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Go On, Ivan: Cut the Cables
Headlining in The New York Times today is the revelation that Russian submarines and spy ships are freaking out our defense officials by nosing about the underseas cables that carry the entire information age:
Russian submarines and spy ships are aggressively operating near the vital undersea cables that carry almost all global Internet communications, raising concerns among some American military and intelligence officials that the Russians might be planning to attack those lines in times of tension or conflict. …
[Commanders and intelligence officials] report that from the North Sea to Northeast Asia and even in waters closer to American shores, they are monitoring significantly increased Russian activity along the known routes of the cables, which carry the lifeblood of global electronic communications and commerce.
This may surprise you, coming from a hawk like me, but I’m all for attacking them. In fact, I’ve long been thinking we should just bomb those cables ourselves. Put the genie back in the bottle. The whole business with global electronic communications has completely gotten out of hand. Bad ideas are spreading faster than good ones. Let ISIS figure out how to spread its own damn propaganda. I’m happy to go back to reading books and never looking at the Internet again.
Bomb the undersea cables, Ivan. With my blessing.
Мы жела́ем тебе́ успе́хов во всех твои́х начина́ниях.
Published in Foreign Policy, General, Military, Science & Technology
The Russians would never cut the cables, they’d be putting their scammers out of business. If they did, it would be quite an adjustment, but I think there was life before the internet.
If I were them, I’d be more concerned about them running into that giant lobster.
Dr. Berlinski!,
“What Hath Gd Wrought?”
Claire, I like the internet just the way it is. Especially if we do not give up control of it to foreign powers or US regulators (same thing). I am truly shocked that you have allowed yourself to emotionally react in this way. I know that your recent experience with operating system updates have left you overly sensitive. (Personally I’ve just updated my home computer and the entire office to Windows 10 and am feeling “in the trim”.) You must not let this unsteady your hand.
I think depth charges would be in order for the Rooskies.
Regards,
Jim
The cables under the sea are not the Internet.
In a word . . . NO.
Claire, buck up.
[commenter can not believe he just tossed a glass of cold water in poster’s face]
[commenter looks to see who can grab empty glass first. recognizes. ducks.]
I can’t help but think that whatever we think of current events, more than 99 out of 100 humans who ever lived had to deal with materially worse.
And that there is no return to even the near past. Ever. I think.
We have no choice but to deal with it. Daring for the cables to be cut is to indulge in decadent nostalgia.
I get it (and feel that way myself a whole lot for different reasons), but don’t – please :)
There is a simple explanation for this. The Russians are helping to safeguard the integrity of the world’s information infrastructure against potential sabotage by terrorists by inspecting the very choke points that would prove attractive to saboteurs and terrorists. They might even be providing some safeguards against potential attacks by hardening installations as needed. They are of course doing this with Obama’s blessing. It saves money over our military doing it instead.
Ray,
Of course, and the python wrapped around that lamb is protecting it from wolves.
Regards,
Jim
Bold comment by CB …after I thought about it further – there’s something that is made of iron or steel with big teeth and when you step in it, it snaps shut and there’s a lot of pain – could be more at play here…
Please get on Amazon and buy a few used copies of Beneath Another Sun by Ernst Lohar copyright 1943 – I picked it up for $1.00 at our local library book sale and just finished it – it is by far one of the best, most intense, beautifully-written books I have ever read (a novel based on true events – should be a movie). Trust me on this. Lohar wrote with knowledge of these events. Wrap them up, put them under the tree and give them to your kids – saying My gift to you….they just don’t know.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00005X8TI/ref=tmm_hrd_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=1445894474&sr=8-2-spell
(tongue planted firmly in cheek in that last comment of mine)
I note that recently, Russia has encouraged us to work together with them against the terrorists, including the terrorists in Syria. We inconveniently refer to some of those Russia refers to “terrorists” as rebels, whom we have been arming and training and who have been fighting for their lives against the Assad regime. Something’s got to give.
BREAKING! Transatlantic fiber-cable cut by Russians. Europe cut off.