Psychological Operations
in Afghanistan

British PSYOP

British 15th (UK) PSYOPS ISAF News

More than 88,000 propaganda leaflets were dropped. A day after the leaflet drops Canadian forces took control of Howz-e Madad, a former Taliban-held village, without firing a shot.

In a separate operation in Helmand province, British Royal Marines hauled a loudspeaker into battle to talk to the Taliban: Major Kirsty McQuade adds:

We explain to Tier 2 that their commanders don’t care about them. They are just using them for their own aims.

In another January 2007 news story, David Leask mentions a second British PSYOP program in The Herald. The operation is in Lwar, a hamlet effectively in the no-man's land between the British and the Taliban in Helmand, the country's most volatile province. Corporal Phil Morrison of the Royal Marines gives a local elder leaflets and a newspaper printed by the British. The stories are designed to show what the British, and the government of Hamid Karzai are doing.

Its front page has a picture of a woman in uniform: Afghanistan's first policewoman. After years of Taliban oppression, when girls could not go to school, it is designed to show things have changed. Most girls still struggle for education. But the officer, in faraway Kabul, is even teaching policemen how to shoot.

Other themes are:

“Don't go near convoys.” A family that did was shot dead. That didn't do much to win hearts and minds. Messages, without a hint of irony, also warn Afghans away from “foreign fighters,” That refers to the Arabs and Pakistanis believed to be helping the Taliban in their holy war against British and other international troops in the country.

In a 2006 PSYOP Capabilities briefing, how PSYOP products may be used is mentioned. PSYOP products:

Must follow the established approval process.
Must be part of the established coordinated strategic plan and follow strategic goals.
Can be modified or adjusted without approval for pre-approved products if messages, themes, and symbols do not change.
Check product book prior to making a new request – many pre-approved products are available and quick to print.

British Warning leaflet printed by the 15th PSYOP Group

On 20 June 2002 the British handed over the position of lead nation of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to Turkey. During the time that Great Britain was the lead nation, several leaflets and publications were produced by the 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group for the Afghan people. One full-color flyer that addresses unexploded ordnance depicts a mortar shell. I depict an English-language version. The text in Pashto and Dari is:

EXPLOSIONS AT KABUL AIRPORT.

ISAF is currently carrying out the destruction of unsafe weapons and explosives for your future safety. You will be hearing a number of loud bangs/explosions in the area of the airport during the next three to four weeks. There is nothing to worry about.

HELP AND CO-OPERATION

The Emergency Loya Jirga

When a new democratic nation is envisioned one of the first things they do is get the people out to vote and a ruling body organized and ready to take control. This leaflet was produced by the Special Commission for Convening of the Emergency Loya Jirga. With the coming election of new people, the Coalition wanted to get the ruling body of Afghanistan in session and start the democratic process.

The PSYOP Product Book

PSYOP commands normally keep a product book on hand for units that desire a leaflet on a certain theme. Instead of having to assign an artist and translator to produce such a leaflet on short notice, dozens of leaflets are already prepared and ready to be disseminated. All a unit need do is select the leaflet they want, and they will be printed and ready to go almost immediately. Notice that in this book all the leaflets have English translations. That is so the unit looking for a certain message can read it without translation. Once the leaflet is ordered, it will be printed in the desired language, Dari, or Pashtu. Talking to people involved in Afghanistan at this time I was told that there were about 20 different project books, and news stories were produced for 23 radio stations weekly, and three newspapers. DVDs were also produced and distributed and there were many rumor programs. This product book contained 137 individual items, including handbills, leaflets, posters, and novelty items. Some are in Pashtu, some in Dari, and some in both languages. I am not going to show 137 items here, so I will select some that I find interesting. I should point out that handbills are exactly like leaflets, except that they will be handed to an individual rather than dropped from an aircraft. Therefore, they are not designed to fall at a certain speed and cover a specific amount of ground. Often, they are a bit larger.

Handbill AFA03aaHB3303
10,000 no later than 4 June 2006

Leaflet AFH04aaHB3330

The front of this leaflet shows a member of the Taliban consumed by fire. The text in Dari and pashto is:

The enemies of Afghanistan can no longer control the villages.

Enemies of Afghanistan. They can no longer bring the village under their influence.

The enemies of
Afghanistan can no longer
control the villages.
Enemies of Afghanistan.
They can no longer bring the village
under their influence.

The back of the leaflet depicts happy school children in Afghanistan. The text in the two languages is:

The enemies of Afghanistan cannot prevent the education of children.
Children today are the future makers of Afghanistan. For the sake of a happy Afghanistan, inform about the activities of the anti-militia coalition forces.

The enemies of Afghanistan cannot stop the education and training of children. The children inside are the refugees of Afghanistan.
Deo Sokala reported about the anti-coalition anti-nationalist policies for a prosperous Afghanistan.

Handbill AFD01aaHB3247
25,000 delivered 10 June 2006 

Handbill AFC01aaHB3206
10,000 no later than 4 June 2006

Handbill AFGB403504

Handbill AFGF43067

Handbill AFH01nnHB3301
10,000 no later than 4 June 2006

Leaflet AFH05aaHB3259
25,000 no later than 12 June 2006

The United States prints mine awareness leaflets in every war it is involved in. These are meant to protect the lives of civilians and point out the hazards of the explosives that can remain active and deadly for decades.

Leaflet AFH02nnLF3148

The image of a heavy bomber is one of the main features of American leaflets. They pictured B-17s in WWII, B-29s in Korea, and starting in Vietnam featured the B-52 bomber. This one adds the tank killing A-10 Warthog on the back.

Leaflet AFA04aaLF3183

The radio is important in psychological operations. Going all the way back to WWII the United States produced leaflets telling friends and enemies how to listen to the Allied broadcasts. This leaflet uses the same general theme, depicting a radio and an antenna and telling the people how to dial in the station.

Bumper sticker AFD04aaDE3218
5,000 no later than 4 June 2006

Starting in Desert Storm the United States started producing propaganda bumper stickers. They are usually pro-government and patriotic. In the product book this was listed under “Novelties.”

Elections

It both Afghanistan and Iraq it was very important to bring the people a kind of democracy where they could vote for their leaders. A lot of time, money, and psychological operations went into a successful election. The leaflet above seems to be drawn by a child and shows people of different status and the text:

A New Afghanistan

One person, one vote

The 4th PSYOP Group said about the elections in 2004:

91% of 9.9 million Afghans are registered to vote.
59% of registered voters are males and 41% females.
Over 4 million women have registered to vote.
Average voter registration is 100,000 people per day.

Propaganda pencils AFC04aaNV3039
5,000 no later than 4 June 2006

Reward Poster AFH05aaPS3343

The United States has offered rewards for weapons, information on American airmen shot down, and the location and arrest of enemy official, troops, or terrorists starting about the Vietnam War. This poster depicts a terrorist, weapons, and explosives and the far right and at the far left an inviting pile of crisp United States twenty-dollar bills. It was approved on 25 May 2006 and 500 copies were printed.

