Taliban Information Strategy: How Are the Taliban Directing Their Information Strategy Towards the Population of Afghanistan

摘要

The purpose of this thesis is to understand the core components of the Afghan Taliban information strategy, which is their main effort in their struggle to regain power. The Taliban use cultural metaphors from multiple sources such as Islam, pushtunwali, and Afghanistan's history to frame their right of religious and political authority. Taliban information strategy interweaves these metaphors with threats to sow fear in the minds of the Afghan population. The strategy relies primarily on fear and coercion rather than persuasion. When the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, they banned the use of modern- day technologies such as computers and cell phones. Their recent information activities have been conducted using the tools they once forbid. Video footage is recorded for the purpose of backing up their claims and for recruiting. This footage is distributed on DVDs as well as posted on the Internet. Their nontechnological means of sowing fear through the use of night letters (shabnamehs) -- threatening notes posted or graffiti scrolled onto doors or walls -- has evolved into text messaging key individuals. This thesis reveals that the Taliban are focusing their information strategy on relatively ineffective short-term goals. This revelation comes from polling data that demonstrate that the majority of Afghan people do not support the Taliban or desire to see their return to power. The Taliban are viewed as the reason for poor security despite their efforts to convince the population that the government is the reason for poor security. The author concludes that the Taliban's problematic information strategy affords multiple opportunities for the United States and its allies to reach out to those parts of the Afghan population that receive a disproportionate amount of Taliban information. The thesis makes specific recommendations on how to best achieve this goal.