Spinning out of control....
The phrase "By Sword, Deed, and Word" is a pithy one that bears reflecting upon. Tempest in a teacup also comes to mind...
My experience in Iraq is that there is a very strong (much much stronger than the internet) spoken information network. 'Information' was passed rapidly among friends and acquaintances, and like the childhood game of 'telephone' things would get garbled from time to time. Concrete things like access to water or electricity or the freedom to go to the market or visit friends with minimal security worries, and jobs were things that would get quickly passed along the spoken information network. Perhaps this information network accounts for some share of the successes we are seeming to have with the US & Iraqi surge ( http://www.longwarjournal.org/archiv...ing_al_qae.php )
Here in the west, in the land of abundance, we like to gather around the electronic campfire and talk, and perhaps as a result of this cultural tick, we have a distorted view of the internet's importance. This is not to negate the importance of C2I to any organization or indeed the continually rising power of the internet. As an old grunt who has been around the block once or twice however it always seems that in order to really influence things one needs to have boots on the ground in order to get things done. Handbills, paper or electronic, are not enough.
Adding Some Clarity To What Was Said
Hey BILL;
Selil went to great lengths to address several points about your reply, all of which you seem to have missed. So in the interests of clarity, and of re-focusing this discussion, here's my take on what you might want to address in Selil's post to you in order to bring this conversation back around to the topic of this thread. (Sam, please correct me if I'm misinterpreting any of these):
1. When questioned about something that you've posted, provide additional clarifying information. Don't simply repeat what you've already said.
2. Avoid using polarizing language.
3. Instead of pulling from biased (i.e. "tainted) sources, look for objective sources to make your point.
4. You're invited to provide corroborating evidence from objective sources that supports your case that Jihadist Web sites are conducting Cyber warfare activities in 3rd world nations.
If you look at your reply to Selil, you failed to address all of those points, choosing instead to focus on one example that Selil used (an IO run by Fred Cohen), and even then your answer relied on polarizing language and false assumptions for the sake of some perceived emotional appeal.
Bottom line - we all love good discussions and/or debates. But in order for that to happen, both parties have to make an effort to understand what the other party is saying, and follow some basic "Rules of Engagement", such as the ones recommended to you by Selil.
In an attempt to get at the gist of the topic
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rex Brynen
I'll admit, I'm in much the same position... (nor can I make much sense of the website or "database" that you've pointed us too, BILL).
BILL,
I have always found that perception is in many cases as you have stated somewhat succinctly, reality to those who choose it. And that in general any thing viewed, heard, related often enough to an audience tends to gain a more legitimate appearance despite its true validity or absolute BSedness( Yes I made that up More fun than reading a thesaurus).
This being the case however does ground truth, or real reality ever change.
No
Any efforts at approaching propaganda, training or otherwise should be focused on the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth because there and there alone is the ultimate proactive cure to their ilk found. Being reactive in a reverse psychology kind of way is effective(within its required realm) which in war should be within direct interaction with or against an enemy.
If we allow ourselves to fall into the pattern of "besting" them at their own game then in the end you lose because you are now playing their game.
Part of what has always separated America from other parts of the world is that we push the limits of allowing freedom to where you almost lose them but we always catch ourselves at some point and manage to bring it back to a working democracy. When and if you begin to play by their ( the bad guys) rules than that is lost and you may not come back.
It doesn't take a messenger proclaiming the dangers of a crack house in the neighborhood for folks to know its there and figure they want something done about it. It just takes an 800 number for them to call to get something done about it.
Sometimes simple is better, But than again that might just be me:wry:
