New U.S. Leaflets Bear Gruesome Images

Dec. 18 -- The Pentagon's psychological warfare campaign in Afghanistan has taken an unusual turn in recent weeks.

U.S. planes have dropped more than 2 million gruesome currency-sized leaflets depicting alleged atrocities of the Taliban and Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan.

Although the words are printed in different regional languages depending on where they are dropped, the translation is the same: "The Taliban's reign of fear" is printed on one side, along with images of bin Laden and other al Qaeda leaders. In the background are hanged men.

An evil spirit, the mythological creature known as Djinn, is also depicted — representing the evils bin Laden's terrorist army brought to Afghanistan.

On the other side, the images are even more graphic. The same four al Qaeda leaders are depicted, except they are decaying, lips and noses falling off their rotted faces, along with the legend "The Taliban's reign of fear is about to end."

In the background, a bomb explodes.

Some experts says such gruesome imagery might be effective in Afghanistan. But others say they have no idea what the United States hopes to accomplish with the newest pamphlets.

Latest in Series of Leaflets

U.S. planes have dropped other leaflets in the region, most notably flyers informing people of the $25 million reward for bin Laden.

Another leaflet told the Afghan people, "We are watching" — and back that statement up with a photograph of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar and the license plate of the car he drives.

Other leaflets and radio broadcasts urged Taliban soldiers to surrender — or face death.

At the start of the campaign, U.S. planes dropped Arabic-language leaflets telling Afghans "The partnership of nations is here to help." Other flyers dropped at about the same time told Afghans how to tune in to Arab language Voice of America "information radio" broadcasts.

Last year, the United States publicized what was then a $5 million reward for bin Laden by circulating matchboxes in Pakistan with the Urdu-language message "Reward for Osama bin Laden." Currency circulating in the region had a similar message, stamped on the notes in the Pashtu language.