United States’ Cultural Exchange Programs in Algeria : Has the US Won New Hearts and Minds?

The United States has always been involved in bloody wars. Whatever the cost was, they were Americans those who died in battlefields. The war on terror is the most important nowadays. Contrary to ancient counterterrorism strategies primarily based on “kill or capture” attitude of any persona non grata, the US seems willing to adhere to a more effective peaceful strategy. Therefore, this paper discusses the use and efficiency of US Cultural Exchange Programs as a Soft Power tool in the anti-terrorism war and the US struggle to remove the black image people around the world have against it, with special focus on the Arab Muslim world. This article, through a descriptive analytical method, examines the historical evolution as well as the impact of the above-mentioned programs, with a distinctive emphasis on the Algerian youth case after the 9/11 attacks.