We ran across three interesting pieces. The first appeared in Foreign Affairs, is written by Gen (R) Wesley Clark and Peter Levin. It describes the nature and depth of the cyber threat to the US … and offers prescriptions for our defenses. What if leaves out are the many policy issues that the Administration must face in order to be fully prepared. You can find a link to this piece on our website at:http://www.afa.org/edop/2009/edop_10-23-09.asp
The second piece appeared in the Washington Times and discusses the after-effects of an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. It gives a thoughtful analysis to the issues … at the strategic level [which is generally hard to do within the limits of an op-ed page]. You can find a link to this piece on our website at: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/22/timperlake-what-if-israel-strikes-iran-from-the-ai/
Finally, a piece in Armed Forces Journal written by Phil Meilinger – a retired Air Force Colonel, who has a PhD in military history. In the piece he posits that it is Airpower that has drastically reduced civilian casualties in warfare. This is an important piece … as the President and his national security team debate sending more troops to Afghanistan. You can find a link to this piece on our website at: http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2009/07/4079006/
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
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3 comments:
LOL! as if this or any other American administration can ever be "fully prepared"!
if anything, the enemies domestic will probably use this threat as an excuse to mandate greater controls over the internet, continuing in minimizing what freedoms and tools for real news and unrestricted communication We the People have left.
you know (and i've said this before), it might be that rather than continuing investing time in the areas of the already corrupted election system and three branches of government, the contemporary American liberty revolution should be doing so in the area of cyber warfare against the enemies of liberty domestic.
perhaps the Oathkeepers need to spend as much time recruiting cyber-geeks in our military and law enforcement as they do typical soldiers... perhaps they are! (let's hope so... ;-)
MIKE = Can't adequately express MY THANKS for helping us to focus upon "where some REAL information is" near the DC Beltway! There is SO MUCH chaff and wheat, that the efforts you take to help us better focus on REALITY are quite simply: INVALUABLE! [As for "Cyber-security" published comments in Wes Clark's piece - I'm bookmarking it for re-reading, then pending potential further comment, OK]? As I have already written you et al @ AFA: I took a briefing on this topic from TERRY HAWKINS of the Los Alamos National Lab @ the local Smithsonian Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas the evening of October 20th! THERE WERE NO local print news media coverage artices in either (of the two) local newspapers for the next three [3] days, AND no discernible C-SPAN cameras present! ALL of our U.S. PATRIOTS DESPERATELY NEED TO RECEIVE AND PONDER CONTENTS FROM THAT MOST TIMELY 'UNCLASSIFIED' BRIEFING = TERRY's script AND his PowerPoint slides - IMO! WE CITIZENS REALLY DESERVE A WIDER AUDIENCE for that Los Alamos Lab briefing titled "NAVIGATING THROUGH 'CYBERIA': The Challenge of Info-terrorism" - as a current, timely "wake-up call" before the U.S. endures YET ANOTHER UNWANTED (third!) "Pearl Harbor surprise attack"! [The 'second' being 9/11/2001]! The need is urgent IMO!
Thanks for passing on your usual astute observations, Gen. Dunn. My comments about Cyber, Iran, Airpower follow:
1. I hope I'm not the first nor the last to urge an all out effort to achieve more secure comm. and technology. Our R&D has never been more important than it is now. There is also the need to "repay in kind", any group, including countries who are anti-freedom and Anti-American, (a "repayment plan" should already be in place for that). Terrorism is never resolved by non-action and less than an overwhelming force, is not an option to us or the rest of the free world,(not that the current White House inhabitant will do anything positive to dissuade terrorist actions against us). To summarize, we need to continue an all out R&D effort to develop new, truly secure comm/technology to replace the Cybersphere. (A big order, but it's necessary and possible and, if not already activated, a "re-payment plan" for the bad guys.
2. Our nation needs to be working with the Israelis and all other nations who have the spine to stand up to Iran and their ilk. And, not continue playing into the North Korean type of thuggery that has cost us untold $billions, yet continues to allow an unabated development of nuclear arms. The Free World must stand as a single force in dealing with rogue nations. We also can't play into the age old U.N. game of talk without action. We have to lead as no other nation has demonstrated that ability, but that takes a President who has the courage, knowledge and trust in our military.
3. I firmly believe that President's Harry S. Truman and Herbert W. Bush had the right idea about using our military most effectively. We cannot effectively fight the enemy's war. Our whole national defense is built on our advanced, albeit terrible weapons, not manpower that is used in ground combat against guerrilla warfare. We proved the value of the latter in our own revolution and suffered the consequences of fighting a guerrilla war by (our) conventional methods in Vietnam. Presidents Truman and Bush used overpowering, terrible weapons to save countless lives on both sides and virtually crushed any chance the enemy had of retaliation. That process will work with the Taliban and other terrorists, but our nation will have to accept the (relatively) minor collateral damage that is part of war. That, however, takes careful planning, courage--a lot of courage and, bold responsible military action. Hopefully a revolution in thinking will return a great leader and our great nation to her rightful place as the undisputed leader of the free world.
Doing a bit of fantasizing--If I were in charge or our great nation, I'd remind the world of the huge sacrifices we've made in helping other countries. I'd remind them, especially, the Taliban and our other enemies that our country wants peace and freedom, but that we won't compromise the former for the latter. I would diplomatically advise our enemies of what they need to do to join in helping the free world achieve those goals. I would begin an "education process" in a very short time, by demonstrating the result of what their refusal to work things out amicably with us would be, (using President Theodore Roosevelt's "stick theory" of diplomacy). That would be followed by a chance for them to consider the lesson and make responsible changes. I would again offer to sit at the table to work out any "rough" parts of their learning program and for them to offer ways they could help achieve our common goals. I'd give odds that no more than three lessons would be required to effect responsible, positive changes, because we know beyond doubt, that terrorist groups, i.e., the Taliban, Al Qaeda, et cetera, are trainable.
Respectfully,
Frank Dare
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