The U-S House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved a bill to create a Radio Free Afghanistan to broadcast to the people of Afghanistan.
The bill passed the House today (Wednesday) with 405 members of congress in favor and only two against.
Voice of America has increased its local language broadcasts into Afghanistan since the start of the U-S-led military action. But some lawmakers argue it is not enough to effectively communicate U-S policy.
The chief sponsor of the bipartisan House bill, Republican Congressman Ed Royce, said Wednesday the new broadcasts would be an essential part of what he described as the information war.
The Senate has yet to take up the measure.
The idea is patterned after Radio Free Europe, which beamed U-S broadcasts into Eastern Europe following World War Two in an effort to undercut communism. Radio Free Afghanistan would beam U-S news and entertainment programs to Afghans in their local languages.