by the media and by some politicians during the Vietnam War. Its sole effect was to divert our attention from our major task, which was to win that war. While we were worrying about hearts and minds, we lost that war. Had we won that war, I believe that the hearts and minds of the people would have been ours also.

As an infantry soldier in World War II, I can state without fear of contradiction that we did not care then one iota about any hearts and minds. What we cared about was being the people still standing with our weapons in our hands when the last shot was fired.

That’s what I believe the media, the pundits and the politicians should be trumpeting and not confuse this with their hearts-and-minds drum-beating.

Ted Shebs

Pinehurst