[iwar] [fc:Psychological.warfare.underway.in.Afghanistan]

From: Fred Cohen (fc@all.net)
Date: 2001-10-09 17:16:54


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Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2001 17:16:54 -0700 (PDT)
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Subject: [iwar] [fc:Psychological.warfare.underway.in.Afghanistan]
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Psychological warfare underway in Afghanistan

17:02   09  November  01 Emma Young

Psychological operations are likely to play a key role in the war in
Afghanistan and, although few details are being revealed, US defense
secretary Donald Rumsfield has confirmed that "PsyOps" have begun. 

PsyOps has two main purposes: to persuade the enemy to surrender, and to
convince local civilians that the attackers are not the real enemy. 
Leaflet drops and radio propaganda broadcasts are the chief weapons. 

Six EC-130E "Commando Solo" aircraft are known to be in the Afghanistan
region.  These planes operate as airborne radio stations, blocking local
transmissions and broadcasting replacement propaganda programmes. 

On Monday, a White House spokesman confirmed that the US is broadcasting
messages to the Afghan people "so they can have full knowledge about
what is happening in Afghanistan from a source other than a repressive
Taliban regime".  There are also reports that leaflets were dropped with
the first wave of bombs on Sunday night. 

William Nash of the Council on Foreign Relations told the newspaper USA
Today: "The information campaign is very important, both strategically
and with respect to Afghanistan.  We need to talk directly to the Afghan
people."

Raining radios

The 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) based at Fort Bragg,
North Carolina, is the only active US Army psychological operations
unit.  Although Fort Bragg will not confirm that members of the unit are
in the Afghanistan region, it is highly likely that the group will be
coordinating PsyOps activities. 

Analysts suggest that leaflets and broadcasts in Afghanistan are likely
to focus on Islam's teaching of non-violence and peace. 

Only one third of people in Afghanistan are thought to be literate, so
portable radios tuned to the US military propaganda frequency may also
be dropped. 

PsyOps have been extremely successful in the past.  During the Gulf War,
warnings about B-52 bomber attacks were issued to Iraqi troops on the
ground.  Leaflets promising humane treatment if they surrendered were
then dropped.  Most of the soldiers who later surrendered were carrying
the leaflets, army officials said at the time. 

More famously, after General Manuel Noriega took refuge from US troops
in the Vatican embassy in Panama City in 1989, blaring rock music was
used successfully as a psychological weapon to drive him out. 

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