Global Guerilla Swag
As-Sahab is the media wing of Al Qaeda, the "network" used by all the current Al Qaeda videos put onto the web; as with nearly all modern video producers, their programs include a little "bug" logo in the lower right corner of the screen identifying the network. Wired's Danger Room blog noted that this logo isn't limited to the video itself -- As-Sahab also has logo coffee cups.
(Picture from IntelCenter)
This is worth noting both as it suggests an increasingly sophisticated institution -- and the inability of even an avowedly anti-Western organization to avoid the trappings of Western media culture.
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Comments
Well, from what I know of it, Al Qaeda is more of a "western" organization than we realize. It's anti-modernism is very much a function of modernity.
Besides, they're late in the game. Hezbolallah has been selling "militant-kitsch" at tourist sites in Lebanon for years.
Posted by: Horus Aha | January 9, 2008 2:47 PM
There was a fantastic talk on Iran and Islam's adaption to modernity last year at the Commonwealth Club. It might be online. It's a fascinating dichotomy.
Posted by: Howard Berkey | January 10, 2008 5:53 PM
That's neat!
Do you know if there's a boilerplate image of that logo on the web? I'm thinking I want to run off a coffee cup via CafePress. (It'll look good in my kitchen cupboard next to the GCHQ mug.)
Posted by: Charlie Stross | January 12, 2008 2:39 AM
Nice--so THAT's where my tax dollars are going, funneled through CIA to Al Qaeda.
Posted by: Timmy Green | February 1, 2008 6:08 PM