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President Trump Relaxes US Cyber-Attacks Rules:
President Trump has signed an order relaxing rules around the use of cyber-weapons, the Wall Street Journal reports.[*]
It is a reversal of guidelines, drawn up under President Obama, which required a large number of federal agencies to be involved in any decision to launch a cyber-attack.
[...] The US administration is under pressure to deal with cyber-threats, amid growing concerns that state-sponsored hacks could hit critical infrastructure.
Prof Alan Woodward, a computer scientist at the University of Surrey, told the BBC: "We are in a era when certain governments are acting aggressively in cyber-space, and that is rightly condemned by governments such as that in the US.
"To respond in kind is not necessarily the way to de-escalate the situation."
He added: "You wouldn't allow a pre-emptive physical attack without thorough analysis and approval at the highest levels, so why would cyber-attacks be any different?"
[*] Paywalled.
Let's hope extreme care is taken to identify the actual source of an attack, rather than the apparent source.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday August 17 2018, @06:52PM (5 children)
Several things.
Many would say the US is no longer a Christian nation. Despite Trump's base, or the number of people who wear a cross, or will state that they are a Christian. The mainstream culture, even on "family friendly" TV is decidedly not of what the Bible describes as Christian. Whether you, the reader, agree with the Bible or not, you might agree that the mainstream US culture does not embrace many things taught in the new testament.
On another point, the old testament is filled with wars and battles. The text describes some battles being directed by God's command. The text describes some battles where God will be involved in defense. The text describes other military invasions that are God's judgement upon someone.
The Bible also describes, in both old testament prophecies, in the new testament, and in the last two chapters of the revelation, the things believers hope for: a world where love DOES triumph over hate. And permanently. But it isn't here yet. You know, the beating of swords into ploughshares, and spears into pruning-hooks. Eg, making something productive out of defense contractors. In the here and now, wars do happen. There is evil. Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty in a military conflict. One example which had some element of justification was the 1990-91 invasion of Iraq.
I definitely think that forgiveness and turn the other cheek are great principles that I claim to aspire to. But there is a question of scale. If someone might destroy your entire civilization, or launch an EMP weapon that sends your hemisphere back to the stone ages, I think there is some justification to take military action. Even pre-emptive action if you have credible evidence such an attack is about to happen.
The people I tend to trust the least are the ones who claim they want to make America great again. These are the very same people who can swallow a camel when it comes to overlooking how un-"christian" Trump is, while straining at smaller things of their ideological opponents. I don't see Jesus or anyone in the new testament getting involved in politics. So I don't see a need to be 'involved' with American politics. I can have an opinion and exercise my right to vote, and express a viewpoint. But it's really not that important to me to be (very strongly) on a side. You know what they say about the choice of the lesser evil. If that's the case its good not to embrace either one too closely, even the 'lesser' evil.
As for the superiority of America. You know what I see over and over and over again, more times than I can possibly name in the old testament? Not to mention sometimes in the new testament? To welcome and treat foreigners well. To uphold the cause of the widows and the fatherless (eg, orphans). To help the poor. To avoid corruption and injustice. In almost these exact words, the number of times these things appear in the old testament is shocking. Maybe THESE are the things that made and would once again make America great again. But I won't hold my breath. Because I don't know when the 'blessed hope' will come. I'll just point out. Jesus said to Pilate: my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world then my servants would fight. What I seem to see of the vast number of professing Christians is a focus on American politics and not on advancing that kingdom. Or some of them think they are advancing that kingdom by the futility of trying to somehow create it in the here and now.
The people who rely on government handouts and refuse to work should be kicked out of congress.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by AthanasiusKircher on Friday August 17 2018, @08:25PM (1 child)
I'll give you most of this, except for the very first one. Claiming the Old Testament was about "welcoming and treating foreigners well" is absolute nonsense. The Yahweh of the Old Testament was a tribal god, mostly protecting "His People."
Keep in mind one of the primary narratives of the Old Testament is about the time in Egypt, where the Israelites were foreigners. And yes, the OT reminds the Israelites of that later, so they shouldn't treat foreigners with contempt for no reason. BUT, look at the story of how foreigners are treated in the Exodus narrative. The Egyptians would have reasonably let the Israelites go, except Yahweh apparently deliberately "hardened Pharoah's heart" to refuse them up to the point that Yahweh could justify a genocidal purge of all firstborn in Egypt. After that Yahweh leads the Israelites to a "promised land" -- except there are a bunch of people already living there. The latter parts of the Pentateuch, Joshua, and Judges are basically the story of battles that often became nearly genocidal purges of the native population until the Jews could receive their "promised land."
Outside this primary narrative, there are numerous examples in the Old Testament of the Jewish people slaughtering, massacring, mutilating, gang raping, etc. those who were not part of their "tribe." Yes, there are occasional verses that are about welcoming STRANGERS and showing hospitality, but the general "foreign policy" of the Old Testament was about killing and maiming those from outside the tribe, claiming their "gods" were BS, and generally disrespecting foreigners (even if they weren't outright killed). Leviticus claims no gift animals from foreigners were acceptable as sacrifices -- Yahweh obviously didn't trust them. Leviticus also allows non-tribal folks to be taken as slaves. Ezra and Nehemiah are horrified at the kind of miscegenation that would occur by mixing Jewish blood with foreigners. I could go on.
Yes, there are notable counterexamples (e.g., Ruth, though arguably that story is mostly there to point out there can be exceptions to the widespread stereotype of foreigners). And there are verses that are more positive or call for protection. But the ACTIONS of the Jewish people toward other tribes are the most notable in the Old Testament. And even if outsiders were tolerated sometimes and treated with basic respect, they were never accepted into the religious community unless they basically gave up all of their own culture and beliefs.
I take your general point that most of the biblical messages aren't necessarily practiced by those who claim to be "Christian." But I definitely wouldn't hold up the Old Testament as a guideline for how to treat foreigners.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday August 17 2018, @09:24PM
You summarize it very well. And indeed the text is very clear that God hardened Pharoah's heart. (There are a few instances sometimes translated Pharoah hardened his heart, but not all.)
There are instances where God then rebukes the Israelites for this and many other things. Not just the idolatry. The major and minor prophets often spell out exactly the reason for the coming judgement. And among these are instances of the things I mentioned.
The people who rely on government handouts and refuse to work should be kicked out of congress.
(Score: 3, Informative) by hendrikboom on Friday August 17 2018, @08:39PM
Another was the invasion of Grenada.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Friday August 17 2018, @08:42PM (1 child)
Actually, I don't know what they say.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday August 17 2018, @09:27PM
I've heard it said, where a person says something like they will vote for the lesser of two evils.
If both are evil, it is best not to embrace either one too closely, even if you vote for one.
I hope that is more clear.
The people who rely on government handouts and refuse to work should be kicked out of congress.