[wordup] usa propagana scheme in afganistan

[Adam Shand]

i'm assuming it's true sine it's unflattering of the usa and is on cnn,
but this is the weirdest thing i've seen in a while.  what totally baffles
me is that the propaganda is written in english.  wtf?!?

the only sensible thing i can think of is that they translated the picture
into english before giving it to the usa media.

you need to go to the url to see the leaflet picture.

Via: http://www.kuro5hin.org/?op=displaystory;sid=2002/1/5/19490/42253
From: http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/01/04/ret.bin.laden.leaflets/index.html

U.S.-dropped leaflets show bin Laden in Western clothes

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Pentagon is trying to persuade remaining al Qaeda
fighters in Afghanistan to surrender by distributing leaflets that contain
a doctored image of Osama bin Laden in Western-style dress.

The two-sided paper is being dropped in areas of Afghanistan where the
United States believed al Qaeda fighters are.

The leaflet has an image of dead Afghan soldiers with the following
statement, with spellings retained: "Usama bin Laden, the murderer and
coward, has abandoned al Qaeda. He has abandoned you and run away. Give
yourself up and do not die needlessly, you mean nothing to him. Save your
families the grief and pain of your death."

On the other side is an altered image of bin Laden, shown without his
turban or beard and dressed in a white suit and tie. In large letters, it
states: "Usama bin Laden the murderer and coward has abandoned you!"

The United States is searching for bin Laden but U.S. officials say they
don't have any idea where bin Laden's is hiding. It is offering a $25
million reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

U.S. Central Command spokesman Commander Dave Culler said the leaflets
were dropped in the Afghan areas of Khowst, Ghanzai, Tora Bora, Sokhta and
Tarin Kowt -- primarily in the eastern part of the country.

The message was also included in Commander Solo broadcasts -- tranmissions
broadcast from a EC-130 E aircraft -- for 10 hours in two local languages,
including Pashto.

Some analysts say the altered photograph will not play well in some parts
of the Muslim world, where there is already suspicion of the United
States.

Asked whether the leaflet could be used by some to say the United States
is willing to doctor or make up things -- as has been alleged about the
videotape found in Afghanistan by the United States -- U.S. Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he had not thought about the possibility

Rumsfeld, speaking at Thursday's Pentagon media briefing, said there was
"nothing much" the United States could do about what others might claim
about the leaflets.

"The whole premise of bin Laden's activities in the world are premised on
lies and the fact that people will say things, like you just said they
might say, is true," he said.