The war of information

[joespaniel]

It just occured to me that we should drop a million copies of Newsweek and Time magazines on Afghanistan, issues dated from the middle of September on.

The people there dont even now whats going on. They dont have TV and many radios. The Taliban isnt going to say anything truthful (to say the least).

The people are probably baffled by our actions, and may hate us for it (and rightfuly so). It would help our cause (to rid the world of al-Quaida, the murdering bastards) to shed some light on the reason we are in their country. Hopefully difusing future resentment as well.

Even though they cant read the words written in them, they will see the pictures.

And a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[TheDuckOfFlanders]

you can find propaganda everywhere ,even we European's or American's don't get all the true fact's.But i agree ,propaganda is even more fanaticly used in the muslim terrorist school's than in the whole of WWII.The people over there need to be better educated about the world in genneral.

But we don't control those country's so it will be pretty hard to propagandize our good cause around there.

 

[Shaolin]

Good idea, but like you said they can't read and more than likely they still wouldn't understand what they were trying to show them because the Taliban has warped their minds so much it would just be impossible to comprehend. Also, they would probably enjoy seeing Americans in trouble because of all the recent bombings on their country, it would be justice in their eyes.

 

[Knight-Dragon]

The US is already air-dropping wind-up radios. These radios have been preset to a specific radio frequency and I think the US is broadcasting the 'truth' as it sees it to the Afghan ppl. Now the only thing is for these radio sets to be picked up, winded up and used. I wonder how many Afghan actually know how to use them ........... And how many survive the air-dropping........

 

[joespaniel]

We have been dropping radios, they can listen and make up their own minds about us.

I really dont think average Afghan supports al-Quaida, or the Taliban for that matter. I hope that they know we are not there to hurt them, and we will leave when the job is done.

 

[Knight-Dragon]

Leave them to their fate? I think a more permanent solution is called for; otherwise under the Taliban or another Taliban-like organisation, Afghanistan will still remain another convenient festering pool for Islamic terrorists like Osama and co.
But I agree that the average Afghan doesn't even know what's really going on or support it. The US-led coalition shld try to disseminate the info to the Afghan people.

 

[joespaniel]

SKM - I meant the combat troops leaving. I am 100% in favor of sending engineers to Afghanistan if or when its safe, to build roads and repair damage from over 20 years of war. I also think, if its feasable, that we should help them build hydroelectric dams.

I say this for two reasons. One, its just the right thing to do.
Secondly, if we help Afghanistan, and make a friend in the process, we dont ever have to do this again.

I am not sure if the NA is the right choice to leave in power if the Taliban is destroyed. I hope there is more thought devoted to this by the governments involved.

I dont know anything about the former King either.

 

[mrog]

"The first casualty of war is truth"

 

[BlueMonday]

An intriguing idea, yes. If we could print up media news in Arabic or whatever language they write in over there it could help our cause somewhat. I'm sure that almost all people around the world know that the Twin Tower were destroyed; however, I doubt that most of them fully comprehend the damage done...hell, most Americans can't comprehend the damage done.

It's a strange thing...most people in Afganistan hate the Taliban and his butt-monkey, Usama Bin Laden. I was watching a show on TV about one British journalist who wnet in there to get the skinny on what has been happening over there for the last few years. He's going around interviewing citizens under the Taliabn rule and the majority hated him. Almost every woman he talked despised the despotic, fanatical rule; and about half the men hated him too. He's talking to fifteen year old girls who are enrolled in secret schools so they can learn to do the the three R's and all they are saying is that they want to go to America or Britian so they can go to a university and become doctors and such.

It turned out that about 95% percent of the women he talked to hated the Taliban and about 50% of the men hated him too. And I thought, "How can you rule a country when the majority of people hate you?"

Then I realized: Brutality and Fear. You brutalize a few people, string them up like sides of beef in a butcher shop and suddenly everyone fears what you'll do. Nobody likes you for it, but you get to tell them what to do. Then when you say you can't do this, you can't that, this, that, this, that nobody tries to stop you, and if they do, they just get hung in street like rats.

I'm still puzzled by one question: What do these people do to relax? to have fun? No wonder everybody is pissed off all the time. They can't watch TV, or listen to ANY kind music. They can't have a radio, they can't have alcohol (yeah, imagine Shadowdale without alcohol), they can't read anything but holy books, they can't go outside unless they want to get shot.

Maybe it's just me, maybe I can't grasp what would be fun or relaxing for them. But I can't imagine that they all like only being able to read the Q,ran and being forced to memorize it; or forced to pray five times a day. Sure people find that soothing in other parts of the world, but there it's a choice. Once you force people to do anything, they'll hate you for it.

 

[floppa21]

I've read and watched some docs on tv... Paper bags are illegal because they could be made from pages torn from the koran? Sounds like Boulder Colorado to me...

I did see one thing, and BlueMonday is right, the women weren't happy, neither were the men. This woman, for some reason I think she's from The View? Doesn't seem possible, BUT, she was talking to people in the street and some taliban fool ran up yellin and threatening to hit people with the butt of his gun... But one guy spoke English okay and was talkin about the rights or lack of... She was in a car with a TALIBAN member asking him things. He said they aren't allowed to sing, then he bust out singing! Not even all Taliban members necessarily agree completely with Taliban... Obviously the Taliban is not as tight knit an org as they would like to be. I personally think the power they have is shaky at best. Sure, groups of people will hate America, hell, groups of AMERICANS hate America, but the majority are against Taliban and bullcrap like it.

As for NA, I don't know much about them either, but it seems strange that we work with them almost like they are another country in this war on terrorism.