Some other requests that were on the drawing board were magnets, a bumper sticker giving Coalition radio stations, a 2007 calendar, immunization posters, and teaching materials.

Gifts were dropped in WWII. Food seeds, and coffee and tea were dropped over occupied Europe. In later wars there were soccer balls, T-shirts, thread, and many gifts for children like pencils, crayons, and coloring books. In the product book this was also listed under “Novelties.”

Prayer Rug

One of the most interesting gifts prepared by the Psychological Task Force – Afghanistan, is this beautiful prayer rug, used five times a day by every practicing Muslim. 10,000 of these were given out to win hearts and minds. 1000 Quarans were also printed and gifted to selected recipients. 45,000 Ramadan cards were printed to be used by, or sent to, selected individuals.

On 20 June 2008, the BBC announced that the first British servicewoman to be killed in the Afghanistan conflict was Corporal Sarah Bryant, a member of the 15th (United Kingdom) Psychological Operations Group, a 70-strong unit based in Chicksands, Bedfordshire. She spoke Pashtu, and it is thought she was involved in forging links with Afghan communities and monitoring Taliban radio traffic.

Jerome Starkey mentions British propaganda against the Taliban in the New Scotsman, 29 July 2008. Some of his comments are:

BRITISH troops in southern Afghanistan are aping the Taliban's propaganda techniques as part of an increasingly desperate battle to win support of the local people. Psychological warfare soldiers are using a series of subtle – and not so subtle – leaflet campaigns to turn the insurgents' messages against them…The Taliban's top-level commanders fled to Pakistan after the regime collapsed in 2001. Many of their mid-level commanders were educated in Pakistani madrassas, or religious schools, and their ranks have been swelled with Arab and Chechen fighters bent on waging holy war against western forces. Intelligence officials have even found evidence of renegade British terrorists fighting for the insurgents. “We're trying to plant the idea in their heads that the Taliban are under foreign leadership,” Lieutenant Commander MacLean said. The PSYOP cell has produced a series of leaflets linking atrocities with foreign fighters. One leaflet shows a screaming baby that has lost both legs and a hand, with the message: “This is the foreign Taliban's gift for you. They don't care about your life.”

The British code name for operations in Afghanistan was “Herrick.” Although British PSYOP products have been slow to surface in the United States, we depict some that have been brought back by returning servicemen.

Justice Does not Sleep

Just as many American leaflets warn the insurgents that they are constantly being watched day and night, this leaflet depicts a British soldier with a terrorist in his sights. The text is:

Night is no refuge for the terrorists

Justice does not sleep

You cannot hide at Night

This leaflet shows that there is no hiding place for members of the insurgency. British helicopters fly through the night and their spotlights light up three armed Taliban below.

We are staying until Peace Returns

This leaflet was produced and distributed after intense fighting in Lashkar-Gah. It shows the Afghan National Security Forces along side UK forces standing firm until the “dove of peace” returns. The text reminds the Afghans that the British are staying until the Taliban is beaten. The Taliban propaganda claimed that the British would soon leave and then retribution would be taken against collaborators. Afghan Governor Mangle is included as a symbol of authority. The text is:

We are staying until Peace Returns

Peace vs. War

This poster shows the stark contrast between the world of the legitimate Afghanistan Government and that of the Taliban. On one side of the street security is provided by the Afghan National Security Forces, children are playing and the hospital is modern. On the other side children are armed and it shows the destruction caused by the Taliban. A former Taliban fighter has put down his weapon and is being helped to come over to the National Government.

Taliban Pigs

This image was produced as both a poster and a leaflet and implies that the people who lay improvised explosive devices are the lowest form of life. Other versions depicting dogs and foxes were produced for areas where the use of the pigs would be considered too offensive.

One German PSYOP program was aimed at taking toy guns from the hands of children. Leaflets were designed offering children exercise books in exchange for their toy weapons. The campaign was extremely successful and contributed to the safety of the children. It also provided an opportunity to distribute books and stationery to the children.

Flying kites used to be a popular pastime for both young and old in Afghanistan. It was a common sport to fly kites “fighting” each other in the air. The Taliban prohibited this game. The Germans produced a “peace kite” in the Afghan national colors of black, red and green with a dove of peace in the center surrounded by the words “Adorn life with freedom.” A small coat of arms of the ISAF forces indicates to the people who distributed these 10,000 kites.

Jon Boone mentioned German PSYOP in The Guardian of 1 October 2009:

Communicating messages to the Afghans is an important part of the NATO mission, with the German army nominally in charge of psychological operations, producing billboards and handbills. Ingenious graphics are used to try to get across basic ideas to a largely illiterate audience: evil cartoon poppies with fanged teeth are supposed to be suggestive of the evils of opium production and convoluted photo-stories warn of the dangers of interfering with roadside bombs.

Belgian PSYOP

Belgium has a small PSYOP Support Element (PSE) unit called the Information Operations Group (Info Ops Grp) consisting of about 30 regular military personnel and selected reservists as needed. In Afghanistan the Belgian unit provided staff in support of the Tactical PSYOP Support Element in Kabul (Camp Warehouse) and for the Combined Joint Psychological Operations Task Force at the International Security Assistance Force headquarters. They also sent radio specialists to work at the Radio Sada-e Azadi station and print technicians to work with the print section of the CJPOTF. They deployed one tactical PSYOP team in the north of Afghanistan to Kunduz province working under German command. The Belgian team in Kunduz specializes in face-to-face communication with the local population.

Italian PSYOP

In April 2010, the Under-Secretary of State of Italian Ministry of Defense, Mr. Guido Crosetto cut the tricolor ribbon at the opening of the Italian contingent’s radio station Sada and Azadi West, which translates to “The Voice of Freedom- West.” The radio station, as part of the NATO radios network, was developed with Italian funds by the staff of the Regional PSYOP Support Element (RPSE), composed of personnel of the 28th Pavia Regiment, a unit specializing in “Operating Communications." All of the programs will be broadcast exclusively in Pashto and Dari languages. The station will offer information of public interest for the Afghan people in an attempt to increase knowledge on the purpose of ISAF coalition forces present in Afghanistan. The program will include musical entertainment, local news and in-depth sections on important social issues and local culture. The radio is the main tool to disseminate information throughout Afghanistan and will reach people even in the most remote areas.

The Italians print a magazine for the PSYOP troops in Afghanistan called “Cavallo pazzo.” The magazine states that the Italians are able to disseminate PSYOP products in areas previously thought inaccessible by using helicopters. It is apparently difficult to obtain cardboard for leaflet boxes in Afghanistan so attempts have been made to produce a prototype cordura fabric leaflet bag.

