Pentagon’s 13 Offensive ‘Cyberattack’ Teams to Strike Across the World
General Touts New 'Cyber Cadre's' Attack Capabilities
Cyber Command chief General Keith Alexander has unveiled some new information about the nation’s cyberwarfare policy, revealing in a Senate hearing the creation of 13 “cyberattack” teams, which he dubbed part of the “cyber cadre,” that are authorized to engage in preemptive cyberwarfare across the planet.
Alexander sought to downplay the seriousness of this revelation after the fact, insisting that they are “offensive” units, but are aimed primarily at deterrence, and are “analogous to battalions in the Army and Marine Corps.”
Except that the Army and Marine Corps don’t try to build deterrence credibility by launching unilateral attacks on other nations, or at least to the extent that they do, it is unquestionably an act of war, and done publicly.
The Pentagon has repeatedly made it clear they would view such cyberattacks by other nations as no different than any other military attack, but at the same time their own cyberwarfare units are treating offensive operations as a matter of course. Officials have repeatedly complained that such attacks are on the rise from hackers in other nations, but the US seems to be looking not to defend against such attacks, but rather to get in on the fun.
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mojo
March 13th, 2013 at 10:20 pm
Here war, over there war…, war everywhere even there.., war is here and war is there that's the motto of the new world order…, the essence in Third World War.
Harry
March 14th, 2013 at 2:17 am
Can't wait to see the air force cyber command uniforms- ascots, capes, silver helmets, . . .
John Ellis
March 14th, 2013 at 6:50 am
When we nuked Japan, like it or not we became god-king and protector over all the Universe. For when the ground rumbles, be it by a bomb or an earthquake, out of harm’s way comes charging the madding crowd.
So, commit an act of aggression against some little nothing of a nation, surely you have created a state of war with Empire USA. For what self-respecting Empire would not not meet such an insult head-on and come charging to the rescue.
Disgusted
March 14th, 2013 at 8:27 am
I would support in-country drone strikes on these units.
Wilhelm
March 14th, 2013 at 11:46 am
That's a nice description of how empires fall.
States become empires by making smart decisions and using their resources. Empires fall when they start making stupid decisions, like fighting costly wars because they feel they have to because they feel their credibility will be damaged if they don't fight every possible opponent and if they don't win every fight.
A strong empire can refuse to do that and still remain very credible. Probably more credible if they aren't wasting their military and treasury away on fighting stupid, costly wars. Its only a weak empire that otherwise would get no respect that has to bluster and fight so much.
Rising
March 14th, 2013 at 11:47 am
Except, WW1 and WW2 had enemies. Who's the enemy now. It appears that its the entire world, which much either submit to the US or fight the US. That's different, more dangerous, and foolhardy.
TicTac
March 14th, 2013 at 11:49 am
I think I saw a news article from China claiming their military web sites had been subject to hundreds of thousands of hacking attempts from the USA in just 3 months. Connect the dots with this announcement of what already exists, and that becomes very credible.