 Former CIA Director George Tenet on Wednesday said greater government regulation of the Internet and telecommunications networks is needed in order to guard against terrorist attacks.
The U.S. intelligence community needs to consider how terrorists might attempt to couple an attack on telecommunication networks with a physical attack, Tenet said during a keynote speech at the E-Gov Institute's homeland security conference in Washington.
"Efforts at physical security will not be enough, because the thinking enemy that we confront is going to school on our network vulnerabilities as well, and I think the two are inextricably linked," he said. "The number of known potential adversaries conducting research on information attacks is increasing rapidly and includes intelligence services, military organizations and nonstate entities."
According to Tenet "a loose collection of regional [terrorist] networks" now "thrive independently" worldwide by using telecommunications and the Internet to communicate with and learn from each other at almost no cost.
Telecommunications technology for government and business should have built-in protections, Tenet said, such as intrusion detection and protection systems, antivirus software, authentication and identify management services, and encryption.
"I know that these actions would be controversial in this age where we still think the Internet is a free and open society with no control or accountability," he added. "But, ultimately, the Wild West must give way to governance and control."
Many national media outlets were not allowed to attend Tenet's speech. The Associated Press reported that Tenet insisted that natoinal media be kept out, only allowing in reporters for trade publications that cover the government.
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Editor: So, Mr. Tenant, you blocked the free press from hearing your speech about how you want to control or block free speech by telephone and the Internet. Nice. Any more suggestions?
This isn't about terrorism. This is about totalitarian control. That is, the state in which a government asserts absolutely control over it's people.
You're directly suggesting that free speech over telephones is a problem, and using this new "Wild West" Internet as an excuse to control both. If I call my grandmother, and say that you're an ass, would it now be illegal?
Amendment I, United States Constitution:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Terrorists fight with terror. They've scared us, they've won.
Military fights with force. A military attack would actively and aggressively take out new targets.
You say our enemy are terrorists, but you have already lost to them, and continue to protect yourself like there's a military war happening.
Go back to high school, and see how bullies operate. He beats up one kid, and all the other kids are scared of him. They all forget, there are a lot more more little kids than him, and they can defend themselves.
Don't make the American people realize they are being bullied by the government. It's in all of our best interests that we remain friendly.
(and, stop beating on your desk, screaming. Your desk did nothing to you.)
Terrorists aren't going to attack through some spiffy-keen Internet attack. They aren't going to call up and send a grenade through the phone. They blow up something to reassert their control.
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