http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/
JOURNAL: The Laptop Systempunkt Here's some fun with the systempunkt concept to demonstrate how it can be used (I'd rather use this relatively silly example, than one that could actually cause major system damage).
One interesting systempunkt that emerged from the recent London liquid explosive plot: laptops. To explore how, here's a recap on what a systempunkt is: In Blitzkrieg warfare, the point of greatest emphasis is called a schwerpunkt. It is the point, often identified by lower level commanders, where the enemy line may be pierced by an explosive combination of multiple weapon systems. Once the line is pierced, armored forces dive deep into enemy territory to disrupt command, control, and logistics systems. Once these systems are disrupted, the top-heavy military units they support collapse in confusion. In open source warfare: ...the point of greatest emphasis is called a systempunkt. It is the point point in a system (either an infrastructure or a market)... where a swarm of small insults will cause a cascade of collapse in the targeted system. Within infrastructure, this collapse takes the form of disrupted flows that result in immediate financial loss or ongoing supply shortages. Within a market, an attack on the systempunkt destabilizes the psychology of the market to induce severe inefficiencies and uncertainties. During the early phases of the hysteria over the plot, security screeners blocked all carry-on items except essentials (like identification and medicines). While this went on, business travelers were forced to check laptops and other electronic tools as a security precaution. Fortunately, the restrictions have since been relaxed to only liquids, and everything else is essentially normal. However, the experience points to an interesting system vulnerability. Joe Sharkey of the New York Times: Of about 200 corporate travel managers who responded to questions posed by Mr. Koch’s group the day after the London incident, two-thirds said there had not been a significant number of cancellations of business trips to Europe. A little over 30 percent said that some trips had been postponed for a week or so... And nearly two-thirds of the travel managers questioned said employees would definitely travel less if laptops and other electronic devices were banned from airplane cabins. The other third said they were not sure. Given that the global airport security systems are interrelated and overreact to stimulus, any threats tied to a laptop or a cellphone as a means of delivering the explosive (simplicity and ubiquitous vulnerability) would likely result in a global ban on them as carry-on items (cascading effects due to market uncertainty). In terms of the impact of this, a xx% reduction of travel concentrated within what airlines consider their most profitable customers, would cause considerable economic damage (attrition damage).
Of course, this example may not be that silly, paperwork was used as a systempunkt in Iraq. _____________________________________________________________________
Can any of you identify your own Systempunkte's that can be utilized in modern warfare.
|