Czech PSYOP

We don’t know much about Czech PSYOP capabilities. The first Czech PSYOP troops were trained in 2000 when the Stress Research Center of the Military University Vyškov, Czechoslovakian Republic, combined with American PSYOP troops from the 6th PSYOP Battalion to teach the initial national PSYOP course to 15 officers. The course taught marketing, communication, ethics, and socio-mapping. The Stress Center provided research into PSYOP as a form of conflict resolving, ethics in PSYOP, and the professional qualities of PSYOP specialists. It also studied the methodology and criteria for the selection of PSYOP specialists. Much of the training was based on NATO PSYOP Doctrine AJP-3.7.

Some selected Czech troops have served in peace missions in Bosnia and Kosovo. More recently, Czech PSYOP troops have served in Afghanistan

Some Notes on Units Arriving in Afghanistan

12th PSYOP Battalion Crest

On 15 November 2005, a five-man team from the 12th PSYOP Battalion of the 7th PSYOP Group deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan, to conduct a Pre-deployment Site Survey for their upcoming deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom 06-08.

The purpose was to confirm what equipment and facilities were in-country, what the current unit utilizes during their operations and what they will return with, and to identify any equipment and/or training shortfalls the new command might have prior to deploying. On arriving at Bagram, the Pre-deployment Site Survey party linked up with the 362nd Tactical PSYOP Company (TPC) of the 10th PSYOP Battalion. After receiving a brief overview from the 362nd TPC Commander the survey party broke off in groups to conduct observations and surveys of the 362nd TPC.

On 22 November 2005, the Battalion Commander was ordered to Kabul to meet with the Joint PSYOP Task Force (JPOTF) and to survey their work environment. It was also decided that the main body was to return to CONUS as soon as possible since air movement is not reliable in-country.

Upon their return the team noted the following problems:

The 362nd Tactical PSYOP Teams were operating at a minimum of two-man teams to meet the supported units demands for PSYOP support. A team should consist of three 37Fs (Psychological Operations Specialist) and one interpreter. At the operational level this cannot always be met with limited 37Fs deployed.

Additional training is needed, such as stick-shift driving since most of the vehicles are stick shift driven. Fifty-caliber training in support of unconventional units is necessary since this weapon is used for base defense and required to have on at least one vehicle per convoy during combat operations. To be efficient and effective, soldiers need to be able to operate and be qualified on the equipment they will be expected to use down range.

The PSYOP Order of Battle

At this stage of the war in 2006, Qatar was where the Regional Special Operations Force Theater assets were. Mostly 4th PSYOP Group that was a Joint PSYOP Task Force, commanded by a rotational Full Colonel, sometimes a Lieutenant Colonel. They had “Reach Back” for heavy printing to Ft Bragg for PSYOP Development Support. They supported Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Djibouti, Somalia, Bahrain, and the United States Navy’s 5th Fleet. During 2006, the 12th PSYOP Battalion led the Combined Joint PSYOP Operations Task Force, and had Army, Airforce, the State Department, Germans, Canadian, Danish, French, Romanian, UK, and other assets working with and for them. They had Radio, Television, three Newspapers, leaflets, and DVDs. They had a Medium Heidelberg printing press, a couple of Risographs and a print team.

Problems

There were often delays in requests for printed products from Qatar. The 12th PSYOP Battalion sent requests for leaflets and posters to be produced, printed, and returned. In theory it should have worked. During the Vietnam war, four battalions and one group was supported by the 7th PSYOP Group on Okinawa and they supplied about 85% of all the billions of propaganda leaflets disseminated. Qatar was on a peacetime schedule and worked 8 hours a day, suffered from funding shortfalls and had other priorities.

Some of the products they produced did not look professional, the translations were not considered accurate, and the leaflets were deemed unusable. They also had an exceedingly difficult and timely approval process and were not always in sync with the need of the units in the field.

For instance, they also supported Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Yemen, Bahrain, and liaison officers in Pakistan and Somalia. Priority went to Special Operation Forces supported elements. Of the seven countries supported by Qatar, Afghanistan often felt like they were the 7th and last priority. The political situation of the enemy was changing faster than anyone could have anticipated impacting product development. Afghanistan often got apologies from the commanders in Qatar, they simply could not keep up with the demand. Qatar could not expand their efforts to support the needs in Afghanistan and the reach back at Ft. Bragg seemed not to understand that they were not the approval authority. Ft. Bragg tried, but just did not have the ability to help except with some technical visits.

The 2nd PSYOP Group team in Iraq was also a problem in Qatar. Members of the 12th PYOP Battalion told me:

I believe in the Army Reserve full strength battalions were about 243 people and I am not sure how many deployed with the unit. I suspect they did not reorganize their unit for the mission, and their higher command structure was different than ours. Tactical Companies had a Product Development Dissemination detachment, but I think they deployed just two companies plus a headquarters. Strategic support was by the unit in Qatar who had the analysts and the strategic task force.

We originally were both controlled by Central Command then orders were cut that sent us to Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), Then more orders to Combined Joint Special Operations Command (CJSOTF) in Qatar, then further orders to the Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom Commanders, where we were further attached out two more times. Both battalions had many bosses, few resources, and more missions than we could handle. Plus, we both responded to an Information Operations Cell that often did not understand they were not Commanders.

I cannot speak for the other battalion, but the 12th PSYOP Battalion was put together like a Vietnam unit for manning. We had over 23 units that we drew people from, to include Active Component units to make up our CJPOTF. You try to train up but get all the fillers at the last-minute during certification of deployment tasks. At that time, 25 percent of my unit was on their 3rd deployment since 2001, and some on their 4th deployment. This number of units above does not count all the allied Forces assigned. It was hard to find people to go forward as many people were losing their civilian employment.

The Iraq Joint PSYOP Task Force and the Qatar Task force Commander did not get along from the start. The funding was probably not well understood by their commanders or staff. The Special Operations support in country was done mostly by Active Component forces, but they were assigned to the Reserve Component Task force, creating a friction point. According to subordinate staff officers, in priorities of monetary resources, product development, and mission execution, the units had an adversarial relationship. I believe it further exacerbated that the Qatar higher Headquarters was giving more support to the Special Operations forces supported units than conventional supported units.

Education, Training, and variety of assignments were critical in understanding the complex joint assignment, not to mention all the funding streams and equipment support. This continued to cause misunderstandings, requirements, and personnel replacements for Active Component units supporting Special Operations forces in Iraq. The 12th PSYOP Battalion had to deal with constant difficulties due to the multiple commands and the lack of a single well-supported concept.

On the bright side, the non-commissioned officers were excellent. Many of the NCOs executed their duties with minimal guidance. One Sergeant Major commanded a Tactical PSYOP Detachment. Another NCO coordinated the movement of all supplies, material, and personnel to the 22 different locations we worked out off around the country. A Battalion Command Sergeant Major doubled as the S-3 Operations on occasion.

