The CIA has called for recruiting Afghan women in a public relations bid to persuade Europeans to support war in Afghanistan, a document leaked to the media has revealed. "Afghan women could serve as ideal messengers in humanizing" the mission for European audiences, particularly in France, according to the CIA analysis, posted on WikiLeaks, a whistleblower website, AFP reported.
Afghan women's views would carry special weight as they could express "their aspirations for the future, and their fears of a Taliban victory," it said.
The proposed PR strategies focus on pressure points that have been identified within these countries.
For France, it is the sympathy of the public for Afghan refugees and women. For Germany it is the fear of the consequences of defeat (drugs, more refugees, terrorism) as well as for Germany's standing in the NATO.
The Central Intelligence Agency declined to confirm or deny the authenticity of the document, but WikiLeaks has previously posted government and corporate documents that were later verified.
The report by a CIA expert on "strategic communications" and State Department analysts of public opinion warned that popular support for the war in Europe was weak and could easily collapse, citing the recent fall of the Dutch government over the issue.
The report also suggested taking advantage of President Barack Obama's popularity in France and Germany, arguing that appeals from the US president on the importance of the allied role in the war could have a positive effect.
The memorandum is titled: "Afghanistan: Sustaining West European Support for the NATO-led Mission -- Why Counting on Apathy Might Not Be Enough."
Tatarewicz: Sounds like another hair-brained plot hatched by the Administration's Israeli agents.
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