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CIA Prepping For Possible Cyber Strike Against Russia (nbcnews.com)
Slashdot reader schwit1 reports that the Obama administration "is contemplating an unprecedented cyber covert action against Russia in retaliation for alleged Russian interference in the American presidential election," according to U.S. intelligence officials who spoke to NBC News:
Current and former officials with direct knowledge of the situation say the CIA has been asked to deliver options to the White House for a wide-ranging "clandestine" cyber operation designed to harass and "embarrass" the Kremlin leadership. The sources did not elaborate on the exact measures the CIA was considering, but said the agency had already begun opening cyber doors, selecting targets and making other preparations for an operation. Former intelligence officers told NBC News that the agency had gathered reams of documents that could expose unsavory tactics by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Vice President Joe Biden told "Meet the Press" moderator Chuck Todd on Friday that "we're sending a message" to Putin and that "it will be at the time of our choosing, and under the circumstances that will have the greatest impact." When asked if the American public will know a message was sent, the vice president replied, "Hope not."
Not mounting a response would weaken U.S. credibility, one senior U.S. official said, while others said hundreds of millions of dollars has been allocated to the team mounting the attacks. Thursday US officials familiar with the investigation told CNN there was "mounting evidence" that Russia was supplying leaked emails to WikiLeaks, and last week in a conference call organized by the Clinton campaign, former Acting CIA Director Mike Morrell said it was "absolutely clear... WikiLeaks and Guccifer 2 are working with the Russians on this."
Vice President Joe Biden told "Meet the Press" moderator Chuck Todd on Friday that "we're sending a message" to Putin and that "it will be at the time of our choosing, and under the circumstances that will have the greatest impact." When asked if the American public will know a message was sent, the vice president replied, "Hope not."
Not mounting a response would weaken U.S. credibility, one senior U.S. official said, while others said hundreds of millions of dollars has been allocated to the team mounting the attacks. Thursday US officials familiar with the investigation told CNN there was "mounting evidence" that Russia was supplying leaked emails to WikiLeaks, and last week in a conference call organized by the Clinton campaign, former Acting CIA Director Mike Morrell said it was "absolutely clear... WikiLeaks and Guccifer 2 are working with the Russians on this."
We're really escalating toward what could become war over completely unproven allegations that Russia hacked a private organization like the DNC? This wasn't even a hack of the real government. This is pure insanity.
Since when is slashdot a propaganda tool?
since we're talking about it before it happens.
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
Strong leaders just go ahead and do that cyberstrike.
Weak leaders hint, mince and taunt, but never come to the table with force.
This is why the USA is losing prestige worldwide. We have become a wimpy bully instead of a strong, clear force.
Alternative Right.
"is contemplating an unprecedented cyber covert action against Russia"
Usually the first step in covert actions is you don't tell anyone. Especially not the enemy.
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
That's what you get when you elect people who see the federal government as their personal army. And yet that s nothing compared to what would happen under Clnton.
Yeah, let's all get our panties in a bunch over the buffoon and his crude behavior and lack of class, meanwhile the spawn of Satan is getting ready to go back to the White House to monetize the presidency again. Who cares if American lives are lost in the process, as long as it's not her princess she doesn't care. There's already a trail of corpses behind that couple that makes Gacy look like Mother Teresa.
lucm, indeed.
No, really. Not that this is news that doesn't matter, but why is NBC broadcasting that the CIA is planning a huge cyberattack? If this is a serious attack then shouldn't they wait until they carried out the operation before telling the world. They're giving a heads up to Russia by publishing this story, and I'm assuming that NBC got the greenlight to tell the world about this, because I can't imagine that they'd publish this story if that wasn't the case.
Word on the street is that it's a war started specifically to win the election, to whip up some patriotism for the ruling party.
Specifically, it's noted that if we actually wanted to do this, then we would not advertise it ahead of time (scroll down a few entries).
We did a similar thing in Syria the last couple of days by announcing an attack, then filming the attack.
Obama you're a lame-duck president, you've done almost nothing in 8 years, and please don't get us into WWIII before you leave!. Please PLEASE put the welfare of the people ahead of your political agenda this one time!
On a different point, note that if whistleblowers were protected and shielded in this country the hackers could come forward and identify themselves as non-Russian agents and defuse a potential war.
But that won't happen because they'd get royally screwed and their lives and freedom would be over. (Not that I blame them.)
For example, here's a couple of wikileaks sources facing serious charges.
Note that the hacker gave leaks to Motherboard under the agreement of anonymity. Here's what happened:
“When Cracka leaked to Motherboard he asked not to be named as he wanted to confidentially leak information, Lorenzo disregarded it and listed that it was from him — he even wrote that Cracka asked not to be listed like a total piece of shit,” Liverman noted.
