United States Cyber Security: Monroe Doctrine? Space Race? Let the Analogies Begin

This was written by Brynn Koeppen on Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 16:57.

With new emphasis of cyber security in America and around the world, analogies are being drawn every which way. How should we treat cyber security? Should we create a treaty similar to the Monroe Doctrine of 1823 as recommended by Mary Ann Davidson of Oracle and supported by the director of the National Security Agency Lieutenant General Keith Alexander? Should the White House treat cyber security as the space race of the 50s and 60s, with constant innovation and looks to the future, as described by former NSA fellow Sami Saydjari? Or should we not even be drawing such analogies and attempt to forge a new cyber path? 

The whole anaolgy-cyber discussion seems to have begun in March of this year with Oracle’s Chief Security Officer Mary Ann Davidson testimony before Congress. 

Mary Ann Davidson

“For those a tad rusty on their US history,” Davidson explained, “the Monroe Doctrine  said that further efforts by European governments to interfere with states in the Americas – the western hemisphere – would be viewed by the US as acts of aggression, and the US would intervene.”

“The advantages of invoking a Monroe-like Doctrine in cyberspace would be to put the  world on notice that the US has cyber “turf,” (properly scoped – we should not claim all  cyberspace as our turf – there is plenty to go around). And the second is that we will  defend our turf. We need to do both. Now,” stated Davidson.  

Then June of this year Lieutenant General Keith Alexander was asked by Representative Jim Cooper (D-Tenn) if the Obama Administration should adpote a Monroe-like policy towards cyber security. His response? 

Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander

“Yes, I think we need a cyber Monroe Doctrine,” and did not elaberate any further. 

In an exclusive interview with  The New New Internet Sami Saydjari brings a new propective to the debate.

 ”I would draw an analogy more to America’s policies on the space race back in the late 50’s and 60’s.

Sami Saydjari

We have seen some very sophisticated activity by China and Russia in particular and I think we should view the activities that we have seen as a cyber Sputnik. We have a cyber space race that is ongoing.  We need to recognize that the competitiveness of our country rests on having a significant capability to defend and operate in cyber space in the same way that we needed to do back in the 50’s and 60’s.  I think we have not responded with that degree of vigor and vision that we did to the space race and that’s what’s lacking at the moment.”

Coming next week: a New New Internet interview with the Senior Fellow with the Technolytics Institute Kevin G. Coleman who believes referencing old techniques is not the way to go about the future of cybersecurity. 

Whatever path President Obama molds for his new Cyber Coordinator and the overall cyber security policy of the United States, there is no doubt he has plenty of history to reference and look back upon.