 

The 315th Tactical PSYOP Company

In 2006, the 315th Tactical PSYOP Company was attached to the 12th PSYOP Battalion and deployed to Afghanistan. It had 11 Tactical PSYOP Teams and 3 Tactical PSYOP Detachments in support of the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division and Special Forces units. They had the following capabilities:

Printed products – Handbills, leaflets, posters, pamphlets, stickers, banners, billboards, coming books, etc.
Audio/Visual – Loudspeakers, radio scripts, aerial broadcast scripts, DVD/VCD.
Dissemination – Leaflet drops, aerial broadcasting, radio.
Tactical PSYOP Teams – Face-to-face, product dissemination, vehicle and dismounted loudspeakers.

A 2006 Loudspeaker Mission

Some additional more-detailed information on the 2006 deployment was in a document called Psychological Task Force – Afghanistan. Some of the data included the following:

A 2006 Billboard for Afghanistan

The Psychological Operations Task Force
Six Month Statistics from 14 April 2006 to 18 October 2006:

31 leaflets drop missions.
8,240,000 total leaflets dropped. *
* Based on .24 cents per leaflet on order of 100,000, $14,000 per 500,000 leaflets.

15 Medical Civic Action (MEDCAP) and Veterinarian Civic Action (Vetcap) total missions.
7223 Total patients.

Products created from 14 April 2006 to 18 October 2006:

12 Billboards.
1 Decal.
51 Handbills.
6 Leaflets.
23 Posters
537 Radio scripts.
77 Print articles.

Products Ordered and Disseminated

25 billboards.
577,500 stickers.
2,945,500 handbills.
8,444,050 leaflets.
575,150 posters.
26,000 pamphlets.
10,000 business cards.
31,400 information cards.
45,000 Ramadan cards.
287,000 Peace newspapers.
116,000 International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) papers.

Novelty Products Disseminated

3,000 soccer balls.
10,400 school bags.
10,400 colored pencils, packs of ten.
10,400 pens, packs of ten.
10,400 notebooks.
5,000 erasers, packs of ten.
1,000 Qurans.
10,000 prayer rugs.
2,425 Afghanistan flags.

BUILDING BRIDGES

The military booklet: BUILDING BRIDGES: Commander’s Guide to Face-to-Face Communication mentions soccer balls and mentions other gifts that can help to win hearts and minds. It says in part:

In addition to deploying personnel to augment the force, the Commander can bring expendable supplies that may assist the mission. These items are intended to establish or enhance rapport with some of those deserving (or difficult) target audiences. Whether used as formal gifts or free handouts, material items may have a big impact on your success in communicating with critical target audiences…Here are a few suggestions which may be squeezed into the corner of the last pallet, or in the top of an A-bag:

Host nation flags, small American flags, soccer balls, baseballs and softballs, Frisbees, school notebook paper, coloring books, pencils/pens/crayons, old T-shirts, patches, pins, and hackeysack balls

Al-Qaida and Propaganda

Al-Qaida was also active on the propaganda front. Although the Taliban was unable to drop leaflets from aircraft, they used other means to distribute their propaganda. On October 30 a report from Kazakhstan told of three men detained for spreading leaflets that claimed that support for the anti-terrorist coalition against Afghanistan meant betrayal of the cause of Islam.

The fundamentalist party Hizb ut-Tahrir in Pakistan released a number of propaganda leaflets and statements. They included such phrases as:

the war criminal Bush is waging an unjust war on the Muslims…

and in regard to Bin Laden's guilt:

We are accustomed to America's lies and willful deception in such situations.

Osama bin Laden produced a number of propaganda videotapes that were sent to Al-Jazeera, an Arabic satellite TV news network. In his messages he claimed that the United Nations was anti-Muslim for supporting the American bombing of Afghanistan.

United States Navy SEALs discovered an al-Qaida propaganda poster showing Osama bin Laden and a civilian passenger aircraft striking the N.Y.C. World Trade Center during a search and destroy mission in the Zhawar Kili area on January 14, 2002. Despite some Muslim protestations that bin Laden was innocent of the crime, he appears to be taking credit for the terrorist act in the poster.

Pamphlets calling for armed struggle against the United States and its coalition allies were circulated among Afghan refugees in Pakistan and in Afghanistan in March of 2002. The so-called “night letters” denounce the interim Afghan government of Hamid Karzai as "traitors to Islam" and warned Afghans and others who fight alongside the Americans that they will someday "suffer the consequences."

The pamphlets sometimes include unsupported allegations that the Americans used chemical and biological weapons to kill thousands of people in last year's bombing campaign. Others include stories of personal sacrifice and so-called "miracles" in the battle against the U.S.-led coalition -- all apparently designed to inspire young Afghan males to take up the fight and to drive home the message that God is on the Taliban side.

There were reports from Kandahar in April 2002, of leaflets threatening death to parents who sent their children to school. Kandahar was the spiritual headquarters of the Taliban regime, which had severely restricted education. The Taliban had forbidden the education of young girls and boys' lessons were restricted to Islamic themes.

The following “Night Letter” was distributed by the Taliban in the Hazarjuft region of Afghanistan in 2004-5. It complements the local warlords on their bravery and piety and reminds them of the days when the Taliban ruled. Some of the text is:

Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan

To the brave warlords of Afghanistan. Peace be with you. As you know, Afghanistan is a land of brave and historical people who were first taught while still in the cradle to be brave.

Alama Shekeb Arsalan says that the Jihadists name would be forgotten in the world. But from the Pamir Mountains to Himalias land, the warlords fight for Islam and support Islam. In the last century, the Afghan warlord’s people were abused, killed and threatened by the super powers like England and Russia that tore Afghanistan into pieces. But the warlords and brave people of Afghanistan never gave up and taught their enemy a lesson. They took freedom for themselves and the poor Muslim peoples all over the world. By the kindness of God and His mercy, the young Taliban members have ruled over Afghanistan to build an Islamic environment and bring peace and Islam in Afghanistan so that 95% of the people were ruled by Islamic law.

Coalition Night Letter AFH01nnPS3144

The Coalition responded with its own night letters. This one was produced in 2006 by units of the 12th PSYOP Battalion.

At the same time, U.S. military at Bagram air base said they found pamphlets offering rewards of up to $100,000 for the capture of any live Allied soldier and $50,000 for anyone delivered dead.

In June of 2002 posters and leaflets seeking Taliban recruits were found to be circulating along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. They pictured Osama bin Laden and had text such as:

I am alive. My friend Mullah Omar is alive. It is the duty of all Muslims to wage war on non-Muslims.

