There’s more than one way to disable an enemy. And while Mr. Trump decided not to approve a physical missile strike in the interest of protecting lives, he did authorize a cyber strike on Command and Control Infrastructure.
A physical missile strike against military targets in Iran would generate headlines and newsworthy images. It would kill scores of people. But in the end, it would make little difference to the standoff between Washington and Teheran. If, however, the reports are true and the U.S. has compromised Iran’s networks to the extent that Teheran’s core command and control systems are now vulnerable, that changes the dynamics completely.
Shoot down our drones, we make it harder for you to shoot down anything. Surprise!
The cyber strike option has been in the works and ready for “deployment” for weeks. Likely as a response to any promised hostility by Iran on oil tankers or other assets in the region. A sensible solution to aggression. Make it harder, or at least temporarily impossible, for them to launch missiles (mines being a different problem, of course).
But there’s a multi-layered message in a successful cyber attack. It says, hey, I guess we don’t need to blow up your country. We did sanctions, the banking thing, coerced world trading partners to avoid the terror-state until it stops being a terror state, and it looks like we can cripple your elite military and (probably other infrastructure electronically. And do you have the slightest idea just how much damage we can do?
No one can answer that question, but that’s the point. Digital saber-rattling is no different than any other geopolitical dance. It’s theater, something Mr. Trump has turned out to be particularly good at with trade and militant global opponents. But it has real consequences.
And while many of those opposite the table is considering a wait and see if Trump gets’ re-elected strategy, Mr. Trump isn’t waiting. He’s more than willing to put the screws to those he sees as representing a national threat to American interests, even if it means doing it without firing a shot.
Which is the sort of smart diplomacy we want from a Commander in Chief? But a far cry from the “finger on the button” glowing nuclear landscape scaremongering the left promised us. And a farther cry from making deals with them and sending them pallets of cash to finance aggression against our allies.
