I couldn't help but laugh really hard at this:

quote:

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN -- The Taliban have 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 yesterday. Some of the tunes are available as ring tones for phones, and cassettes include songs such as Let me go to jihad ...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...rnational/Email

quote:

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN -- The Taliban have 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 yesterday. 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. The Taliban's propaganda exploits civilian killings by foreign forces and corruption in the U.S.-backed government to add to Afghans' disillusionment about their lives, according to the report by the Brussels-based group. It said the government and its foreign allies should respond more quickly to their mistakes and highlight the Taliban's atrocities. Many of the messages that have been distributed - apparently not always directly produced by the Taliban - come in the form of songs, religious chants and poetry that appeal to Afghan nationalism and Islamic pride. Some of the tunes are available as ring tones for phones, and cassettes include songs such as Let me go to jihad, the report says. Some people reported that they kept the cassettes as a form of protection in case they were stopped by Taliban. One poem - Death is a gift - included the phrase, "I will not kiss the hand of Laura Bush." The Taliban movement also has a website, Al Emarah, or the Emirate, which has various domain names due to attempts to block it. The Taliban also publish pamphlets and magazines, and their communications come in multiple languages, including English. DVDs and audio cassettes also are used. Because illiteracy is widespread in Afghanistan, and many Afghans have little to no access to the Internet or television, the Taliban also use traditional means of communication to spread their message. They send shabnamahs - flyers often distributed at night that threaten people who work with international forces or the government. The report also said that Taliban media play up civilian casualties caused by foreign forces but deny involvement in most bombings that kill a large number of ordinary Afghans.

___________________
Whenever you go and buy something, you are affecting someone somewhere, be it environment, a person, or a community - you're making a statement with what you buy. So make it a smart choice ... Its a big picture