In early September leaflets appeared in Eastern Afghanistan allegedly produced by the “Secret Army of Mujahedeen.”  The leaflet is written in classical Arabic, a language few Afghans speak, and it is believed it is aimed at the Arab al-Qaida still hiding in Afghanistan.

Anti-American leaflets were distributed in the border town of Spin Boldak on 31 January 2003, asking the Afghan people to prepare for Jihad (holy war) against the U.S. forces:

Be ready for Jihad. We are going to clean the floor with the U.S. troops.

The leaflet was distributed by the Hezb-e-Islami movement of renegade warlord Gulbuddin Hetkmatyar.

As the war continued it became clear that al-Qaida had mastered the use of the “night leaflet” and television, using the al-Jazeera network to broadcast their propaganda.

Ayman al-Zawahiri of al-Jazeera TV

This video image taken from Arab al-Jazeera satellite television depicts the al-Qaida network’s alleged number two man, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Zawahiri's ability to produce a video-taped message soon after escaping a US air strike shows that he is in close touch with Al-Qaida's propaganda arm. The video was his first appearance since a US air strike that targeted him on 13 January 2006 in Pakistan. Al-Zawahiri said he had survived the raid which he said killed “innocents.” Some of his comments included:

Butcher of Washington, you are not only defeated and a liar, but also a failure. You are a curse on your own nation. Bush, do you know where I am? I am among the Muslim masses…My second message is to the American people, who are drowning in illusions. I tell you that Bush and his gang are shedding your blood and wasting your money in frustrated adventures.

The Taliban Leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour

Al-Zawahiri kept a fairly low profile until 2015 when the leader of the Taliban, Mullah Omar, was declared dead and replaced by Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour. On 14 August the new Mullah accepted bayat (an oath of allegiance) from Ayman al Zawahiri and al Qaida.

The Death of Ayman al-Zawahiri

On 1 August 2022, The Washington Post reported that the United States had killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda and one of the world’s most-wanted terrorists, who, alongside the group’s founder, Osama bin Laden, oversaw the attacks of 11 September 2001. Zawahiri was killed in a CIA drone strike in Kabul over the weekend.

When U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, Biden administration officials said they would retain capability for “over-the-horizon” attacks from elsewhere on terrorist forces inside Afghanistan. The attack against Zawahiri is the first known counterterrorism strike there since the withdrawal. The strike occurred at 9:48 p.m. Eastern time on 30 July 2022. A drone fired two Hellfire missiles at Zawahiri as he stepped onto the balcony of a safe house in Kabul, where he had been living with members of his family.

The Shirpur district, owned by the Afghan Defense Ministry, was an exclusive residential area of large houses with senior Afghan officials and wealthy individuals owning mansions there. The intelligence community had tracked Zawahiri to the safe house and spent months confirming his identity and developing a “pattern of life,” tracking his movements and behavior. Intelligence personnel also constructed a model of the safe house, which was used to brief Biden on how a strike could be carried out in such a way that it lessened the chances of killing any other occupants or civilians, the official said, adding that intelligence agencies have concluded that Zawahiri was the only person killed in the strike.

The policy of the Islamic Fundamentalists is one of wearing the American forces down and destroying the morale of the American government and civilian population. Some of these points are explored by Fred Burton in an article entitled, “Jihadist Perspectives on a U.S. Withdrawal.”

Burton mentions a February 2003 message by Osama bin Laden:

We can conclude that America is a superpower, with enormous military strength and vast economic power, but that all this is built on foundations of straw. So it is possible to target those foundations and focus on their weakest points which, even if you strike only one-tenth of them, then the whole edifice will totter and sway, and relinquish its unjust leadership of the world.

In another message bin Laden discussed the importance of the media people and writers who have remarkable impact on breaking the enemy's morale. Afghanistan’s former Taliban leader Mullah Omar and his tactical commanders try not to face coalition forces in mixed battles, but rather attempt to increase the costs to the Americans by ambush and explosives in order to hasten the withdrawal of Western forces.

An al Qaida military strategist and propagandist, Abu Ubeid al-Qurashi, expounded on this concept in an article titled "Fourth-Generation Wars," carried by the organization's biweekly Internet magazine, Al Ansar, in February 2002:

Fourth-generation warfare is a new type of war in which fighting will be mostly scattered. The battle will not be limited to destroying military targets and regular forces, but will include societies, and will seek to destroy popular support for the fighters within the enemy's society…Television news may become a more powerful operational weapon than armored divisions…The distinction between war and peace will be blurred to the vanishing point.

Coalition “Black” Operations

Not much is known about the various Coalition black operations aimed at Osama bin Laden and the Taliban. That is exactly as it should be because these operations are clandestine and secret. However, on occasion news slips out and it is interesting to report that the Central Intelligence Agency, perhaps with the aid of the U.S. Army, apparently tried to smear Osama as a drinker and pedophile.

In May 2010, Two former CIA officials admitted to creating a fake video in which intelligence officers dressed up as Osama bin Laden and his Taliban pals.

During the planning for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the CIA’s Iraq Operations Group considered creating a fake video of Saddam Hussein engaged in sexual acts with a teenage boy, then flooding Iraq with copies of the tape. That plan never came to fruition because agreement on the project could not be reached between the Iraq Group and CIA’s Office of Technical Services.

However, the agency did make a video purporting to show Osama bin Laden and his pals sitting around a campfire and drinking bottles of liquor and bragging about their sexual exploits with young boys. The insurgents were played by dark-skinned CIA employees.

This reminds me of WWII when British spy chief Sefton Delmer had a fake German he called “The Chief” rant and rave over the clandestine radio about the homosexuals and pedophiles among the NAZI Party.

These CIA admissions have led to questions about the Bin Laden video found in a house in Jalalabad after anti-Taliban forces moved in. The tape featured a fat Osama laughing and joking about how he’d carried out the attacks on September 11. Despite the fact that the man in the video looks nothing like Bin Laden, the CIA declared it to be the official “9/11 confession video.”

In another tape, just before the American invasion of Iraq, Bin Laden appeared and declared himself an ally of Saddam Hussein

 

The CIA Fights back with a Demonic Osama bin Laden Doll

Because of bin Laden’s popularity among the Arab people, about 2005, the CIA began secretly developing a Osama bin Laden action figure with a spare head in the form of a demonic red-faced bin Laden with piercing green eyes and black facial markings. The project was code named “Devil Eyes.”

Darth Maul from the 1999 Star Wars Movie Phantom Menace

It seems the Japanese makers of the demonic head might have been influenced by this character from the Phantom Menace. There do seem to be some similarities.

