Major cyber attack, we are told. “Russian,” we are told.
That latter is likely spin. Our leaders definitely do not want to play up the possibility that the Chinese did it. Or, for that matter, “SPECTRE.”
I cannot think of one reason to believe attribution at this point.
Attribution must be uncertain in accuracy, but certainly manipulative.
Russia is weak, globally; China is strong. So working up an image of a dangerous Russian Bear distracts the weak-minded voting population, allowing our leaders not to confront a threat that cannot likely be overcome.
I mention these things not because they are arcana, but commonplace — or should be.
I would have thought epidemic realism were commonplace a year ago. People are so easily fooled, so easily made to forget what they had known mere days before (amnesia; abulia; apathy). So stressing the obvious is worthwhile. As a counter-agent.
After all, do not forget the context: last week the big story was the cracking of a major Chinese spy ring, which had compromised prominent Democratic Party politicians (Swallwell; Feinstein) and (though almost no one dares say it) the Clintons and (most obviously) the Bidens, too. So the timing of this current disclosed cyber attack is worth mentioning. The spin to play up Russia sounds like a way that (here I turn to complete speculation) Trump can “negotiate” with Democrats — or the Dems can fight Trump, who now has grounds to overturn an election. I mean, think of this: America appears to be at war, what with two major espionage events revealed within one month, and a “Manchurian Candidate” was just “elected” — and one with deeply corrupt ties to one (or more) of the malign powers.
Pretending that the current epoch is “normal” and “safe” would be insane.
I of course have no idea how deep the lies run. Remember, in America, as elsewhere, the chief purpose of an intelligence agency is not gathering information but seeding disinformation. Why? There is a logic to it. We have known what that logic is since William B. Casey explained it to Ronald Reagan. We forget the lesson at our peril.
twv
Wirkman Comment 