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workstations, which led to inconsistencies in the forensic examination
process and duplication of effort between examiners… 525
Final Thoughts
Hopefully US doctrine writers will consider some of the issues raised
here and also those of other countries that are on the borderline of the US IO
comfort zone. These issues need to be explored more thoroughly by US
analysts. To date there has been an apparent reluctance to study closely the
experiences and theory of other nations. Perhaps this is because the US has
been so successful in conflicts to date with its own theory. Obviously this fact
is being challenged in the post conflict Iraqi IO environment.
Other nations are moving ahead with new proposals for the further
expansion of IO. For example, recently China requested that Internet regulation
be a United Nations undertaking. 526 Whether the US will study such proposals
is not a question—it will. Our analysts do look at all proposals. The question is
whether these proposals fit the current understanding of IO in the US or its
future shape from a US perspective. Working with and responding to
international community/partners is important. If we properly communicate our
thoughts and definitions to international countries, and study other countries
definitions, then we can work better with the UN and with NATO countries as
well.
Of perhaps greatest concern is that some influential figures are
postulating that the US is falling behind in the technologies that support our IO
capabilities. Friedman notes that this fact makes this a very dangerous time in
our history and that we have to get moving now if we are to stay competitive.
Thomas Bleha, writing in the May/June issue of Foreign Affairs, supported this
contention, noting that the US has fallen far behind Japan and other Asian states
in broadband and mobile-phone technology. 527 Are our shortcomings somehow
related to our focus on information at the expense of cyber issues? The apparent
challenges to the US are great as it enters the twenty-first century.
525 Paul Roberts, “Iraq Battle Plan Leak Sparks Overhaul of Cybercrime-Fighting
Techniques,” Computer World (www.computerworld.com), 31 January 2005.
526 “China Pushes for Multilateral Control of the Internet at the UN,” Beijing Xinhua,
1724 GMT, 24 February 2005 as translated and downloaded from the FBIS website on
24 February.
527 Thomas Bleha, “Down to the Wire,” Foreign Affairs, May/June 2005, downloaded
from the Internet.
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