USAF Cyber Command (catch all)

[BobKing]

Interesting concept, I guess from your comment about going to your blog you aren't interested in comments here, but I'll take a swing. I'm not very well versed in this cyber stuff, but you know what the heck.

While I'd certainly appreciate comments on the original article, that is not mutually exclusive with comments here. I'll continue to follow this discussion.

Many of your points are irrespective of what organization does this. These type of operations are already occurring. So the questions you pose are beyond theoretical.

As far as Posse Comitatus, that Act had the intention of "substantially limiting the powers of the federal government to use the military for law enforcement." The oath taken by every military member includes the phrase "I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic" (emphasis added)

There is a significant difference between enforcing the law and protecting the nation. I'll give you that our world is becoming more complex and it's getting more difficult to clearly identify those lines.

The intent of my article was not to address or question the legal issues. Rather, assuming this is going to happen anyway, what is the best way to accomplish the mission?

Tying Space [...] to Cyber is as fallacious as tying submarines to aircraft.

To a certain extent I agree with you, but the various specialties within the two fields have more in common than they do with most of the other military professions. I considered suggesting splitting off two services, but saw that as a "bridge too far" from our current organization.

Perhaps it could be organized as one at first, with an underlying premise that as manned spaceflight becomes more prevalent, a future split would follow?

An entire essay could be written just on the redundancies across all of the services in the area of space. I doubt the other services would stand idly by and agree to let their capabilities be absorbed by the Air Force, so creating a new force may be the only viable solution to streamlining space operations.

No such thing as Cyber "Warfare." Warfare is the conduct of war. There might be "Cyber Operations," but that is not war.

William - I understand your objection. That was a direct quote from the source article referenced. That subject of "[adjective] Warfare" and "[adjective] War" is central to ongoing discussions here at Small Wars Journal and our own CAC blogs at Fort Leavenworth. Example: The Nature of War: Has it Changed Fundamentally? and On War Modifiers (updated)

Oh, someone might want to tell the Estonians! They have a very high profile conference coming up in June - Conference on Cyber Warfare. The call for papers is long past, but it might not be too late for them to change the name.

...a fit body is a fit mind, and if he hasn't got the self-control and determination to get to do 40 push ups, I don't want him walking my dog, let alone part of my army. [....] They probably look like that for a reason. If they want to serve why didn't they sign up? [...] The armed forces is a not a place for the "physically and socially challenged"

This is where I vehemently disagree with you. First, they would not be in "your army" - they would be in some new organization, something completely unlike anything that currently exists.

Second, I know many people that are healthy - perhaps even "fit" - but that would never succeed in our current military due to their natural body composition. I utterly reject the "they have to look like me" mentality embraced by promotion and selection boards.

Third, our country and our military has changed over time. Minorities and women, widely represented throughout all our services and rank structures, were not always welcome.

I'm not suggesting changing the mold. I'm suggesting creating an entirely new one, with a new purpose and with a broader net.

To all - thanks for the discussion thus far.