The full-length version of the Haqqani Network’s propaganda videotape on the suicide assault on Forward Operating Base Salerno features a doctored image of a previous Long War Journal report on the attack. The Haqqani Network took the web page for our report, New details emerge about complex attack on FOB Salerno, written on June 10, and photoshopped in a headline from a similarly written Washington Post report that was published six days later, on June 16, as well as a Washington Post banner.
The LWJ web page is clearly identifiable, with its red tool bar below the banner; the donate, RSS feed, and advertisement sections in the left sidebar; and the photo and video sections in the right sidebar. Additionally, the LWJ article’s photographs of the damaged DFAC and PX are on the page; The Washington Post article was not accompanied by any photographs. The two photographs from the June 10 LWJ report were also used elsewhere in the Haqqani Network videotape.
So why does the Haqqani Network feel the need to doctor a Long War Journal page and make it look like The Washington Post? Beats us. But it is interesting to see that the clumsy use of photoshop has been added to the group’s list of media distortions, in addition to the routine inflation of casualty figures in its press releases.
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12 Comments
ROFL! I’m glad you blogged about this, Bill and Bill. Hopefully my comment led the way 🙂
My initial impression was that the Haqqanis wanted to add prestige and gravitas to your article by using the Washington Post masthead, seeing as how said publication, along with the New York Times, is considered the important newspaper in the US.
Either that or they simply didn’t want their jihadist sympathizers to go to LWJ, which covers the Haqqani Network better than most, if not all, other forums.
Request:
Bill, you should blog about the Haqqani Network’s elaborate mini mock-up of FOB Salerno and the detailed pre-mission briefing (complete with an overhead persentation). This was a high-speed operation that clearly used mulitple-source human intelligence — possibly Afghan civilians who’ve been in the FOB or ANSF turncoats.
Bill, it has been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. To all the readers, it is now obvious and evident that our friends the Haqqanis are reading out forum! Bravo Zulu!
LOL. Clumsy imitation is the insincere form of flattery?
The Haqqani’s are desperate to make more out of this then it was, they made a big boom and got through the wire so to speak….then got waxed by US forces…end of story.
LOL!! “clumsy use of photoshop” is giving this production too much credit. I could have done what they did in 5 minutes using Microsoft Paint.
Perhaps LWJ has grounds for a plagiarism lawswuit?
@ Devin
But what happens when the US aren’t there to sort these guys out. How would an ANA force cope in this type of situation, with limited Air Support and perhaps turn coats within their own ranks waiting to strike when the attack begins?
To Bill and Bill, well done on getting noticed by the Haqqanis, it would seem they like to read about their attacks after the fact, and as we all know there is nowhere better to get accurate info on the Long War than here at LWJ! Keep up the good work!
Snicker…such amateurs.
SNORT,
R
This could be the wrong place to post this observation but how were they able, in broad daylight, to drive right up to the gate and blow themselves up. Didn’t they see them coming?
You should sue the Haqqani network
Quality rises to the surface.
Make sure to put their continual lies to the light. ! Good job!
Shouldn’t show any images of any post battle damage. Though images give weight to such professional articles, it also provides the enemy with a readily available source of propaganda, able to be presented out of context, which is represented here.
The Haqqanis have really attempted to capatilze on this specific attack, that although was well coordinated and required extensive intelligence on their part, but once the militants were inside the wire, was pretty poorly carried out.