A Taliban commander views footage for use in propaganda videos.(Veronique de Viguerie/World Picture Network)
U.S. Turns to Radio Stations and Cellphones to Counter Taliban’s Propaganda -- New York Times
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is establishing a new unit within the State Department for countering militant propaganda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, engaging more fully than ever in a war of words and ideas that it acknowledges the United States has been losing.
Proposals are being considered to give the team up to $150 million a year to spend on local FM radio stations, to counter illegal militant broadcasting, and on expanded cellphone service across Afghanistan and Pakistan. The project would step up the training of local journalists and help produce audio and video programming, as well as pamphlets, posters and CDs denigrating militants and their messages.
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My Comment: This type of public relations approach was used by the Bush administration during the Iraq war. It was not very successful .... often derided as a propaganda outlet for the Americans.
I expect the same thing to happen with this effort, minus the criticism of our main stream media who were not so reserved when President Bush tried to do it a few years back.
To get an insight into the Taliban Propaganda machine, U.S. News And World Report covered this story last year. The link is here.