Cyberwarfare

Did President Obama declare war quietly against Iran? I saw this piece from the NYT that says our President ordered attacks against computer systems in Iran after taking office. These were a continuation of efforts by ex-President Bush.

My question is, is this a war-like activity? Is a digital attack on computer systems fundamentally different from us sending small troops into the country and destroying oil infrastructure? Both cause damage, both are against foreign powers.

I’d argue that they both are attacks against a foreign power. Whether we should or not is a separate debate. I’m wondering if we are actually following our own protocols for cyber attacks that we would for attacks using real troops. If we’re not, and we are moving to an increasingly digital era, we may end up with more and more problems over time.