Asymmetric Warfare: Causing Incredible Economic Damage by Simply Smashing Machines
September 4th, 2007In 1996, when I suggested to a crusty, old professor of mine that crude, physical attacks on electricity and communications infrastructures could cause economic damage on par with conventional military attacks, but at a fraction of the cost, both in terms of money and manpower required, he chuckled.
I wrote the term paper anyway. The professor gave me an ‘A’ and asked if it would be ok if he showed my paper to “some people.” He wasn’t smiling. He was matter of fact about it. He looked deeply concerned. I knew this guy was an old time spook and I didn’t care what he did with the paper. I didn’t ask and he didn’t say where the paper went, but I had a good idea of where it wound up. Even back then, the nature of undefended critical infrastructure was absolutely clear to anyone who bothered to look. I can’t release that 1996 paper, even now, because it would piss off the wrong people.
In 2002, I wrote an informal essay with a similar theme, minus the operational detail. In short: If war is the order of the day, an opponent could physically attack the undefended data circuits that connect “critical” systems. If chaos is desired, as a force multiplier, the opponent could attack the power grid as well. The most interesting part of this argument would be a discussion of whether the macroeconomic ponzi scheme (global economy) would collapse in hours, or days. That it is possible for a small team—armed with nothing more than public information and shovels—to do it is not in question.
I really hate not being able to talk about this in more detail, but even talking about techniques that threaten the movement of money makes Them nervous. You can wave your stupid “Peace” sign until you’re blue in the face, but breathe a word of anything that actually threatens this horror show and you’ll have an unpleasant encounter with elements of the national security state. Guaranteed. Doubt it? Look who came knocking on Sean Gorman’s door.
I’ve attempted to make this as simple as possible, but still, to the lay person, this all might sound like a bunch of nonsense.
I think, however, that I’ve found a story that will make the point clear to just about anyone.
In a fit of rage, a Home Depot customer caused $10,000 worth of damage to an automated checkout system with a single blow from a pry bar.
I’m not going to go much further with this, but here’s the point: If “the terrorists” were really serious, the world outside your window would look very different than it does right now. No collapsing buildings necessary. No nuclear, biological or chemical weapons necessary. No hostages, ski masks or car bombs necessary. Knowing where to dig and what to cut is all that it would take.
This information is available to anyone who knows what to type into Google.
Note: Comments that contain operational details will be deleted.
Via: Seattle Post Intelligencer:
Well, let’s look at it this way: At least, this guy wasn’t buying a blowtorch.
But that age-old adage — that patience is a virtue — somehow slipped the mind of a man shopping at The Home Depot on Utah Avenue South in Seattle on Thursday.
Around 9 p.m., the man was in line at a self-service checkout stand, ready to buy a pry bar and a hacksaw, according to a Seattle police report.
But, as a manager told an officer, the man accidentally hit the button for Spanish on the computer screen.
That was the tipping point for this consumer.
He became “frustrated that the machine was speaking Spanish,” the police report says.
So, instead of asking for help, he let loose a blow with the pry bar and shattered the computer. He ran from the store and made a beeline to some nearby railroad tracks, the report said.
A Seattle police officer searched for the man, but didn’t find him.
The manager believes he caused about $10,000 in damage. He left the pry bar in his shopping cart.
Related: The Coming Urban Terror
Excellent point. I dare say it bears spelling out: “If “the terrorists†were really serious,” — i.e., if terrorist were the real threat, not false flag provocateurs. Dick Cheney has bragged a number of times that there haven’t been any attacks since 9/11; it’s like the fox bragging that he hasn’t eaten any chickens recently in the henhouse he’s guarding. The obvious nature of the Neocon rouse is laughable; but tragically, not enough of us get the joke.
//MOD Did you see the “Related” link above? 😉 Kevin
Here’s a link to some how some gangs in South America have actually used this strategy:
http://www.city-journal.org/html/17_3_urban_terrorism.html