Clarion Content

Part II: Under sea cable damage significantly slows internet and telephone traffic to Asia and the Middle East, sabotage is suspected.

Five undersea cables that carry internet and phone transmissions have been cut in recent weeks. Experts agree this is unlikely to be coincidental, simply based on the number of bunched occurences, and their normal relative rarity.

Initial reports when the first cable was cut off Egypt about ten days ago blamed an abandoned undersea anchor. These reports were not considered credible at the time. Then there were other reports out of India, who's internet traffic was most effected by the disruption, that passing ships travelling outside of their normal routes to avoid weather may have caused the ruptures.

Now this week, a second cable as been cut off of Egypt, as well as three other cables, including one in the deep Mediterranean, and another linking Qatar to the United Arab Emirates. The Egyptian authorities report their on-shore video surveillance cameras show no shipping in the affected area during the hours when service was lost. What do the CIAs satellite photos show? It is important to note that cable breaks and cuts in the internet infrastructure are not entirely uncommon, more than fifty were suffered worldwide last year. It is merely the clustering in the timing and location of these breaks that has industry folks talking. (Once again, the Clarion is surprised about the limited run this story has received in the mainstream American press.)

International reports varied widely with some undisclosed "intelligence" sources discarding the claims of anchors or ships cutting lines, and service providers from Reliance of India to Verizon passing these claims on as if they were gospel. Verizon also announced that internet traffic between the Unites States, India and the Middle East was slowed. These delays, though measurable, according to their spokespeople are measured in milliseconds. Much as the reports of what caused the disruption varied, reports of the significance of the disruption varied as well. Despite Verizon's claims of delays of no more than milliseconds, ABC News' website says Egypt lost more than 70% of its outbound internet traffic cability, and India lost between 50%-60% of the same.

As the Clarion banged on about in Under Reported, part I this is potentially the kind of terrorism that poses a far greater threat to the United States continued well-being than anyone or anything in Iraq ever did.

Labels: Economy, Politics, technology