Quote Originally Posted by William F. Owen
......but my understanding of such gobbledegook was that you attacked the linkages between the nodes and not the nodes themselves, as the power of the "network" is in the linking mechanism. If not, then the nodes are merely "layers" in a hierarchy....
The key term is critical nodes.

Eliminating a link between identified operational elements (e.g. the cut-out is the link, the agent is one node and the handler is another) results in only temporary disruption of that part of the network. Whether you capture or kill the individual acting as a physical cut-out, or shut down the website acting as a virtual cut-out, its the same thing - both can be replaced without significant effort.

Eliminating the agent is also just a temp disruption. Another can be recruited, and handlers tend to run intel cells in parallel, just for that contingency - as well for corroboration of information.

The critical node in this simplistic example is the handler. Eliminate him and the entire intel network he had running is done; capture him and there is significant potential of not only rolling up his net, but of attacking higher in the network.

This same basic principle described for the intel cell holds for logistics and operational cells, and for the network as a whole. Destroying links only temporarily disrupts the network. Identifying and eliminating critical nodes is how you eventually destroy the network.

However, in practice, when dealing with a group that competently structures its clandestine organization, you are often forced to settle for the temporary disruptions and hope that the information gleaned eventually leads to effective targeting of critical nodes for destruction. It is a long and painstaking process - unless you get incredibly lucky.