Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Hoax?
OK, so now we get word that the informant who triggered the NYC subway scare was giving false information.
All the news stories describe this as a hoax, which indicates that we still aren't adjusted to a wartime mode of thinking. Deception and disinformation are among the most important weapons in any war. Both sides used them to great advantage in WW2, and Reagan used disinformation to bring down the Soviets. This isn't just a prank; it's an abstract bomb.
The informant should be shot publicly, as an example to others. And if Homeland Security knew in advance that it was a deliberate deception -- not just imperfect information -- they should be punished for not telling us in advance. "What did they know and when did they know it" is a tired and overused question, but this is one of the few cases where it really needs to be asked. ¶ 12:25 PM
All the news stories describe this as a hoax, which indicates that we still aren't adjusted to a wartime mode of thinking. Deception and disinformation are among the most important weapons in any war. Both sides used them to great advantage in WW2, and Reagan used disinformation to bring down the Soviets. This isn't just a prank; it's an abstract bomb.
The informant should be shot publicly, as an example to others. And if Homeland Security knew in advance that it was a deliberate deception -- not just imperfect information -- they should be punished for not telling us in advance. "What did they know and when did they know it" is a tired and overused question, but this is one of the few cases where it really needs to be asked. ¶ 12:25 PM
