Is the Taliban reading Feral Jundi? LOL. Actually, the Taliban have been attacking cell towers for awhile now. But in this post, I wanted to post why they are attacking the mobile phone. That people are actually turning in these guys, using the mobile phone is kind of cool and is definitely some proof of concept material for the ‘Crime Stoppers’ concept. And the fact that mobile phones are becoming vital to the Afghanis.
A couple of weeks ago, I posted an article about text messaging and counter-insurgency. That commanders in the field, or at least the war planners must take advantage of these technologies and develop a SMS plan and crowdsource the local populations.
It sounds like to me, that this is happening to some degree, and that is great. And with the Taliban destroying cell towers out of protest, this only helps our cause. If the local populations come to depend on the mobile phone, and really enjoy the power of the mobile phone, and the Taliban take that away, then that will only help us to win over the local populations.
So this is what I would do. Flood the market with more cheap mobile phones and cheap service, set up cell towers in villages and pay these villages very well to protect that tower(or post police or private security), and reward the local populations for their love of the cellphone with interactive radio entertainment and promotional deals. Get them to use those thumbs and vote on soccer games and songs and anything of entertainment value. Get them hooked on the phone, like it was a drug.
What do I mean by this? The cellphone is addictive. It’s like a drug almost, and when people get a taste of everything it can do, then they get hooked. For me, I don’t go anywhere without my phone. I make sure the service is paid for, and that it is fully charged, and I really take care of it. The reason why, is because it is my only connection to my network and it is an important part of my life.
It is also the tool I need to make money, because companies call me on the phone to offer me jobs. It is also my way of establishing relationships, or maintaining relationships. And it is a tool that I can use to save my life by calling the police or the doctor. I can even vote with the thing, in the various polls that radio and TV stations promote.(elections, American Idol, etc.) Or, if I get wind of some information about a bad guy, I can text or call Crime Stoppers and actually turn the guy in for a small reward.
My point is, that the same uses I have for this phone, are the same uses that everyone in the world has for the phone. It is a powerful and universal tool that we can use in this war, and I tried to explain that in my other post about the topic.
So now we have the Taliban fearing the cellphone? Awesome. And just like in Haiti, when the people protected the cell towers because they wanted to protect the phone service, we can see the same thing in Afghanistan. If I was part of the Afghani Government, I would make the issue of the cellphone and text messaging a vital issue that needs to be protected. Those phones symbolize freedom, and the Government would be wise to help protect that. It would be just one way for them to win over the local populations.
The other thing I wanted to mention, is that if you are reading this, and you are developing a SMS plan out there in the war, then you need to read the book Crowdsourcing. It lists the ten rules of crowdsourcing and they are pretty universal, in terms of application. I would be crowdsourcing the local populations of Afghanistan and Iraq like you can’t believe, to get all kinds of interesting information.
I would also do what I could to get phones into the really remote areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan. It sounds like the mobile phone industry is doing pretty good in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, but it could do better with a little help. Flood the market, give the locals a taste of this thing, and make sure they know where to go to get more of it.
As for the particulars of how to crowdsource the populations to get information, I would leave to the local intelligence guys. I do know that the current radio stations that are sending out music and messages on the airwaves, are the one way you can reach these remote areas and communicate with them. One of the rules for crowdsourcing is that you must offer a reward or give the people something for their efforts. That could be money, or entertainment. If you want to get something from the crowd, you have to give something to the crowd. –Head Jundi
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Taliban Orders Daytime Phone Shutdown, Too
Posted by Susan Hall on October 21, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Following attacks meant to enforce the Taliban’s orders for mobile phone operators to shut off operations at night in Afghanistan, the operators now are being ordered to shut down during the day in the Ghazni province southwest of Kabul, reports Reuters.
Several towers have been destroyed in the south, angering residents who depend on cell service as their only means of communication. NATO and Afghan officials say the Taliban want to keep villagers from ratting them out to authorities.
The story, though, says threats have been only partially carried out in the south and networks operate freely in the north, where it’s more peaceful.
Story Here
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Taliban text message threats
Posted 7/24/2008
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — 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 Thursday.
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 Afghan 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.
(more…)