Journalistic integrity at its finest.
People thought a couple of months ago that Trump would be the one to get us into WWIII.
I wonder what they think now?
Hmm. How is it unproven? Because you and other civilians haven't seen or read the evidence, you believe there is none? Or, it's it because certain news outlets and other propaganda deny such evidence? Anyway, I can see a clear case for avoiding any proactive action on our part but also see good cause to do so. It's a difficult decision to make that the average person can't contemplate due to our lack of insight and knowledge.
Let's not forget that the previous administration (Bush) took us to war under false pretenses.
If you're old enough to remember that era, recall that Bush and Cheney were all over the news saying that the evidence was real, and Tony Blair even came out and confirmed the evidence of WMDs.
Everyone *else* in the world, including the UN inspectors, claimed that there were none.
Does anyone remember the Iraq war? It took 9 years and cost us $2 trillion, caused half a million civilian deaths, 4500 American serviceman deaths, and several hundred American amputees.
I think it's entirely reasonable that, before we go to war with a fukkin' nuclear power, that we be shown some of the evidence first.
Do you disagree?
I disagree. You should KNOW someone will take it, but it is still that person's personal failing for keeping someone else's property.
The claim defies history and basic reasoning. Wikileaks gained notoriety by publishing a shit-ton of information from a US Soldier fed up with the system. The Guardian (now looks like a leftist rag) gained notoriety by publishing a shit-ton of information from a NSA contractor fed up with the system. Obama has jailed a record 31 Whistle blowers during his term so far, and wanted a 32nd in jail who fled to Russia. They also want Assange in jail or dead. Make it 33.
The DNC leak is thought to be attributed to the person killed in the Robbery where nothing was Stolen. We have countless people working in Federal law enforcement fed up with the system who are forced to leak information for fear of being jailed or worse. The damages from these dumps are not anti-America, they are anti-corrupt politician. Russian gains nothing from seeing Hillary lie, they probably laugh and think "just like us".
Write your Congress and Senate representatives and demand a halt to any action. It could be blowing smoke, but given the massive amount of visible corruption I'm not so sure. I sure as hell don't trust Obama or Clinton who have on numerous occasions stated that they want to censor web sites "they" find unfavorable. Consider that the US is currently bombing Yemen without any public inspection of policy and media refuses to talk about it. They are way too busy fabricating false victims to smear Trump to talk about the real world.
-The wise argue that there are few absolutes, the fool argues that there are no probabilities.
Does anyone else not find it hilarious there are reports of a covert CIA "cyberattack" plastered all over the Internet?
"Hey, we're gonna attack Russia soon, but don't tell anyone, k?" *nudge* *nudge* *wink* *wink*
Putin is a former KGB agent with a mind trapped in a cold-war mentality where the west and the USA in particular are the greatest threat to Russia and out to get him.
I'm not sure it is such a good idea to fan the flames of his paranoia.
There are rational reasons for hating Clinton. The ties to Wall Street are the ones that matter for me. (Well, in addition to being a lizard person--I'm a mammal supremacist and speciest towards lizard people.)
Whether it's because of a deep-seeded hatred for women (did your mommy not hug you enough?), or just maybe the sight of a powerful woman is a trigger for your micro-phallyic self-loathing
Woah, there! You're dangerously close to asserting that anybody who dislikes Clinton a.) is male b.) suffers from a medical condition (warning: penis!) c.) for some reason hates women because of that medical condition. A guy I knew who said he suffered from that would indicate that he was perfectly capable of pleasuring a woman in other ways. I forget why it even came up. Probably lots of alcohol.
What would you say to a woman who isn't voting for Clinton? Or is that unpossible in your mind? What about Stein voters? Are they also all sexually inadequate men? Are Stein voters sexists now too?
I was encouraged that the media did not go down the macho white knight rabbit hole you just went down. Does bigoted shit like that get you all the Hunnies? No? Yes? Good for you.
Protip: there's still a chance I might vote for Clinton. But please be my guest and fly off the handle and post something equally bigoted in response to this comment that will completely turn me off to the idea. Obviously I must be a Trump supporter. Because how dare I question the Lizard Queen?!
Disclaimer: No, I've never had a girlfriend. I made out with a girl once while drunk. I can confirm that I am not attracted to women no matter how much you want to pretend I am in your response. I have no problem getting boyfriends. Some of us don't view women as sexual objects or define our lives in terms of creeping on women and popping cherries. I know that's a radical concept to a white knight like you.