New battleground

US plans to 'fight the net' revealed
A newly declassified document gives a fascinating glimpse into the US military's plans for "information operations" - from psychological operations, to attacks on hostile computer networks.

The operations described in the document include a surprising range of military activities: public affairs officers who brief journalists, psychological operations troops who try to manipulate the thoughts and beliefs of an enemy, computer network attack specialists who seek to destroy enemy networks.

...

It seems to see the internet as being equivalent to an enemy weapons
system.

"Strategy should be based on the premise that the Department [of Defense] will 'fight the net' as it would an enemy weapons system," it reads.

Woah this is some crazy shit. But it's hardly surprising that people in the security sector would see the Internet in this light.

Americans have been notoriously bad at soft power, something that's perhaps not entirely their fault, since people like to pick on the big boys. It's funny though, how they see soft power in such militarized terms. 'Fight the net'? What happened to 'promote cultural awareness and understanding'? It makes it seem like they see everyone else as a potential enemy instead of a potential friend. (or at least the article makes it seem so, and we know how much the BBC likes US foreign policy these days)

Of course now that the document's out in the open, that means more bad press for them. Nobody likes Big Brother propagandists. They should have stuck to the wimpy cultural exchanges.

I also have to say that I don't like the idea of propaganda and surveillance of the Internet being institutionalized and legitimized as part of a 'war'. (I know it happens all the time already.) Netizens unite! (haha)

behind the news again

Hey I just realised Saddam has been sentenced to death!

(And you all wonder how I could survive political science for 4 years.)

But the whole episode just makes me a little sad.

I don't like the death sentence, not even in this case.

It's not going to solve anything, you know.

Another foreign voice

This Iraqi blog speaks for itself.

I’ve said goodbye this last month to more people than I can count. Some of the ‘goodbyes’ were hurried and furtive- the sort you say at night to the neighbor who got a death threat and is leaving at the break of dawn, quietly.

Some of the ‘goodbyes’ were emotional and long-drawn, to the relatives and friends who can no longer bear to live in a country coming apart at the seams.

Many of the ‘goodbyes’ were said stoically- almost casually- with a fake smile plastered on the face and the words, “See you soon”… Only to walk out the door and want to collapse with the burden of parting with yet another loved one.

It is difficult for us in Singapore to imagine life in Iraq. I have seen a life like that, but only in my worst nightmares.

Iraq

Washington Post's very sobering article on how the bonds of community have broken down in Iraq. Who still thinks the war wasn't a mistake?

Extract from article:

On this day, Abu Mohammed, still angry, was thinking about revenge. He, too, believed the Egheidat had fired the mortar two days before. But now he had a more pressing goal. He said he and his comrades had identified three Sunnis, including one Egheidat, who they believed were involved in the killings of the four members of the Mahdi Army, including his nephew. Now, he said, he was planning to create a death squad to carry out the justice the tribal negotiations didn't bring.

Asked how he knew the three men were guilty, Abu Mohammed said witnesses told him that the men were inside one of the cars that rushed the checkpoint. "We only take blood for blood," he said.

Asked if the three men lived in Tobji, Abu Mohammed replied: "Yes, they are our neighbors. Now their houses are empty, and they have fled."

North Korea

This is what they call an 'oh shit' situation. Well, we'd been told the test was likely over the weekened, but this is still not a good way to start the week.

No matter what the constraints on the use of nukes may be, or how much I think the axis of evil discourse is crap, a nuclear North Korea is still extremely extremely scary. The spectre of nuclear war.

Guess who the BBC likes more, Bush or Clinton?

Iraq war fuels terror - US report
The Iraq conflict has become a "cause celebre" for Islamic militants worldwide, declassified parts of a US intelligence report say.

Yes, screw up our world, why don't you.

Clinton charms Albert Hall audience
In an appearance at London's Royal Albert Hall, former US President Bill Clinton charmed his audience in a wide-ranging talk.

Testimony

Taken off BBC's In Pictures feature on Bulgaria's EU membership. For some reason this is sad.

Ivan Serafimov
Magazine editor, 62

"I am glad Bulgaria is becoming an EU member but that will not change anything in my life. It's too late for me.

I am disappointed by the political and economic transition during the last 16 years because everything was engineered from above.

No-one is telling the truth and no-one cares any more."

Singapore, take note.

Darling Musharraf

US 'threatened to bomb' Pakistan
The US threatened to bomb Pakistan "back to the stone age" unless it joined the fight against al-Qaeda, President Pervez Musharraf has said.

paraphraase of Musharraf's statement by justareed: "We're more democratic than the US!"

Fear

Another airport drama.