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American Morning
Pentagon Turning to Some New Tools in Propaganda War
Aired January 04, 2002 - 07:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to check over at the Pentagon and check in now with Barbara Starr and see what the word is from there -- good morning, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.
The Pentagon, of course, is getting more and more frustrated after three months of bombing about its inability to catch Osama bin Laden, so it's turning to some new tools in the propaganda war. The Pentagon is now dropping a new, very innovative leaflet on parts of Afghanistan, and it's the message is -- it's a message to al Qaeda fighters about what Osama bin Laden is up to, and it's offering some encouragement to these fighters to turn Osama bin Laden in.
The leaflet, which is being dropped by the Air Force, is a two- sided pamphlet. On one side, it shows dead Afghan fighters, and it's very strident language. It says: "Osama bin Laden has abandoned you, and he has run away. Give yourself up. Do not die needlessly." It says, "Osama bin Laden is a coward."
And then, there is the other side of the leaflet, and on the back, it shows Osama bin Laden without his beard and in western clothes. And of course, this is what could only be a doctored photograph.
The question now is whether this leaflet, with this doctored photograph, would have the desired effect and convince anyone to give up Osama bin Laden. Some analysts say that the doctored photograph may not play well in some parts of the Arab, world where there is already a lot of suspicion about the United States. So the hunt for Osama bin Laden goes on -- Leon.
HARRIS: Barbara Starr -- thank you very much.
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