In article , Jack
wrote:

On 2004/01/18 21:32, in article
,
"Howard Berkowitz" wrote:

... I am _not_ in favor of gun confiscation, but I really can't
accept the idea of the unorganized militia, with sporting weapons,
deterring either regulars or invaders. With a laptop and intimate
knowledge of communications networks, I can be a MUCH nastier
deterrent.

...until you have reduced the ability of the high tech forces to a level
less out of line with those of the your indigenous forces, at which point
the ability to do something more than strangle them with your power cord
will certainly be required.

Perhaps. Perhaps not. A high tech force may withdraw and regroup if its
C3I is significantly degraded.

They will maintain the advantage of a trained frontline force with modern
weapons. You will have to overcome that with sufficient numbers of
fighters
and adequate weapons, intimate knowledge of all sorts of local and
regional
networks -- both of infrastructure and of human resources, and great
leadership.

Which leg of that triad do you really think you could do without?

In one scenario, I can't. In another scenario, I'm talking about
deterrence, not victory. In yet another scenario, I put the "adequate
weapons" far below the leadership and the logistics.

I also want a better assessment of the potential threat. While you
haven't used the vague phrase "tyranny" that others have, I still want
to know, in sufficient detail to plan resistance, why the opposition is
there, how it is led and motivated, and whether its formation could have
been prevented by nonmilitary means -- as has been the historical case
in the US.

Of course we don't have anything like "a well ordered militia" today, so
perhaps you would like to suggest a replacement that can carry us to the
next level of protection beyond that provided by video gamers? Once you
have
done your stuff with the laptop weapon, the conflict will become very
conventional "unconventional" warfare -- something the so-called "high
tech"
forces, and not just in the US, are now better prepared to fight than
they
have ever been, even without the tech.

And I have yet to see a plausible scenario for that threat emerging,
much as John Ashcroft might like to introduce his version of muwatain.