The American Spectator : The Dogs Are Loose

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The Dogs Are Loose

By George H. Wittman on 12.10.10 @ 6:08AM

Perhaps Iran's nuke program can be stopped without resorting to attacks by sea or air.

Cry, "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war.
-- Julius Caesar (3.1.268), W. Shakespeare

Even though Iran this week resumed talks in Geneva with diplomats from six world powers, for all intents its nuclear development program is already under direct physical and electronic attack even if an overt military strike has not yet occurred. This not-so-covert war seems to have begun in earnest as early as July or as late as September with the advent of the Stuxnet worm, though some reports indicate it could have begun even earlier.

Iranian Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi confirmed what he called "these destructive activities" and vowed counteraction. The so-called cyberattacks were linked with the bombing in late November of the cars of two senior Iranian scientists working on different aspects of nuclear weapon development. It's clear that the long threatened offensive against the Persian bomb development has begun through technical and direct covert actions. The Iranians recognize this fact.

One of the targets was Dr. Fereydoon Abbasi-Davani, who was characterized as "a senior defense ministry and armed forces logistics scientist." It has been suggested that he is connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Abbasi-Davani remains alive though wounded along with his wife, who was riding with him. The other scientist, Majid Shahriyari, was killed outright in a separate attack the same day. He was referred to by the Iranian nuclear agency director, Ali Akbar Salehi, as "in charge of one of the great projects" at their Atomic Energy Agency.

The operation against these separate but related targets was carried out quite professionally, by motorcyclists who drove up to the respective vehicles in which the scientists were traveling and attached "limpet" explosive charges to the moving cars. Earlier, in January of 2010, another nuclear scientist, Masoud Ali Mohammadi, was also killed by a bomb explosion.

These direct "hits" on key figures in the Iranian nuclear development program obviously are meant as much as a warning to other key scientists who work in the nuclear field in Iran as "executive actions" designed to eliminate particularly valuable individuals. Unsurprisingly, Iranian authorities have charged Israel’s Mossad and the CIA with complicity in these attacks. Whatever the case, the level of sophistication certainly shows a professional involvement -- either mercenary or official, or both.

As public as these physical bombing actions were, perhaps even more effective have been the cyberattacks first noted worldwide in July but centering on Iran by September. The BBC at that time referred to this "Stuxnet worm" as being "targeted at high value Iranian assets."

Apparently the Stuxnet worm seeks out various security weaknesses such as in supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA). These systems are said to be an important management tool in major facilities such as petroleum complexes, robotic factory elements, and nuclear reactors. Forensic analysis that has been done on this particular worm suggests that its complexity and sophistication indicate it was structured with malicious intent -- specifically sabotage. Ralph Langer, a respected German security researcher and expert in SCADA systems, concluded that "it must have been released by a nation-state."

It wasn't until the last week in November, after denials by various Iranian officials, that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stated publicly that "several uranium enrichment centrifuges" were damaged by what was termed "malware." A similar view was reported previously by the computer security firm Symantec and others who had noted that Iran was having "more infections than any other country" and that Stuxnet "might have been designed to disrupt the motors that power gas centrifuges used to enrich uranium."

The media have been alerting the public about possible Israeli or U.S. military efforts to "take out" Iranian nuclear weapon development sites. While emphasizing the danger of air and sea attacks on Persian installations, these stories have always focused on the expectation of these strikes. Discussion of potential cyberattacks has been limited for the most part to Chinese attempts to penetrate American defense installations. The applicability of such "weaponry" to aborting Iran's nuclear weapon development certainly has not been highlighted.

What is fascinating from a covert warfare standpoint is the juxtaposition of the oldest form of sabotage, i.e. assassination of key individuals, with the contemporary scientific device of computer system disablement. The real question is what will now follow? It is doubtful that the Iranians will not respond in some manner to what are attacks on their infrastructure and human assets. The clue to how seriously they are taking these attacks is how little comment has come from their side.

About the Author

George H. Wittman writes a weekly column on international affairs for The American Spectator online. He was the founding chairman of the National Institute for Public Policy.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (60) | Leave a comment

Appleby| 12.10.10 @ 7:16AM

My mind turned instantly to someone I know who could very well have masterminded such a program. Once upon a time, a group of which he was a member did something similar with much more primative equipment. Have not heard from or about him in years, but I thought of him at once when I heard about this.

