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Propaganda and Peace Deals: the Taliban's Information War in Pakistan

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Propaganda and Peace Deals: the Taliban's Information War in Pakistan JULY 2008 . VOL 1 . ISSUE 8 Propaganda and Peace which morphs into a computer graphic the accompaniment of gunfire: the of a box of laundry detergent. The box is Pakistani Taliban are attacking a Deals: The Taliban’s easily recognizable as the most popular Tochi Scouts checkpoint. The video Information War in brand in Pakistan. On this soap box, jumps to the aftermath, in which the Pakistan however, are words in English and Urdu checkpoint has been overrun and close- for “Pak Force” or “Pak Foj” (common up shots of corpses with the Tochi By Arthur Keller shorthand for the Pakistani Army) with Scouts’ uniforms are clearly visible. a logo saying “Pervez” (a logo which The Taliban videographer zooms to a in early 2008, the United States later turns into “Bush”). The voiceover nauseating view of one of the Scout’s announced that it would invest $400 of the pseudo-commercial exclaims: corpses, his head smashed open and his million to train and equip Pakistan’s brain clearly visible, as is the nametag Frontier Corps (FC) to combat the Slaves (infidels) you can buy the on the uniform: “Tahir Iqbal.” In the Pakistani Taliban and slow cross- Pakistan Army for 25 rupees a eerie light from fires of the burning border attacks into Afghanistan. box! For cleaning all Muslims! camp, surrounded by charred and U.S. counter-terrorism efforts in the They are the best in destruction. bloody Tochi Scout corpses, one of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region Just say their name and ask for it. Pakistani Taliban, spectrally lit with rely on Pakistani troops, such as those Look at the pictures and buy it. the green glow of low-light cameras, from the under-equipped FC, to control They are smarter than the devil. delivers a monologue aimed directly at the border in the violent Federally every Pakistani Army or FC soldier that Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).1 The voiceover terminates with a sees the video: Most FC units—such as the Tochi sinister chuckle. Yet, “Clean Army” is Scouts—are composed of indigenous only warming up. Next, it laments that We want the “Pak Force” to Pashtun levies. the United States broke the promises it understand their goals and not to made to Pakistan for a better life for its give in to the Jews and Bush and Unfortunately, Pakistani soldiers are citizens: go to hell for their doings. Listen being actively targeted by the Pakistani and understand the meaning of Taliban’s propaganda efforts, often with Now all of those four years have belief, being clean, and jihad in the disturbing effectiveness. To realistically passed but none of the promises way of Allah. Think about your life understand U.S. options in Pakistan, have been fulfilled...Economics after death. Army mothers, sisters, one must understand the impact of the and life in Pakistan speaks for fathers, brothers, and family: Taliban’s propaganda and intimidation itself, which needs no proof: Gas make your children understand. tactics in FATA, and why these tactics which was 30 rupees in 2001 per You are a mother or father of the have caused the Pakistani government liter is now 70 rupees because of army, you have wished that your to resort to ineffective “peace deals” friendship with Bush. Sugar which son sacrifice themselves for their with Taliban-affiliated fighters. These was 20 rupees per kilo is now 35 country, and be successful. But realities mean that U.S. assistance to rupees a kilo. There are a lot of today your sons have joined the Pakistan’s FC is unlikely to curtail the other examples. Even ignorant infidels and the American flag and Taliban’s increasing influence. people can see the difference they are fighting with mujahidin between then and now. and ruining the life and afterlife, The Taliban’s Message and will go to hell. Would you Amat studios is the Pakistani Taliban’s The video finishes with a snuff- like this to happen to your loved production studio. It churns out a film ending. The viewer sees clips of ones? 3 steady stream of propaganda aimed Pakistani General Khattak, leader at the local Pashtun populace and the of the 2005 army campaign in South Labeling a box of soap “Pak Army” Pakistani armed forces. Amat’s videos, Waziristan. Then comes shaky low- and saying that the army is “cleansing” generally in Pashtu or Urdu, seem to light footage dated January 7, 2006. brother Muslims is a simple but be intended for domestic consumption, The location is Mir Ali, a small city devastating accusation in a Muslim although senior Taliban members have in North Waziristan. Cries of “Allahu country. To many Muslims in the said they will soon be appearing on Akhbar” (God is Great) ring out to Pakistani military, the dual threat of “You Tube.” One Amat video, “Clean