WASHINGTON/CAIRO:One way of looking at the tensions between the Muslim world and the West is as a "war of ideas," with each side attempting to influence the other's "hearts and minds." This paradigm suggests that at the heart of this tension lies misunderstandings and stereotypes when it comes to the other's culture, values and ideology. Arguably, then, innovative public diplomacy initiatives that address these root causes may be effective means of improving in Muslim-Western relations.