Hey, if Jeff Goldblum and Will Smith could disable the entire invasion fleet of cockroaches from space using an Apple laptop, in 1996, why not? (Still, it was whacked out Randy Quaid who saved the day and aimed his fighter jet, with those immortal words: *In the words of my generation: UP YOURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRS!*

It may yet come to that. It ought to be fun to watch.

Alan Brooks| 12.11.10 @ 2:54AM

Now just you watch, Toddard, Clint, or someone, will write:
"Mossad are Israel Firsters violating Persian sovereignty and killing a poor defenseless Iranian nuclear physicist. Majid Shahriyari was merely working on Cold Fusion experiments, that's all."

Occam's Tool| 12.11.10 @ 10:26PM

Dear Alan:

unfortunately, you are right. And then they will berate those of us who think that Iranian mad scientists should be removed as "Israel Firsters" as though giving weapons of mass destruction to the guys who hijacked our embassy is a good thing.

Mike| 12.12.10 @ 7:52PM

We watched you and 78 Percent of Jewish-Americans vote for Field Marshall Obama.

Alan Brooks| 12.13.10 @ 3:38AM

You wanted to write "Fuhrer"?

Mike| 12.13.10 @ 4:47AM

Wanna write "Comrade", AlinskyBoy?

Will| 12.10.10 @ 7:24AM

Which leads to the question; "If the Stuxy-bug could worm it's way into the Persian madhouse, how come Wiki hasn't suffered a similar problem"

Rick V.| 12.10.10 @ 7:43AM

Here's another question, Will - The crack cyber-security team of the Obama administration can shut down LimeWire, and yet Wiki continues to leak like a sieve along with what remains of our national security. At least Sir Paul and Sir Elton can sleep soundly with their bazillions in royalties.

GreginOkinawa| 12.10.10 @ 10:11AM

Sorry, I can't give nObama credit for this...Microsoft estimated that it would have taken AT LEAST 10,000 man-hours of code-writing, then testing, to create this worm. It wasn't conceived of and launched on nObama's watch, but on Bush's.

JayDick| 12.10.10 @ 11:36AM

I read somewhere that Iran has mostly stolen copies of Windows, so they can't get the routine security updates. If that is true, it should make the task easier. I think Israel is a more likely source than the U.S. We can't seem to keep anything secret, so the source would have been revealed by now if it was the U.S.

Appleby| 12.11.10 @ 7:31AM

If you read, look for a copy of a book called The Cuckoos Egg. It was also a PBS documentary.

The guys were Dutch. They are still in business.

Fredrick Ward| 12.12.10 @ 1:31AM

JayDick, that is quite funny that you believe it is hard to crack Microsoft Windows operating systems, and still get updates from the Microsoft Update website. I know that, to the novice public, it may seem a difficult thing, but it is something that has been going on since Microsoft has had an online presence.

LeoInTheWoods| 12.10.10 @ 4:15PM

Microsoft can estimate all it wants. I suspect that this is the product of a more automated process, with man-hours to develop pseudo-code and computer aided programming doing most of the work. This could as easily be the work of three coders, two weeks, 6 cases of red bull and a platform that does as its told.

Tim the Enchanter| 12.10.10 @ 4:21PM

Stuxnet was definitely NOT a Microsoft product- it worked. Without seven releases, umpteen service packs, and who knows what else. Microsoft stuff is designed for toys, not real computers.

mixplix| 12.10.10 @ 7:09PM

absolutely, Bush caused the Katrina storm. Proven by every know it all that is on the internet. GMAB

Occam's Tool| 12.10.10 @ 9:20PM

A Mossad and Unit 8200 production. Finally, a good use of our tax dollars!

Patrick| 12.10.10 @ 1:55PM

First, Obama fighting Wikileaks is akin to Obama fighting himself. He and Assange are cut from the same cloth.

Besides that, Obama is not particularly imaginative. All we really had to do is take any of the leaked documents, convert them into .wav files, copyright it, and force the RIAA into legal action. Assange and all his friends and supporters would be destitute within a week.

Sure, it might not stop any leaks from happening, but there's nothing funnier than using the liberal machine against liberals.

P.S. Obama certainly doesn't have guts for this, but the real spy, Bradley Manning, should be hung with a short rope as a televised event, cremated, and his ashes tossed into the dustbin.

