U.S. Defense Secretary Warns of a Possible 'Cyber-Pearl Harbor' 190
SpzToid writes "U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta has warned that the country is 'facing the possibility of a "cyber-Pearl Harbor" and [is] increasingly vulnerable to foreign computer hackers who could dismantle the nation's power grid, transportation system, financial networks and government.' Countries such as Iran, China, and Russia are claimed to be motivated to conduct such attacks (though in at least Iran's case, it could be retaliation). Perhaps this is old news around here, even though Panetta is requesting new legislation from Congress. I think the following message from Richard Bejtlich is more wise and current: 'We would be much better served if we accepted that prevention eventually fails, so we need detection, response, and containment for the incidents that will occur.' Times do changes, even in the technology sector. Currently Congress is preoccupied with the failure of U.S. security threats in Benghazi, while maybe Leon isn't getting the press his recent message deserves?"
Re:Well, that explains it (Score:5, Informative)
lol you think the US 'lured' Japan into attacking Hawaii? Seriously?
Hrm, the gp said 'lured'. The oil embargo created the conditions where Japan wanted to seize the oil fields of the Dutch East Indies. Roosevelt said this himself. Then he moved the only fleet that could stop them from San Diego to Honolulu. They had radio intel on Japanese movements and kept some of that info from the Navy by Presidential order. (see some good comments here [amazon.com] or buy the books)
Roosevelt wanted war and had big trouble selling it (both matters of fact) and these conditions got him an attack which got him what he wanted.
But that doesn't mean the Japanese had to maintain their empire or that the People had to accept a Japanese attack on Hawaii as a reason to go to war in Europe. Plenty of blame to spread around, but one can't cast Roosevelt as completely surprised or ignorant of the conditions in the region.
Re:Is that so? :p (Score:3, Informative)
Mod parent up.
Pearl Harbor was bait. Major "oops" that the Japs used shallow-running torpedoes thus making a bigger mess, but hubris is a bitch. The British figured out how to plink ships in shallow harbors:
http://suite101.com/article/the-battle-of-taranto---inspiration-for-pearl-harbour-a307392 [suite101.com]
Re:Another Translation: (Score:5, Informative)
The U.S. taxpayer has already paid 16,268 hard-earned dollars for every man, woman, and child in Afghanistan.
I am not an anthropologist, but I heard about Afghanis from a friend who used to visit up until the Soviets gave him the boot. From what I heard, we could have bought the love of everyone in the country for much, much, less.
Probably should have handed out AK47s and a fat purse to every man/woman/child about 18 December 2001, declared the country free, and come home.