The toymaker was Donald Levine, the former Hasbro executive and Korean War veteran who was instrumental in the creation of “G.I. Joe,” a figure that generated more than $5 billion in sales starting in 1964. Allegedly, hundreds of the toys were produced in China and sent to the Pakistani city of Karachi in 2006. The CIA disagrees and said:

To our knowledge, there were only three individual action figures ever created, and these were merely to show what a final product might look like. After being presented with these examples, the CIA declined to pursue this idea and did not produce or distribute any of these action figures

The propaganda figure was offered at auction on 20 November 2014 with a minimum bid of $2,500. The figure eventually sold for $11,879. The catalog said in part:

Scarce and nearly unbelievable prototype of Osama Bin Laden doll intended for use in Arab countries in order to dissuade children from idolizing the terror leader. The project was discontinued after the prototypes were developed, with this prototype being one of just three in existence. The doll's permanent head is a look-alike representation of Bin Laden, and comes with a removable head featuring a depiction of Bin Laden as a demon. This figure is from the estate of G.I. Joe creator Donald Levine…

The Osama Doll in its Box

I suspect that this sale never went through because the same doll seems to have been offered again 7 months later, estimated at $5,000 with a final price of $6,250. This time the description said:

Scarce prototype of Osama Bin Laden doll intended for use in Arab countries in order to persuade children from idolizing the terror leader. This prototype was covertly designed for the CIA by Donald Levine (the creator of the iconic G.I. Joe doll) in 2005 for an ''influence operation'', intended to strategically distribute a scary depiction of Bin Laden to children, ideally to dissuade them from joining a terrorist group such as Al Qaida. The doll's permanent head is a look-alike representation of Bin Laden, and comes with a removable head featuring a depiction of Bin Laden as a ''demon'', attached to metal stand. The removable head is a frightening representation of Bin Laden, with his face painted bright red with black facial features and bright green eyes. The doll wears traditional Islamic garb, a white removable five button robe over a four button white tunic with a mock collar, with off-white cloth pants and a pair of black mock velcro boots.

The CIA has declassified some of its papers from the War in Afghanistan. They tell the official story as the CIA wants it known. I add their take on the Bin Laden doll for the reader’s enjoyment. There will be some duplication of statements, but there will also be some new facts mentioned:

The action figure idea was proposed and rejected by the CIA before it got past the prototype stage. To our knowledge, there were only three individual action figures ever created and these were merely to show what a final product might look like. After being presented with these examples, the CIA declined to pursue this idea and did not produce or distribute any of these action figures. Furthermore, the CIA has no knowledge of these action figures being produced or distributed by others.

For more than a decade, the CIA deployed drones, satellites, spies, informants and tracking devices to thwart al-Qaeda in Pakistan. The spy agency also considered a plan to wage war with toys. Beginning in about 2005, the CIA began secretly developing a custom-made Osama bin Laden action figure, according to people familiar with the project. The faces of the figures were painted with a heat-dissolving material, designed to peel off and reveal a red-faced bin Laden who looked like a demon, with piercing green eyes and black facial markings. The goal of the short-lived project was simple: spook children and their parents, causing them to turn away from the actual bin Laden.

The code-name for the bin Laden figures was "Devil Eyes," and to create them the CIA turned to one of the best minds in the toy business, said those familiar with the project, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the project publicly. The toymaker was Donald Levine, the former Hasbro executive who was instrumental in the creation of the wildly popular G.I. Joe toys that generated more than $5 billion in sales after hitting the shelves in 1964. The CIA's interest in Levine was two-fold: He had an eye for toys and a vast network of contacts in China, where the bin Laden action figures were ultimately manufactured. Levine had done business there for nearly 60 years and had the means to have the action figures discreetly developed and manufactured.

The bin Laden venture began in 2005 as a plan to give its allies in the Afghanistan region material that could be handed out to children to build goodwill. The handouts included toys, school supplies such as pencils and notebooks for distribution. "It appealed to [Levine] because it had nothing to do with actually hurting someone," said a person familiar with his decision to get involved. "It was the softer side of the CIA." The agency approved the production of the gift items, which were put in backpacks for distribution, blue for boys and pink for girls. CIA officials later approached Levine about the possibility of producing the bin Laden figures and having them sent to Pakistan or Afghanistan. Levine was initially ambivalent about the project but would later throw himself into the work, according to the people familiar with the project. Levine developed prototypes before settling on a standard 12-inch figure with unique facial features. Bin Laden's head was superimposed on a figurine that was already in production in the Chinese city of Dongguan. A Chinese artist took publicly available photographs of bin Laden and created an image that was strikingly close in appearance to the al-Qaeda leader. The final prototype was dressed in traditional garb and packaged in a cheap box covered with plastic and presented to the CIA for approval. Levine was said to have been pleased with the final bin Laden product. Although the CIA said it decided not to move forward with the operation, at least one of the figures remains at the agency's headquarters.

There's a dispute over how many of the figurines, if any, were ultimately delivered. A person with direct knowledge of the project in China said hundreds of the toys one of which was seen by The Washington Post were made as part of a preproduction run and sent on a freighter to the Pakistani city of Karachi in 2006. The CIA, while not disputing that it had commissioned the bin Laden figures, said the project was discontinued shortly after the prototypes were developed.

Apparently Hasbro and Levine also developed a propaganda “Snakes and Ladders” game modeled after “Chutes and Ladders” as part of their War on Terror. The game was estimated at $500 and the final price was $625. The description said:

Prototype of board game featuring prominent terror leaders such as Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, intended for use in Arab countries in order to persuade children from idolizing terrorist world leaders. This prototype was covertly designed for the CIA by Donald Levine (the creator of the iconic G.I. Joe doll) in 2005 for an ''influence operation'', intended to strategically distribute scary or perhaps comical depictions of Bin Laden and Hussein to children, ideally to dissuade them from joining a terrorist group such as Al Qaida. The project was discontinued after the prototypes were developed. Board game has blue cardboard playing surface with numbered grid and small photographs of Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden and other members of Al Qaida printed.

Taliban Propaganda

By 2006 the Taliban abandoned open warfare in Afghanistan, but still set the occasional ambush and made use of propaganda leaflets, posters and “night-letters.” Here a Canadian soldier on patrol passes a Kandahar wall covered with various pro-government leaflets and flyers.

The Associated Press reported on 25 July 2008:

The Taliban has created a sophisticated media network to undermine support for the Afghan government, sending threats by text message and spreading the militia's views through songs available as ring tones, according to a report released Thursday.

The International Crisis Group report comes as the Islamist militia that was ousted from power in Afghanistan by the 2001 U.S.-led invasion is making a violent comeback, particularly in the country's south and east. Many of the messages come as songs, religious chants and poetry. One poem — Death is a gift — includes the phrase, “I will not kiss the hand of Laura Bush.” The Taliban movement also has a Web site, Al Emarah, or “The Emirate,” which has various domain names due to attempts to block it.

The Crisis Group adds:

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.