Tim the Enchanter| 12.10.10 @ 4:22PM

Do you think my cats could have at those ashes, say, for about five minutes, right after eating?

Alan Brooks| 12.11.10 @ 3:57AM

Now watch, this Egyptian shark attack will be blamed on Mossad:

"It began 10 days ago when the normally pristine tropical waters turned a murky red, after sharks mauled three Russians and a Ukrainian over a two-day period. With the world-renowned snorkel and dive center heading into the holiday high season, local governor Mohammed Shosha closed off the beaches for 48 hours, during which time the authorities killed two sharks. He then declared the all clear and reopened the beaches. But within 24 hours, in keeping with the Jaws story line, it became brutally clear that Shosha had been wrong: a German woman standing chest-deep in the water was killed by another shark."

And the Hooper (Richard Dreyfus) character was Jewish. Is it all fitting into place, Toddard, Clint?:
predator-sharks, Jews, Richard Dreyfus, the Dreyfus Affair...

Alan Brooks| 12.11.10 @ 4:00AM

... and a German woman was killed just yesterday!
Musta been an international financier, wire pulling...
It becomes clearer everyday

Occam's Tool| 12.11.10 @ 10:28PM

Alan, didn't the Egyptians ACTUALLY blame the shark attack on Israel? (And these are the PEACEFUL Arabs!)

Patrick| 12.11.10 @ 7:03PM

No. As gratifying as that might seem, it defeats the greater purpose. It must be done in the most cold, impersonal way possible. His personal effects also must be siezed and destroyed with maximum anonymity.

As liberals are inherently histrionic sentimentalists, the less emotion shown, the more faceless and cold the method, the closer it is to their understanding of "true death".

irish19| 12.10.10 @ 9:34AM

It would be nice if "someone" could introduce North Korea to Stuxnet.

saleboter| 12.10.10 @ 10:32AM

Target the 1 working computer in NK?

milesperhour| 12.10.10 @ 1:49PM

To good not to rate a LOL!

Nate W.| 12.10.10 @ 3:14PM

Yeah. Is Stuxnet even effective on vacuum tubes?

Alan Brooks| 12.11.10 @ 2:57AM

But Kim's porn DVDs are verrryyy modern.

OLDRAY| 12.10.10 @ 1:33PM

While it is good to see Iran's problems with Nuke developement, we must not overlook the steady moving into Iran's orbit of Brazil, Argentina and other South American countries due to Obama's acceptance of Chavez & Co 's dominance of the region. This administration has abandoned our allies in South America (and elsewhere) and the trend is clearly visible to many countries now moving toward "the Strong Horse".

ABNCP| 12.10.10 @ 2:57PM

Whoever is responsible for the worm, hooray!!! Someone is finally taking some direction action. I read some information about a month ago about a top secret missle storage area in Iran that was blown up by unknowns. Anybody heard more about that one. And no, I don't believe that Obama had the time or desire to start up a super difficult cyber progam like the Stuxnet worm. That had to be started before the "Won" was greased into a job that he is clearly not qualified for.

serfer62| 12.10.10 @ 3:35PM

It would not surprise me that that wiley Pres. Bush buried a secret organization so deep that the TOTUS Dipsh1t couldn't destroy it as it worked to destroy Iran's nukes.
If these heroic people are so good, I expect NK has a sleeper bug in their missles and nuke programn too.
Gosh I just love a story with a good ending...

froggy42| 12.10.10 @ 4:51PM

Today's Weekly Standard has a good article "How the Worm Turned" which describes how the Stuxnet worm worked. This was an amazing accomplishment.

Red Phillips| 12.10.10 @ 5:48PM

Since WikiLeaks keeps coming up in this thread, keep in mind that some conservatives think the WikiLeaks are a good thing on the whole. Read this.

http://www.amconmag.com/blog/2.....wikileaks/

Alan Brooks| 12.13.10 @ 3:42AM

As long as you don't blame Jews, Red. They did not drown the scientist in a vat of matzoh ball soup.

Red Phillips| 12.10.10 @ 5:51PM

"...the worst hypocrisy throughout this controversy has been in conservatives reflexively defending the government and attacking WikiLeaks. Since when have conservatives believed that Washington should be able to shroud any action it likes in secrecy and that revealing government’s nefarious deeds is tantamount to treason? Isn’t it government officials who might secretly work for corporate, ideological or transnational interests — and against the national interest — who are betraying their country?'~Jack Hunter

Occam's Tool| 12.10.10 @ 9:22PM

Hey, Red: what if the leaker were someone like Jonathan Pollard and the President was someone like Reagan?

