Cyber attacks are not what makes the cool war 'cool.' As a strategic matter, they do not differ fundamentally from older tools of espionage and sabotage.

Cyber war takes place largely in secret, unknown to the general public on both sides.

The spy-catching business is increasingly a yuppie business. A reliable source says agents can still be spotted by their feet -they apparently wear sturdy, sensible walking shoes.

The modern presidency, as expressed in the policies of the administration of George W. Bush, provides the strongest piece of evidence that we are governed by a fundamentally different Constitution from that of the framers.

These new attacks are corporate espionage.

An empire that extends itself selectively is just being prudent about its own limitations. A republic that supports democratization selectively is another matter.