In spring 2009, the American military began attempting to prevent the Taliban from using radio stations and Web sites to intimidate civilians and plan attacks. American military and intelligence personnel worked to jam the unlicensed radio stations in Pakistan's lawless regions on the Afghanistan border that Taliban fighters use to broadcast threats and decrees. U.S. personnel also tried to block the Pakistani chat rooms and Web sites that are part of the country's burgeoning extremist underground. In Pakistan, Taliban leaders use unlicensed FM stations to recite the names of local Pakistani government officials, police officers and other figures that have been marked for death by the group. There are about 150 illegal FM radio stations in Pakistan's Swat Valley which allow militants to broadcast every night the names of people they're going to behead or they've beheaded. The Americans hope to block all this Taliban communication and show the people that it is the government in charge, not the insurgents.

The New Taliban Code of Conduct

In July 2009, Al-Zazeera reported on a new Taliban “Code of Conduct” that indicated the insurgents realize that they need to win the hearts and minds of the people and that suicide attacks and the loss of life of innocent civilians does not help their cause. The small blue book, The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Rules for Mujahedeen, with 13 chapters and 67 articles, lays out rules and tells the fighters what they can do and what they cannot do. In some ways it is like the American soldier’s “Code of Conduct” or “Rules of Engagement.” Some of the rules are:

Suicide attacks should be used only at high and important targets. A brave son of Islam should not be used for lower and useless targets. The utmost effort should be made to avoid civilian casualties…

Whenever any official, soldier, contractor or worker of the slave government is captured, these prisoners cannot be attacked or harmed. The decision on whether to seek a prisoner exchanger release the prisoner with a strong guarantee will be made by the provincial leader. Releasing prisoners in exchange for money is strictly prohibited…

If a military infidel is captured, the decision on whether to kill, release or exchange the hostage is only to be made by the Imam (Mullah Omar) or Deputy Imam.

The Mujahedeen have to behave well and show proper treatment to the nation in order to bring the hearts of civilian Muslims closer to them.

The book was allegedly issued to every fighter and talks of limiting suicide attacks, avoiding casualties among civilians and working to win the battle for the hearts of the local civilian population. The book also forbids the formation of any new militias or armed groups and calls for disbanding any group that refuses to join the main structure of the Taliban movement. Mullah Omar, the group leader, was quoted in the book as saying:

If unofficial groups or irregular battalions refuse to join the formal structure, they should be disbanded. The Mujahedeen must discrimination based on tribal roots, language or geographic background.

The Taliban now seems to have invested heavily in CDs. When the Taliban controlled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, their policies included a ban on music tapes and videos. Now the Taliban are producing their own CDs in an attempt to win the hearts and minds of Afghans. For example, one song in Pashto calls for a holy war against the infidels. It says the fight will continue until corruption is wiped out and the Taliban's version of Islamic law is restored. You can buy a CD with 50 songs for about a dollar. Since 2005, the Taliban has also been mass producing CDs and DVDs featuring footage of alleged NATO atrocities and clips of insurgents battling NATO forces.

There is also a healthy Taliban Radio Broadcast presence. Lately, the Taliban broadcasts refer to the impending withdrawal of NATO troops, scheduled for the end of 2014, as a sign of victory for the insurgents

NATO has been supporting some local radio and TV stations, but the Taliban has shifted tactics, assassinating radio personalities who oppose them. Some experts believe that in 2012 the Taliban are winning the propaganda battle in Afghanistan.

The “Unmanly” Soviets

We should note that during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan there were dozens of anti-Soviet cartoons and leaflets. I chose one to depict that has a mother and her children at the center of a Russian firestorm of tanks, aircraft, paratroopers and helicopters. The cartoon implies that the Russians are less than real men for using such technology. The text is:

The "Unmanly" armies of the Russians

Why Are You Not With Us?

Of course the Russians fought back with their own leaflets. At one time I had a large group of about 40 Soviet leaflets for Afghanistan that I intended to write about. The problem of course was that they were all in Dari or Pashtun and there was no way to translate them all. With great regret I gave up the concept of that story. But, to be honest, most were very long all text, dry, Communist messages. They would not have been all that exciting to read. Here is a nice cartoon leaflet, one of probably less than a half dozen in my group. This image is from the Weekly Pegasus No 38, 2018. The text is:

Why Are You Not With Us?

Homeland, people, mother, sister and wife ask you: how long are you going to disturb our peaceful life and cause bloodletting, robbery and looting in the country. The government has given us land, food and clothes and it is seeking a quite peaceful life. Everyone at your home is waiting for you. Do not trust the enemies of the country and sever your links with anti-revolution elements. Return to your home, Thank God, so that God forgives you.

The American soldier as a symbol of peace and stability

Leaflet AFD-102c

As part of the nation-building campaign, many Coalition leaflets depicted the American soldier helping the Afghans in various ways; supplying food, educational tools and protection and security for their way of life. Leaflet AFD-102 depicts American troops handing out pencils and school supplies to Afghan children on the front, and the military might of the Coalition on the back. The text is:

Help the Partnership of Nations bring peace and stability to you.

For your protection

do not interfere with the equipment or operations of donor countries

The Americans were true to their words. They promised school supplies and in the following two photographs we depict school backpacks supplied to Afghan children to carry their books.

A Backpack for Afghan Students

This backpack baring the flag of Afghanistan was given out by PSYOP troops to Afghan students starting about 2003. The backpack was also given in later years, in both blue and black.

Blue and Black Backpacks distributed in Sangin, Afghanistan
Photo by J.P. Black

Leaflet AFD-102b

This leaflet depicts four photographs of Coalition soldiers taking part in peaceful activities like marching and training. The back is all text:

For your safety, don't interfere in the Coalition nation’s Operations.

AFD-102d

Leaflet AFD-102d depicts the same symbol of Coalition might on the front, but the back is all text:

Caution!

Citizens of Afghanistan!

The Partnership of Nations is working to bring peace and stability to this region. Help us keep you safe. Please do not interfere with military operations.

1,410,000 copies of this leaflet were disseminated by M129 leaflet bombs in the first year of the war.

The American female soldier as a symbol of peace and stability

Modern War in an Ancient Land: The United States Army in Afghanistan says about the female PSYOP troops in Afghanistan:

An often-overlooked development during this period was the growing reliance on female soldiers within Special Operations. With all Special Forces and Ranger authorizations coded for male soldiers, Army Special Forces relied heavily on female soldiers in its civil affairs, psychological operations, support, and staff organizations to engage with female civilians who made up 50 percent of the population in Afghanistan and Iraq. Recognizing the need to communicate with these individuals, Army Special Operations formed ad hoc teams of female soldiers as early as 2002 to enhance civil-military operations. By 2009, U.S. Army Special Operations Command formally created a new organization known as a cultural support team. Cultural support teams interacted with indigenous female populations when such contact was deemed culturally inappropriate if performed by a male soldier. Although like the female engagement team program for conventional units, cultural support team members were specifically assessed, selected, trained, and educated to support Army Special Operations. The cultural support teams participated in a wide spectrum of activities ranging from medical civic-action programs, searches and seizures, humanitarian assistance, and civil-military operations

Children

AFD-123

Much of the Coalition propaganda effort used children and their future safety and well-being as a theme.  The leaflets were printed in black and white and a second version with green text. The front depicts two photographs of Afghan children and the text:

Can you imagine your children with no memory of war?

