# ISAF Briefs Media on Taliban Propaganda



## The Bread Guy (5 Aug 2010)

It'll be interesting to see how much we see in MSM on this briefing - highlights mine:


> A senior ISAF intelligence official conducted a press conference here today to discuss propaganda and contradictory messaging employed by Taliban leadership.
> 
> “The Taliban attempt to manipulate the media in order to misrepresent the truth and deny the Afghan people their basic right to free and independent media,” the official said.
> 
> ...



I can't say I agree with the last highlight in orange.  IMHO, it's more like the Taliban's actions are ignored by media (with some commentators saying, "yeah, we KNOW they're bad"), or the Taliban's claims are given as one other side without context (although more outlets are saying things like "Taliban statements routinely exaggerate the number of casualties or amount of damage").

**** - As of this past weekend, +14 to 1 in the case of alleged Canadian casualties since October 2008


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## MarkOttawa (5 Aug 2010)

McClatchy has Talibprop:

U.S. PR offensive highlights insurgent attacks on Afghan civilians
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/08/04/98644/us-pr-offensive-highlights-insurgent.html#ixzz0vjXzAM55



> In one of his first major initiatives since he took command of the international force in Afghanistan a month ago, Army Gen. David Petraeus has launched a public relations offensive to focus attention on the Taliban-led insurgency's killings and abuse of Afghan civilians.
> 
> Besides issuing press releases, Petraeus has urged Afghan President Hamid Karzai to speak out more forcefully against the insurgency's targeting of civilians, three U.S. officials said. Karzai has been quick to lambaste the U.S.-led international force for accidentally killing non-combatants, but far more restrained in condemning deliberate acts by insurgents, they said.
> 
> ...



Mark
Ottawa


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## The Bread Guy (5 Aug 2010)

Thanks for that one, Mark!

As an example, on the hard landing of the CF Chinook today:


			
				Technoviking said:
			
		

> Our MSM seem to believe the Taliban, to some extent:
> Canadian chopper downed in Afghanistan, none hurt
> NATO helicopter goes down in southern Afghanistan





> NATO forces say a Canadian helicopter has gone down in southern Afghanistan but no one was injured.
> 
> The craft went down Thursday afternoon in Kandahar province's Panjwai District, a volatile area under the command of Canadian forces. NATO forces spokesman Maj. Michael Johnson says the craft made a "hard landing" and then caught fire.
> 
> ...


It looks like AP phoned old Qari Yousef (who could provide all sorts of details out his *** _very_ quickly because he doesn't have to tell the truth or, if it's the first he's heard of it, only has to give a boilerplate "yeah, our brave muj did it" response), and CTV.ca essentially cut/pasted AP's version for their online story - both without any disclaimer about exaggeration of claims by the Taliban.  It's possible we'll see more details (including caveats) in subsequent, longer versions of the story.  For example, this from Postmedia News


> .... a Taliban spokesman has told reporters in Kandahar that the insurgent group downed the helicopter and that there are casualties. The Taliban routinely invent stories and make false claims of victory on the battlefield ....



The VERY worst MSM I've seen so far re:  quoting the Taliban without context is this from _The Nation_, (self)reportedly "the most credible of English newspapers in Pakistan" - highlights mine (PDF of story attached if link doesn't work):


> 31 US soldiers killed, 9 injured by Afghan Taliban in Logar battle
> August 2, 2010
> 
> By *Zabihullah Mujahid*
> ...


Someone just cut/pasted the Taliban's account from the Voice of Jihad web page.  Taliban spokesperson gets byline in "the most credible of English newspapers in Pakistan"?  As they might say on Twitter, #journalismfail for the internet edition editor.

_- edited to add example of later Chinook story -_


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## The Bread Guy (6 Aug 2010)

This from the _Fredericton Daily Gleaner_:


> Canada's top soldier in Afghanistan says he's going to make a point of informing people about the atrocities being committed by the Taliban in that country.
> 
> Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance, a former battalion commander at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, said the insurgency is seemingly involved in desperate actions - such as killing children - moves that fall below the level of its own code of conduct.
> 
> ...


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