brutal death and hellfire earned by Army,” hit the market in 2006.2 The 3 Khattak was in charge of the Pakistani Army raids siding with “infidels” against the umma video starts with a clip of Pakistani into South Waziristan in 2005, raids renowned for the has a dispiriting effect, and nowhere President Pervez Musharraf addressing amount of ill will they generated in the local Pashtun more so than in FATA. assembled Pakistani Army officers, populace because of the popular perception that the Pak- istani Army used their helicopter gunships and artillery Other Amat videos cleverly exploit local 4 indiscriminately, causing many civilian casualties. Khat- customs. One video, “Ansar,” goes into 1 Hassan Abbas, “Transforming Pakistan’s Frontier tak was also prominent in calling for a peace deal with details on the duty of Pashtuns to shelter Corps,” Terrorism Monitor 5:6 (2007). local militants after the Waziristan offensive, a deal that 2 “Clean Army” is an untitled Amat studios video des- is now widely acknowledged to have created a safe haven 4 “Ansar” is an untitled Amat studios video designated ignated “Clean Army” because of the accusations of eth- for the Pakistani Taliban and al-Qa`ida. Khattak is cur- “Ansar” because of the discussions of the need to harbor nic cleansing against the Pakistani Army. The video was rently in charge of the efforts, funded with U.S. dollars, to al-Qa`ida. The video was transcribed by the author in transcribed by the author in May 2006. improve the Frontier Corps. May 2006. JULY 2008 . VOL 1 . ISSUE 8 al-Qa`ida, specifically playing on are generally motivated by revenge or killed, becomes ever more unwilling to Pashtunwali, the Pashtun code, and the money, but the targets are left dead by oppose the Taliban. The malaise injected duty of Pashtuns to provide milmasthia, the side of the road with “American Spy” into Pakistan’s military has long since which loosely translates as “hospitality,” pinned to their jacket. The dead men spread from the paramilitary FC units to al-Qa`ida guests.5 Another Amat rarely had any connection to the United such as the Tochi Scouts into Pakistan’s video, “Snake,” reinforces the evil of the States, but their corpses nevertheless regular army. In 2007, India’s security United States and its allies. The opening are chillingly effective psychological and intelligence establishment noted that scene is a rattlesnake morphing into warfare. Pakistani Army troops in FATA have President Bush.6 The video displays “unprecedented levels of desertions, houses in Waziristan demolished by the Despite many outlandish claims and suicides, and discharge applications.” 2005 Pakistani Army offensive. One inconsistencies in Amat videos, the In the space of just five days in October voiceover states that the demolished paucity of contradictory information 2007, the Pakistani Army allegedly house belonged to a widowed mother of flowing into FATA as well as the suffered 150 desertions.10 four. Another clip shows an interview complete dominance of the Taliban’s of a young boy who explains that he has message means that the Taliban’s Even stronger evidence of disaffection been orphaned and wants to become a twisted version of events is often the was the 2007 surrender of 250 Pakistani jihadist. Passionate appeals for local soldiers to a few dozen militants in tribesmen to take up arms against the South Waziristan without a single shot Pakistani government are a constant “To many Muslims in the being fired. In January 2008, an entire theme in “Snake.” The Taliban’s Pakistani military, the dual checkpoint of 40 soldiers surrendered propaganda in FATA also extends their post to Taliban militants, again beyond videos. Dozens of unregulated threat of brutal death and without a single shot fired.11 Apathy or “black” low wattage radio stations hellfire earned by siding and risk aversion are pervasive in the spew extremist propaganda in almost Pakistani military. every valley of FATA. with ‘infidels’ against the umma has a dispiriting The Taliban are not universally In conjunction with these propaganda welcomed in FATA and their brutal vehicles, the Taliban have made a effect, and nowhere more tactics have excited considerable practice of attacking alternate sources so than in FATA.” resentment among many Pashtun of information, such as newsstands. tribesman. Unfortunately, that To further control the information resentment does not mean the Taliban’s environment, Pakistani journalists grip on power is weakening. The usual in FATA have been assassinated for only one heard.8 How seriously is the avenue for Pashtun tribesmen living in writing articles of which the Taliban Pakistani Taliban about spreading its FATA to deal with physical threats is did not approve. There has also been propaganda? Tehrik-i-Taliban chief the formation of a lashkar, an informal a campaign of intimidation aimed at Baitullah Mehsud recently announced tribal army.
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