[ by Charles Cameron — a stray thought, endlessly ricocheting — with a friendly wink to @khanserai ]
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chessboard by Ji Lee

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Back in 2006 the US National Strategy for Combating Terrorism suggested:

In the long run, winning the War on Terror means winning the battle of ideas. Ideas can transform the embittered and disillusioned either into murderers willing to kill innocents, or into free peoples living harmoniously in a diverse society.

So. More than five years have passed.

Look, I’m sorry to be so blunt… but how good are we now at modeling, simulating and / or gaming ideas?