The back depicts Afghan musicians and a young girl. The text is:

A new government offers new freedoms, new hopes.

My records show that in the first year of the war 230,000 copies of AFD-123 were printed and disseminated by the M-129 leaflet bomb.

AFD-124

Leaflet AFD124 is similar in theme, and depicts four photographs of happy Afghans on the front and four more pictures on the back with a map of Afghanistan. This leaflet was printed in both black and white and a second version with green text. The text is:

A united Afghanistan – Peace – Prosperity

A new government of freedoms

A new government working for all Afghans

The future of Afghanistan depends on your support

My records show that in the first year of the war 200,000 copies of AFD-124 were printed and disseminated by the M-129 leaflet bomb.

Innocent Afghans

Nearly a decade later during the consolidation and reconstruction period in Afghanistan, Coalition leaflets still depicted injured children in an attempt to rally the Afghan people to turn on the murderous Taliban. This leaflet depicts injured children and adults, an explosion and a destroyed automobile. The text is:

Innocent Afghans have suffered from the bomb makers long enough. What have you done to save your family? To give information about the bomb makers call this number - 0706 762761.

Leaflet AFG-A2-3029P

This handbill (8.5 x 5.5-inches) has two photographs on the front and three on the back. It shows large groups of Afghan adults and youths being aided by Afghan Army or U.S, Army personnel. The text is:

Afghanistan government and Coalition forces personnel are aiding the people with humanitarian help.

The back depicts smiling American soldiers and groups of Afghans. The text is:

Attacking Coalition Forces and Humanitarian Organizations will deprive you and your family from humanitarian aid that you and your family need.

Stop the insurgent attacks by reporting to the Coalition forces.

The Peacekeepers

This uncoded leaflet depicts an injured child on the front and at the left an Afghan on a cellphone. The text is:

Because the terrorists do not care about the victims

When you contact Public Protection your identity will not be disclosed
Be a peacekeeper; inform the security forces about any terrorist acts, so that you can make a difference between life and death.

The peacekeepers guarantee our future.

The back of the leaflet depicts various insurgents and their weapons:

The peacekeepers

Information about terrorist acts will help the security forces capture the terrorists and save our villages from their danger.
Give information about...

Stocks of ammunition
Activities of the terrorists
Safe havens of the terrorists
Networks of terrorists

You will be given a reward for your information

The Afghan that translated this leaflet said that it was poor translation by the US military. It was obviously translated from English to Pashto, and the texts were too long and verbose for those who struggle with literacy. He also said that word “terrorist” was a term used by Coalition forces and not Afghans. They should have used an Afghan word instead of “terrorist,” which is heavily used in western media.

Notice that at the bottom of the leaflet are the symbols of the Afghan National Army and the Afghan Security Police. At the top, Afghan banknotes are depicted in full color; a reminder of the rewards being offered for information.

Law and order

Leaflet AFG-F4-3039D

Much of what the Coalition did was an inconvenience and bother to the Afghans. Here we see a soldier stopping traffic. The back of the leaflet is checkered so that it cannot be used by the enemy as writing paper or to refute the Coalition message. To explain why such actions were necessary the leaflet text is:

We stop your vehicles because the enemies of Afghanistan have been seen in this area.

The enemies of Afghanistan have attacked the defenseless people of Afghanistan and Coalition forces. We are here to help the peace-loving people and to chase, Capture or kill the criminals.

If you have any information about the enemy, please inform the local Governor, local police, the Afghan National Army or Coalition forces and take part in bringing permanent peace to your country.

The 4th PSYOP Group was quite proud of the new Afghan Police Force and the security of the people. It mentions them in 2004:

11,000 Afghan National Police recruited and trained.

Together we are Rebuilding Roads

Security Forces educated on the role of security forces in a democratic nation.

What a Good Government does for its People

Tips from Afghans on weapons caches doubled after the people were told about 52 new clinics, 153 wells, 278 schools completed, and 4 roads under construction.

  

AFG-2006 Pashtu

Sometimes the criminal activity was more serious. As part of nation-building, the Coalition had to show that they would not allow theft or smuggling. The above leaflet depicts two men in handcuffs on one side and in prison on the other. The text is:

Name: Mozrunko Mecola
Crime: Oil smuggling
Court decision: Criminal
Punishment: Seven years Prison
Penalty: 2.40 million USD

Do not put yourself in prison

Name: Evan Souschencko
Crime: Oil smuggling
Court decision: Criminal
Punishment: seven years Prison
Penalty: 2.40 million USD

Natural resources smuggling is the same as stealing. Criminals will be convicted. Smugglers will receive extreme punishment from the court. The Central criminal court will convict the oil smugglers. No one can escape from the law. It’s the public’s responsibility to inform the Coalition forces about any illegal activities.

Call +97307430925

The Search for an Abducted Soldier

On 30 June 2009, a U.S. Army soldier was lost in Afghanistan. There was some question as to exactly how he was taken by the insurgents. The first story that came out was at the end of his duty day he went off with a group of three Afghan soldiers without his body armor or weapon and got drunk. At some point his friends or some other civilians abducted him and either sold or traded him to a local warlord, Siraj Haqqani, who operates in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Taliban wanted credit for the abduction so they later claimed that they had captured the soldier along with his three Afghan comrades. The Taliban claimed on 6 July that it was holding the soldier:

Five days ago, a drunken American soldier who had come out of his garrison was captured by mujahedeen.

 

If you do not free the American

About 15 July, the U.S. Army began blanketing areas of Afghanistan near where he was believed held with leaflets. The leaflets were produced at Bagram Air Base and distributed in the region by hand.

Two leaflets are known. The first depicts an image of a soldier with his head bowed standing on an open hand and the text in Pashtun:

If you do not free the American soldier, then…"

The back of the leaflet depicts two heavily armed soldiers, one kicking open a door of an Afghan house. The text continues:

…you will be targeted

A second leaflet was prepared that was dropped from aircraft in Ghazni and Paktika province that tells locals that a U.S. soldier is missing and requests any information on his whereabouts.

 

One of our American Guests…

The front of the second leaflet depicts a friendly U.S. soldier sitting on the ground and talking to five Afghan children. Text on the front is:

One of our American guests is missing

The back depicts the same image except that the soldier has disappeared and is only seen as a black shadow. A hand holding a cell phone has been added at the bottom of the leaflet. Text on the back is:

Return the guest to his home. Call us at 070-769-4351