You put on the uniform, you've pledged to something higher.

Clint| 12.10.10 @ 11:04PM

You forgot to mention the most recent Israel Spy Ben Ami Kadish, who worked for The U.S. Army, as a mechanical engineer and had the same handler, as Israel Spy Jonathan Pollard, Yosef Yagur out of The NYC Israeli Consulate.

Occam's Tool| 12.10.10 @ 11:46PM

Dear Clint:

we do plenty of spying on Israel, too. And I'm sure the Canadians spy on us, too. At least the Israelis don't release their data to Islamic Jihadists.

Clint/Tim*, why don't you join the Taliban? You love them so much, and you seem to be an American-Seconder, anyway. The guy you remind me most of however, is Burton K Wheeler. (You do know Robert Taft was pro_israel, don't you?)

jstwndring| 12.11.10 @ 12:24AM

Everyone spies on everyone. I laughed when I heard someone lamenting the fact that the Jews spy on us. So what? We spy. They spy. We have a battle plan to attack Canada for cryin' out loud! I seriously doubt we're gonna go through with it. But, you know, just in case. The more serious issue is when actual enemies spy on us. For all you Dims, that would be countries like China, N. Korea, Iran, those blood-thirsty Swedes.

Tim*| 12.12.10 @ 8:55PM

Do Your Homework.
"For years, the US government has expressed concerns over Israel illegally transferring technology to China. During the Gulf War, the US gave Israel Patriot missiles as protection against Iraqi Scud missiles. In 1992, a US intelligence report revealed that soon after the end of the Gulf War, Israel had sold Patriot anti-missile data to China. Israel denied the intelligence report.

Washington has also alleged on several occasions that Israel violated agreements by exporting restricted US technology it buys with yearly US subsidies. This was the case with the largely US-funded Lavi fighter-plane program. Israel, the Americans believe, passed on technology to Beijing. China's F-10 fighter jet is believed to be almost identical to the Lavi."

Appleby| 12.11.10 @ 7:35AM

Canadians dont spy on people. They are down in the USA TO SHOP.

Clint| 12.11.10 @ 7:39AM

Oh Look ! Israel Firster Tool Job is sticking up for Israel spying on The United States. You're another Jonathan Pollard, Ben-Ami Kadish Wannabe.
I oppose Middle East Foreigner Sand Monkeys, like The Taliban, like I oppose Middle East Foreign Nation Apologists, like You Israel Firster.
Why don't You Move To The Foreign Nation of Israel & Join The Mossad , if Ya Haven't Already.

The Guy You remind Me of most of however, is Benedict Arnold.
Aaaaand, You do know Yasur Yagur was Pro-Israel, don't Ya.

Red Phillips| 12.11.10 @ 12:40AM

I have condemned PFC Manning, assuming he is guilty, because he is an oath breaking rat. See the comments section here.

http://conservativetimes.org/?p=7080

Assange, however, is another matter. First of all, he is not guilty of "treason" as has sometimes been asserted because he isn't an American. He is a "journalist" (of sorts) who had information leaked to him who then had to make a decision about whether to publish it. (No different really than the Pentagon Papers) If he chose to publish it, IMO, it would be the responsible thing to do to redact certain names that might identify foreign agents, etc. To call him a "terrorist" and to call for his assassination, as some have, is absurd and grossly irresponsible.

If WikiLeaks helps to curtail America's interventionist compulsion then good. I do think there is a chance that WikiLeaks could backfire, making the Regime more closed and secretive and making useful diplomacy more difficult therefore making resort to force more likely. That remains to be seen. Daniel Larison makes a responsible conservative case against WikiLeaks here.

http://www.amconmag.com/lariso.....wikileaks/

I have mixed feelings about WikiLeaks because it could have negative consequences. I put the link up because I think the hysterical and unambiguous condemnation of WikiLeaks is unwarranted and some balance is needed.

Whether one supports (in general) or condemns WikiLeaks depends on whether one views America's current interventionist posture as necessary for our security or part of the problem.

Alan Brooks| 12.11.10 @ 3:01AM

"First of all, he is not guilty of "treason" as has sometimes been asserted because he isn't an American."

