4 ms·
To see the War on Terror as chiefly about domestic power grabs and pointless expenditures is the prerogative of US tax payers and US citizens, but it's also a p
by hansjorg 13y ago
To see the War on Terror as chiefly about domestic power grabs and pointless expenditures is the prerogative of US tax payers and US citizens, but it's also a pretty narrow point of view.
If you're going to make coarse, meaningless comparisons and only after that narrowing it down with qualifications, I guess the original article was right. Hacker Panic is the new War on Drugs. Except for all the ways it is not, of course.
- Crito 13y agoIt's not just about domestic power, and even if it was, it would not effect the veracity of the comparison. The War on Terror uses racism as a tool. The War on Drugs is waged because of racism. Racism was not simply a tool used by the War on Drugs, it was the reason for it in the first place. Is the Hacker Panic created and driven by fear of hackers, or is fear of hackers merely a tool being used to achieve another goal? I am arguing it is the later. > "I guess the original article was right. Hacker Panic is the new War on Drugs. Except for all the ways it is not, of course." I am saying that the War on Terror is a more apt and useful comparison if we want to answer any "why" questions. The comparison to the War on Drugs does not give us any useful insight.
- nate_meurer 13y agoMay I ask you what exactly the War on Terror is "chiefly" about then? For example, perhaps you could tell us exactly what drove the war in Iraq, aside from corporate economic interests. And perhaps you could explain the explosive growth of our government's surveillance powers in terms that don't include "domestic power grab"? Eagerly awaiting your thoughtful analysis.