Taliban Winning Propaganda Battle In Afghanistan, Says Think Tank

From the CBC News:

Canada, the United States and other countries with military forces in Afghanistan are losing a propaganda battle to a resurgent Taliban movement, a respected international think tank says.

The Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) said the Afghan insurgency's military capabilities are often overestimated, but a sophisticated multi-media propaganda campaign is projecting a Taliban movement that is increasingly confident of its ability to exploit opponents' weaknesses.

The insurgency is also gaining support among Afghan people who once rejected it, according to an ICG report released Thursday evening.

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More News On Taliban Propaganda

Taliban Propaganda: Winning the War of Words? -- International Crisis Group
Taliban churning out effective propaganda -- Daily Times
Taliban winning the war of words -- Asia Times
The art of asymmetric warfare -- The Guardian
Taliban gets results online -- The Age
Once media-shy Taliban go hi-tech in propaganda war -- Reuters India
Taliban propaganda undermining Afghan government: think-tank -- AFP
Report: Taliban Winning Propaganda War in Afghanistan -- Jawa Report

My Comment: Anti-Western propaganda in Pakistan, Iran, and even Afghanistan (until 2001) has been the norm for the past few decades. This orientation was taught in schools, broadcasts in the media, and continually vocalized by politicians. When I read polls that 80% of Pakistanis supports Osama Bin Laden and the mass murder of non-Muslims .... well "Houston" we have a problem.

The fact that Taliban propaganda is saying the same message that has been broadcast "forever" in the region does give them an advantage. But word for the wise. Critics also always mentioned that Jihadi propaganda was very effective in Iraq .... and look where that has got them. Hiding in Pakistan.

The number one problem with Taliban propaganda is that much of it is produced in Pakistan. The chance that our ally in the war on terror will shut down this operation is .... close to zero.