US cyber-warfare destroys any Internet trust: Analyst

27 Août 2012 , Rédigé par ileridefense Publié dans #Occident

Sun Aug 26, 2012 2:25PM GMT

Interview with Paul Sheldon Foote, professor at California State University, Irvine

Here’s a case where the United States is openly saying, yes, we are making this part of our total warfare. They’re destroying the very original basis of the Internet… they have totally destroyed any trust in the Internet.”

The US military has been conducting cyber-attacks against its perceived opponents in the Middle East, according to one of its generals.

At a conference held on Friday, Marine Corps Lieutenant General Richard Mills explained how US commanders regard cyber weapons as an important part of their arsenal.

Mills was in command of US-led foreign forces in southwestern Afghanistan between 2010 and 2011.

The US has been accused of conducting cyber warfare in many countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

A recent book by New York Times reporter David Sanger recounts how US President Barack Obama ordered a wave of electronic incursions to sabotage Iran’s nuclear energy program.

Press TV has conducted an interview with Paul Sheldon Foote, professor at the California State University, from Irvine, to further discuss the issue. The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: How can “hacking” become a legitimate warfare tactic for the Pentagon, in your opinion?

Foote: It cannot. In the past they’ve spoken of it vaguely as total warfare but publicly to admit that they’re doing this -- we’ve been attacked in this country, the government and corporation level, by hackers in China, for example. Each time the American media tells us, well, it was individual hackers not the Chinese government.

Here’s a case where the United States is openly saying, yes, we are making this part of our total warfare. They’re destroying the very original basis of the Internet.

When the Internet was first promoted in this country, the defense analysts said we’re doing this to make the world safer by having servers around the world and by having important information dispersed around the world -- any single attack on America or someplace else would not wipe out all vital information.

Instead, they have totally destroyed any trust in the Internet. Corporations and some governments are now using intranets, I.N.T.R.A. - nets - and extranets to avoid being exposed to all of this hacking.

The dream of the Internet is being very badly hurt by some warmongers in Washington.

Press TV: Since the US considers cyber information vital, misinformation seems to be another tactic being used by the Pentagon Cyber command particularly in Afghanistan, as we know. Why has it become a viable tactic for the US?

Foote: Well, it shouldn’t be. I remember as a young boy how many times the American media was railing against Radio Moscow for disinformation and lies, and saying this is the worst country in the world, saying we Americans are above all of that.

Now, we’re trying to say that we will be the masters of all of that. They may be surprised to learn that others around the world are just as good if not better at this game.

Press TV: If we look at a bigger picture or a bigger aspect, we sometimes come across some fake personalities, you might say, who actually do not exist at all -- one of them could possibly be “Zabihullah Mujahid” a so-called spokesman for the Taliban in Afghanistan. There could be more of these fake personalities. What is your opinion on this situation?

Foote: Well, absolutely, it’s very easy to create fake personalities. Most terrorist organizations are fairly small in nature anyway.

To create new ones with new names is a very common tactic even for a group that’s staying in business in terrorism for a very long time frequently likes to create special committees or special groups under different names so they can disavow any wrong doing if they’re caught.

GMA/HSN

Partager cet article

Repost0

How a Secret Cyberwar Program Worked

Le commerce des armes légères estimé à 8,5 milliards de dollars par an

Retour à l'accueil

Commenter cet article