The cyber-warfare guidelines will apparently create rules under
which the US would "penetrate and disrupt" foreign computer
systems.
The directive for the guidelines, which will be similar to the
doctrine which has regulated the use of nuclear weapons since the
second World War, was signed in July 2002 but was first publicly
disclosed last week.
It is reported that although the US has never conducted a
large-scale strategic cyber-attack at national level, the Pentagon
is now considering the possibility of invading enemy computer
networks to shut down radars and disable electrical facilities and
telecommunications.
The cyber-warfare rules are reportedly being prepared amid
speculation that the Pentagon is considering network attacks
against Iraq, should the US decide to go to war over Baghdad's
weapons' programmes.
The Washington Post reports that the cyber-warfare guidelines
have been the subject of lengthy negotiations involving the
Pentagon, CIA, FBI and National Security Agency, however, a number
of issues "remain far from resolved" and the President's directive
is "just an initial step".
