Wired magazine makes the case for cyber war against Pakistan and India
Pakistan has developed the Babur road, sea and submarine mobile nuclear cruise missile. Mr. Arquilla's hypothesis assumes all these assets are centrally controlled and would go offline in the event of a cyber attack. Faulty assumption.
John Arquilla, writing for Wired magazine in its November 2009 issue, argues for a US cyber attack on Pakistan and India in the event that the US determines the two countries are heading towards a confrontation. The method of attack outlined by Mr. Arquilla involves US cyber warfare units ‘taking out’ command and control networks on both sides.
In its arrogance and almost stereotypical inability to comprehend the competence and capabilities of other nations, this preposterous notion advocated by Mr. Arquilla made me laugh out loud. And awkwardly so, since I was on a plane when I first read this story. In addition to contributing poppycock in print, Mr. Arquilla also becomes guilty of the pain I felt in my sides once I was done ROTFL‘ing! But truthfully, one would expect nothing less of an advisor to Mr. Rumsfeld, a man who will be remembered in due course as the worst SecDef the United States has ever had.
Let’s think about everything that’s wrong with this less-than-stellar hypothesis:
1. Mr. Arquilla assumes that command and control systems on both sides are Internet connected and/or not shielded against EMP and similar cyber warfare instruments. Of course. Why would he? After all what do these backward South Asians know about cyber warfare, software, electronics or the complex beast that it is the Internet! Enroll them all in Microsoft Office 101 classes, I say!
2. Apparently, by taking out command and control Mr. Arquilla believes that the conflict would be ‘put on ice’. The most likely scenario would be that the cyber attack – even a partially succesful one – would cause either or both sides to believe that the ‘war had begun’ forcing them to take appropriate measures. Which might include actually starting a war.
3. What Mr. Arquilla is obviously unaware of is that Pakistan, and to a lesser extent, India, have sophisticated, road, sub, sea and air mobile nuclear missiles that would remain active in the event of command and control going down. In fact it is likely that independent authorization would go to the battlefield commander in the event that he was unable to reach central command.
4. A cyber attack on a nation’s critical military infrastructure, first and foremost, an act of war. Mr Arquilla is arguing that the US violate the un charter and attack one or two other countries to prevent what it – in its own opinion – considers an imminent outbreak of hostilities. While I can understand that international law and the UN charter might not be on Mr. Arquilla’s list of priorities – God knows they haven’t been on his governments in the past 8 years – the consequences of attacking another nation when your own intel assessment might be flawed is a potential serious hazard. But perhaps Arquilla would contend that US intelligence estimates are never flawed. I mean it’s not like the world remembers the whole WMD fiasco that took place when his boss, Mr. Rumsfeld, was in office.
It would be good if Mr. Arquilla would devote his free time and strategic talents to architect options for the US military to get out of the ruddy mess it was placed in by the Bush regime, in both Iraq and Afghanistan. This might be a far more productive use of his cerebral muscles instead of campaigning for cyber war with allied states. If he has been reading the news, he would know that President Obama, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, just rejected all 6 options on the table for Afghanistan.
Time to stop dreaming ridiculous dreams, Mr. Arquilla, and get working on that 7th option! South Asia doesn’t need your “help” and strategic talents, but your own country most definitely does!
Why would Wired carry such a silly obnoxious story?
Wired magazine have these weird guys writing some junk to get their paycheck otherwise they will be collecting unemploymnet benefits for 26 months. You are right the mess US is caused by the junk intellects like Rumsfailed and neo con company. It took Soviets a decade to loose their empire, so is the case with Americans. Its better to get out of Afghanistan and have at least some low level power status than defeated and humiliated in few more years and loss the credibility at all. But history has shown the arrogants don’t read history.
[...] the reference to 'apes' and cybersquads. Tell me more? You can read the entire piece here: Wired magazine makes the case for cyber war against Pakistan and India Tech Lahore The reference to apes was our own little bit of sarcasm… Arquilla's arrogance in assuming that [...]
Pakistan and india will always war both in real and cyber world
“Always” is a very long time.