Jefferson Davis wasn't American, either; not from 1861 to April 1865. He was a largely unpunished TRAITOR.

Appleby| 12.11.10 @ 7:36AM

Benedict Arnold was not American either.

Red Phillips| 12.11.10 @ 4:34PM

Alan, get over yourself, and quit thread hijacking.

I was replying to Occam's Tool's question.

BD57| 12.12.10 @ 7:07PM

"If WikiLeaks helps to curtail America's interventionist compulsion then good."

That's pretty much an "ends justify the means" argument - obviously, people who don't agree with that "end" are going to object to the "means."

"The" issue, though, is the people who gave Wikileaks the information.

Alan Brooks| 12.13.10 @ 3:44AM

"Alan, get over yourself, and quit thread hijacking."

But I know you somehow are going to find a way to blame the Jews.

Mike| 12.13.10 @ 4:51AM

We know Brooks, that somehow you are going to find a way to BLAME BUUUUUSSSHHH !

chris haynes| 12.10.10 @ 6:22PM

Our military officers: No wars, how many generals would we have? How many colonels? Our careers need war. Do anything, lie to the people, as long as we get war. Just what the leaks show. Petreus agreeing with the King of Yemen to lie about our undeclared war over there. Not some corporal, the pentagon's BMOC. Petreus.

Alan Brooks| 12.11.10 @ 3:05AM

Clint & Toddard think Golda Meir was an "IDF-lady".
And that
Abraham, Moses, and Ben Gurion were "Israel-Firsters"

Clint & Toddard even think Lincoln was Jewish because his given name was Abe!

Tim*| 12.12.10 @ 9:00PM

As was mentioned, Brooks & 78 Percent of Our Jewish Americans voted for Obama. Why should We American Conservatives be concerned about Israel,if American Jews don't care about America.

Alan Brooks| 12.13.10 @ 3:46AM

It's them Abes!

Abe Lincoln,
Abe Vigoda!

Mike| 12.13.10 @ 4:52AM

It's those Socialist Obama AlinskyBoys !

Pettligrino| 12.12.10 @ 5:20AM

To chris haynes: Yes, you are indeed onto something. Odd that it takes a USA only 3.5 years (from Pearl Harbor to VE Day) and not quite 4 years (VJ Day) in the mid-1940's.

Today...we have been in Afghanistan since October 2001; Iraq since April 2003.

This present generation of "warfighters...." uh, if you can make any comparisons, well, we are not the same as the Americans of the 1940's; we are nothing close. I think they would consider us chumps.

(Yes, fighting international jihad is a different thing in some ways. NOT all ways. But I really don't see great, inspiring minds at work in our Armed Forces UPPER leadership.)

Good comment, chris. THERE IS A LOT OF TRUTH to those few lines you typed. Gracias.

Alan Brooks| 12.13.10 @ 3:47AM

You mean you want to blame Israel?
Spit it out.

Pilgrim| 12.10.10 @ 8:13PM

"The real question is what will now follow? It is doubtful that the Iranians will not respond in some manner....."

Maybe arming Venezuela with medium range missiles??

Rich Rostrom| 12.10.10 @ 11:52PM

Amir Taheri suggests that the scientists may have been targeted by the Iranian mullahs.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/o.....qwInEUZ5CJ

All three (one was killed in October) opposed Ahmedinejad's re-election or had supposedly expressed reservations about the nuclear project.

The assassination method (motorcyclists with bombs) is associated with the "Motorihaye Allah", a Khomeini "hit squad" in the 1979 revolution.

jstwndring| 12.11.10 @ 12:29AM

Well, serves Ahmadinejad right for going with Norton. There are better anti-virus programs out there than that piece of bloat-ware.

Jerry Grant| 12.17.10 @ 6:02AM

Iran has no nuclear weapons, neither will they have any. Israel will make sure of that. Israel has already destroyed a nuclear facility in Iraq and will do the same in Iran, before they acquire nuclear weapons.
http://zetaclearsite.net/

Gary Jimison| 1.4.11 @ 6:56AM

I think Obama is tolerating Iranian Nukes.This is an unfortunate and mistaken idea in my opinion.
I say this because The current Iranian Govt. does not like Israel.I fear a nuclear Iran.That said they are a giant and have perplexed successive US administrations.
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