Cyberterrorism or Y2K?

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Does anyone else think the ever-increasing attention to "cyberterrorism" is as sinister as I do? Given that elected officials are alsways quick to evade responsibility and/or shift the blame, I think the spinmeisters have settled on how they will handle Y2K. The grid goes down? Simple, cyberterrorists. Ocean-going tankers can't make port? It's cyberterrorism. There's a threat to the financial system? Cyberterrorists are at it again. There are a reasonable number of people now who know the government has been aware of Y2K for several years. The implication is that a collapse occasioned by Y2K would result in a lot of people very unhappy with their government. Terrorism, though, is a nice, handy, common enemy where it would be much easier for the government to "sell" the concept of martial law.

-- Vic (Roadrunner@compliant.com), February 07, 1999

Answers

Vic, don't you also think the emphasis on cyber-terrorism relates to U. Deedah's point about govt being afraid to say/do much about y2k per se for fear of looking like idiots if y2k fails ? Under the more general cover and concealment of cyber-terrorism, they can do a lot that might apply to y2k, without looking like such idiots if it fizzles.

-RCat

-- Runway Cat (runway_cat@hotmail.com), February 07, 1999.


RC,

If we get lucky and Y2K pulls a comet Kouhutec, the government can claim hero-status and say; "Boy, you oughta be glad we savwed you from THAT! Don't forget to vote for us this fall."

I agree with Vic, the term cyberterrorism has been shifted from applying to the idea of terrorist hackers to something that mirrors a predicted worst-case Y2K event. I don't know who's name is going to be attached to it, but that individual is in for a really bad time as the whipping boy for the world's governments.

The sheeple will only hear that name as the cause of their suffering and will demand vengeance and the governments will oblidge by staging a convenient military event. Sad to think that some SOB like Saddam or Kim Jong Il is going to innocently wonder just what he did to deserve getting nuked by every country in the modern world.

WW

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), February 07, 1999.


These are bright insights. Need a scapegoat? Create one! Thanks for posts.

-- Watchful (seethesea@msn.com), February 07, 1999.

Vic - yes - be aware of the manipulation that has, is and will be occurring. That's what we are here for :)

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), February 07, 1999.

That's my point, RC. Maybe you expressed it better than I did. One thing I do--and I suspect the rest of us do, as well--is assume that JQP goes through the same thought processes that most of us on this forum do. How stupid of me.

-- Vic (Roadrunner@compliant.com), February 07, 1999.


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