Thanks DC and RR for the heads up.
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=cables
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=cable
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=internet
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http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ned=us&q=cables+%2B+cut&btnG=Search+News
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ned=us&q=internet+%2B+cables&btnG=Search
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http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/02/01/internet.outage/index.html
updated 38 minutes ago
“Third undersea Internet cable cut in Mideast”
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A dry humor column regarding this situation:
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http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2008/02/01/third-middle-east-undersea-cable-cut
Third Middle East Undersea Cable Cut”
By Jason Lee Miller - Fri, 02/01/2008 - 5:33pm.
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Just put that anchor anywhere, pal
It appears another “anchor” has cut a third major undersea Internet cable in the Middle East, this time in the Persian Gulf. Quotes are around the word anchor because that’s the best explanation offered so far.
Sometimes things come in threes, but undersea cables being cut by anchors usually don’t. In this case, the cables – two in the Mediterranean, and one in the Persian Gulf –were cut in separate bodies of water, just days apart, supposedly by two different anchors. Three underwater cables in three days.
Or…an anchor from the same boat and the captain doesn’t know how to read his Internet cable map?
Stranger things have happened. But if there’s a fourth cable cut in the Indian Ocean we’re calling shenanigans. By whom?
Our best guess: terrorist sharks.”
Too well timed to be accidental. Could be one of many things, but the worst case is an actual precursor to an attack by Iran. They may think that by overloading internet and electronic systems that way, they could impair Gulf states response to anything they might do. Secondly, the may think it would tax US comms. Worse yet, is that they may be thinking of some way to affect US military comms and are attacking our 'back up' first. Situation definitely needs watching.
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=48842
Coalition Condemns Suicide Attacks; Troops Detain Seven in Iraq
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2008 – Coalition forces condemned today’s nearly simultaneous suicide attacks in two Baghdad markets that left dozens dead or injured in the Iraqi capital.
“We share the outrage of the Iraqi people, and we condemn the brutal enemy responsible for these attacks,” Multinational Force Iraq officials said in a news release. “This indiscriminate violence, targeting families enjoying themselves on the holy day, again shows the nature of this barbaric enemy.”
Multinational Division Baghdad forces are working closely with authorities to ensure they have sufficient medical supplies and humanitarian assistance for the victims and their families.
“We stand ready to provide additional support and will work closely with Iraqi authorities to find the perpetrators of this attack and help bring them to justice,” military officials said.
In other operations today, coalition forces detained seven suspected terrorists during operations to disrupt al Qaeda networks in Mosul.
During a series of operations in the western part of the city, forces captured three wanted individuals allegedly associated with the former senior leader of the al Qaeda network in the city. The three suspects are reportedly brothers, one of whom allegedly works directly for the former terrorist leader. Also, intelligence reports indicate the brothers have ties to other al Qaeda leadership in the region.
On the other side of the city, coalition forces conducted an operation targeting an alleged judge of an illegal terrorist court system. An individual believed to be the previous terrorist judge involved in the interrogation of al Qaeda kidnapping victims was detained during an operation Jan. 17. Four suspected terrorists were detained during the operation.
“These operations represent further progress in the campaign to disrupt al Qaeda in northern Iraq,” said Army Maj. Winfield Danielson, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. “As terrorists shift their operations to new locations, Iraqi and coalition forces will follow, aggressively attacking their networks, and capturing or killing their members.”
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)