Updated on Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 21:24 IST

Washington, May 20: The US, which is fighting a war against terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has been "out communicated" by al Qaeda and Taliban, who have better used the media as a propaganda tool, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday.

"We are being out communicated by the Taliban and Al Qaeda. We have to do a better job," Clinton said in her testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on State and Foreign Affairs.

Acknowledging that al Qaeda and Taliban leaders were making better use of media and communication technologies to get their messages out and indulge in propaganda against Washington and its allies, she said the US has not been able to counter it successfully so far.

However seeking to change this, the Obama administration is developing a strategy to make better and effective use of media and communications to counter the propaganda of the Taliban and get its message out to the people in the region, the Secretary of State said.

"We are seeking the resources to deploy a new strategic communications strategy to combat violence and empower of moderation in both countries," she said.

A similar view was expressed by Richard Holbrooke, the Special US Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, in his testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

He said the Taliban and al Qaeda leaders are making an effective use of communications to get their messages out, with running FM radio stations on trucks and other smaller vehicles.

Bureau Report