Taliban propaganda : winning the war of words?

“24 July 2008”

Contents: Introduction—Backdrop—Media and Taliban resurgence—What they say—What they do not say—Cohesion or competition—Conclusion.

Summary: The Taliban has created a sophisticated communications apparatus that projects an increasingly confident movement. Using the full range of media, it is successfully tapping into strains of Afghan nationalism and exploiting policy failures by the Kabul government and its international backers. The result is weakening public support for nation-building, even though few actively support the Taliban. The Karzai government and its allies must make greater efforts, through word and deed, to address sources of alienation exploited in Taliban propaganda, particularly by ending arbitrary detentions and curtailing civilian casualties from aerial bombing.”