Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!casbah.acns.nwu.edu!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: judice@sulaco.enet.dec.com (Louis J. Judice 25-Jan-1991 1110) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: NorTel Gets US Military Order Message-ID: <16424@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 25 Jan 91 16:41:00 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: TELECOM Digest Lines: 24 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 67, Message 7 of 11 I don't think there's anything ironic about telecom professionals being blown up in our first attacks on Bagdad. Telecommunications, railroads, police and fire departments are all civilian staffed organizations that are an integral part of a country's infrastructure. This infrastructure is the first target of an attack. Rather than being ironic, I'd consider it to be almost a "compliment" to be part of a profession that is so important to a nation's security. People working in high profile locations are doubtlessly aware that they are at greater risk of attack than other locations. Believe me, living less than a mile from the AT&T network operations center, I know full well that there are several Soviet warheads aimed at me all the time! I don't really think this is an appropriate place to start or continue any kind of discussion of the MERITS of attacking any particular country, but I certainly accept the idea that if you're going to attack and win, you do things like target telephone switching centers and microwave towers. ljj