The Verge has a lengthy article highlighting Pirate Radio stations…but it’s not what you think. The story examines the important role radio played for the United States during the war in Afghanistan. However, once the major fighting ended, the DJ’s were left behind by the U.S.
The program was called Radio in a box. Radio was used to spread propaganda across the country using locally hired DJ’s. Former CIA analyst Arturo Munez is quoted in the column saying Radio in a Box was a big deal and a lot of commanders liked it. “They could instantly see the benefit of it. They could send out messages immediately about IEDs. There was no other way. Many of the existing stations were afraid that airing anything that could be seen as pro-US material would make them bombing targets for the Taliban. So the military set up its own broadcast.”
Under President Obama Radio in a Box was rolled out in a huge way with local DJ’s under United State command. The article explains how, once the program ended, DJ’s were left unprotected and some were most likely killed by The Taliban. The U.S. government’s red tape and infighting in Congress was the cause for delays in getting the DJ’s to safety.
Read the full Verge article HERE.
