Prepare for an Internet Shutdown
Consider the following issues concerning Saturday's Internet attack:
It is not in the interest of Iraq to attack the Internet. The
worldwide anti-war movement depends upon the Internet for communication.
Shutting down the Internet would have negative consequences for Iraq.
It is not in the interest of al-Qaeda to attack the Internet. If
we are to believe the claims of the US Government, the Internet is al-Qaeda's
primary means of communication. Shutting down the Internet would have
negative consequences for al-Qaeda.
The Resistance did not attack the Internet for the same reason that Iraq
did not attack the Internet.
Who would benefit from shutting down the Internet?
The US Government would benefit if the Internet were shut down in order
to disrupt the anti-war movement and in order to disrupt the communications of
their (possibly phantom) enemy al-Qaeda.
Israel would benefit from shutting down the Internet because the
Internet is the only means of mass communications not effectively controlled
by Israeli interests.
We should take Saturday's Internet shutdown as a warning. The
message is clear. The Internet will be shut down or highly disrupted
upon commencement of war against Iraq. This fact has strong implications
for the anti-war movement and the Resistance in general. We cannot
depend exclusively upon the Internet for organization and
communications. We must construct an alternative means of backup
communications and we must do so immediately, for war is likely to begin
within days.
The Resistance suggests that anti-war activists and rebels take the
following steps:
Save to hard disk any and all web pages containing contact information
you will need in the event of an Internet shutdown. Locate and collect
contact information on all local anti-war and Resistance organizations.
Anti-war and Resistance organizations should be prepared to field
telephone calls in the event of Internet shutdown. A good mechanism to
disseminate protest, meeting, and rally information in the event of an
Internet shutdown is the simple answering machine with a recorded message
containing information about such events.
Anti-war and Resistance organizations should prepare telephone lists and
telephone tree structures for contacting members.
Organization should be prepared to produce and disseminate leaflets
informing the public of anti-war and Resistance events.
Even if this communication turns out to be a false alarm, it is better to be
prepared than to be unprepared.
That the "anti-War" movement is helping Saddam Hussein. . .
It is not in the interest of Iraq to attack the Internet. The worldwide anti-war movement depends upon the Internet for communication. Shutting down the Internet would have negative consequences for Iraq.
Hey jay, how come your still on these boards, I would have thought you'd have enlisted by now. What's the deal. Want a war, but too chicken to fight it yourself?
Hmmm?