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CIA Pursues Anti-Terrorism Videogame

Posted by simoniker on from the dangerous-deadly-elite dept.

Thanks to the Washington Times for their story revealing the CIA is developing a videogame aimed at helping its analysts think like terrorists. The agency is working with the Institute Of Creative Technologies, who helped the Army set up development of Full Spectrum Warrior, and according to the article: "The game will select a scenario that could involve analysts playing terrorist-cell leaders or members, a terrorist 'money mover' or a facilitator", or alternatively "a U.S. Customs agent, or even a cooperative or hostile neighbor living next to a terrorist", to help anti-terrorism workers "think outside the box."

8 of 53 comments (clear)

  1. i thought this game was... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    i thought this game was already available from rockstar games??

  2. Easy by 4of12 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Thinking like a terrorist involves two things:

    1. Living in conditions that you perceive as less than acceptable.
    2. Believing that the fundamental cause of those conditions is due to $THEM.
    One man's terrorist is another's valiant freedom-fighter.

    It's all based on perception.

    Until we address the root problem of living conditions (as well as - and not just - their perception) and the belief systems that blame others we'll always get new terrorists to replace the old ones that get killed off.

    And, yes, we have to examine our own self interests in the cold light of logic, because a lot of times the perception of less than acceptable conditions is somewhat correct and the belief that someone else is responsible is somewhat correct.

    But the world is still not ready to adequately address either the issues of commercial freedom and of religious freedom. Until then, we're propagating the problem and treating symptoms instead of root causes.

    --
    "Provided by the management for your protection."
    1. Re:Easy by !the!bad!fish! · · Score: 2, Funny
      Thinking like a terrorist involves two things:
      1. Living in conditions that you perceive as less than acceptable.
      2. Believing that the fundamental cause of those conditions is due to $THEM.
      Isn't that thinking like a teenager?

      --
      Kids today are tyrants. They contradict their parent, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers. - Socrates 400 BC
  3. if they need a 'game'... by Oddly_Drac · · Score: 2, Insightful

    "help anti-terrorism workers 'think outside the box.'"

    When I saw this originally reported, I couldn't help thinking 'no way'...

    For one thing, they'll be swapping a 'box' created by assumptions for one supplied by the 'game' writers. Hasn't anyone just said to them, 'take five days off and come up with ten real world examples of terrorist vectors.'

    Seriously, this worries the life out of me.

    --
    Oddly Draconis
    Too cynical to live, too stubborn to die.
    1. Re:if they need a 'game'... by Oddly_Drac · · Score: 2, Interesting

      As entertainment, we once created a science-fiction scenario that involved four different groups of people trying to stop a terrorist attack on a space elevator. The (large) group of people was split into four groups; counter-terrorism units, police, corporate sponsors and terrorists...runners were used to take messages between each group and there were GMs available that would release information as and when 'stuff' happened.

      Needless to say that it started off in complete chaos, but as people got into the rhythm it was interesting to see the dynamic emerge...

      All the hostages died, though.

      But this kind of exercise is reliant on technology supplying the answers when they should be geting people to use ingenuity by saying, 'okay, you want to kill hundreds of people. How do you do it?'.

      --
      Oddly Draconis
      Too cynical to live, too stubborn to die.
  4. Re:Didn't... by kaellinn18 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yes it did. Counterstrike led the pack, setting up such realistic scenarios as 1) blowing up a pile of crates in the middle of the desert 2) blowing up a pile of crates in a slightly different desert 3) blowing up a pile of crates in a small town and 4) blowing up a highly classified, nationally vital Aztec temple. Not to mention showing the world just how instantly lethal being shot in the foot can be.

    --

    --------
    This isn't the sig you're looking for. Move along.
  5. Couldn't they just do this with a 'SimTerrorist' by Mordant · · Score: 3, Funny

    expansion pack?

    Instead of bricking up your neighbors so that they starve to death, your family could build pipe-bombs and plant them throughout the neighborhood!

  6. NationBuilder? by RobotWisdom · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I think a videogame for thinking like a terrorist is almost a contradiction in terms, but a videogame like SimCity for anticipating problems like those in the occupation of Iraq could be a real winner-- but it should be designed by the people who are in charge of finding solutions.

    The main goal would be winning the Iraqis' trust, so one of the most important rules would be that accidentally killing a bystander would drain local trust levels. Meanwhile you'd have to inventory and prioritize the gaps in the infrastructure, and then deploy improvements while guarding materials from theft.

    Establishing a local police force would be another major headache-- somehow you have to quickly decide who's trustworthy.

    I've been wondering why the first order of business for Garner/Bremmer wasn't to issue new id-cards to every Iraqi while building a database of past histories and who-recommends-whom. Libertarians might scream but it's hard to see any alternative...?