Cut four undersea cables, shame on you, cut a fifth, also shame on you

If you're reading Engadget today because your favorite Iranian gadget blog is offline, here's why: a fifth undersea cable has now been reported as cut (or at least damaged), responsible for knocking Iran and a few other million people mostly off the interwebs. Things were already looking awfully suspicious when a fourth undersea cable in the Mediterranean was cut yesterday, and while nothing about a fifth cable being cut necessarily means some sort of sabotage is to blame, it's not exactly reassuring. Emergency measures are already underway to repair the cables, but we're not sure our inter-continental Quake III Arena deathmatch can handle any more snips.

[Via Slashdot; image courtesy of I Love Bonnie]

Update: Just to be clear, early reports of the entirety of Iran being offline turned out to be exaggerated or perhaps entirely false.

[Fred @ Feb 6th 2008 12:54PM]

This story has been refuted numerous times. Apparently, 1 (one) server is actually down, and while traffic has been somewhat slower, Iran is hardly "down".

[Allan @ Feb 6th 2008 12:56PM]

Ditto to Fred. Slashdot has since updated the posting to note that Iran as a whole is not down - just experiencing some issues and slowness it seems.

[Alan Strangis @ Feb 6th 2008 1:06PM]

That's right. Iran isn't 'down', but you're only half right in saying the story is 'refuted'. Nobody is denying that numerous cables have been cut.

[Smart People Play Tuba @ Feb 6th 2008 2:14PM]

Is it possible that this is the opening salvo of the cyber war we've all been fearing?

A Ping Heard Round The World?

[Amy @ Feb 6th 2008 10:41PM]

Might not be down, but it's definitely out...

[Cletus @ Feb 10th 2008 12:57PM]

Why cut now?:

Iranian Oil Bourse slated to open Feb 19th, originally was going to launch on Kish Island between Feb 1-11. China recently has agreed to buy oil from Iran in Euro, Japan buys oil from Iran in Yen. The Iranian Oil Bourse will be the only market for oil not denomitated in US Petrodollars (NYMEX, IPE).

When demand for anything in our universe goes down (i.e. US currency) the value drops - result is US losing it's status as imperial power.

Why? If countries start buying their oil via IOB (Iranian Oil Bourse) they'll diversify their USD reserves into Euro (i.e. sell USD) demand for USD will drop and value will drop.

Iraq was able to sell their oil in Euro for 6 months before the US invaded - the first order of the day after invasion was reinstating USD Petrodollar as currency of trade for Iraqi oil.

http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=8000
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=7998

Where is Kish Island? : http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=kish+island+iran&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=36.589577,77.167969&ie=UTF8&ll=27.059126,56.337891&spn=10.282267,26.499023&t=h&z=6&om=0

[Andrew Jones @ Feb 6th 2008 12:54PM]

Perhaps some US employees finally got ticked enough about their jobs being outsourced to "set the building on fire" as it were.

[steve @ Feb 6th 2008 2:14PM]

I believe you have my stapler...

[fischju @ Feb 6th 2008 7:55PM]

I bet it's the Scientologists. They think Anonymous are terrorists, must be in the Middle East, and have decided to cut the cables.

[Flashpoint @ Feb 6th 2008 12:57PM]

CLEARLY the Bush Administration is behind this.

Or, perhaps the Crab People?

YES! DAMN YOU CRAB PEOPLE! DAMN THEE TO HELL !!!!!!

[Ry @ Feb 6th 2008 1:36PM]

Um, why would the Bush administration be behind this? The terrorists hate technology and advancement from ideals in the 1200's so cutting the cables would only help their cause...

[Kyle @ Feb 6th 2008 2:31PM]

Ry: I would like to introduce you to the world of Sarcasm. Do you really think that a person who ends their post with: "YES! DAMN YOU CRAB PEOPLE! DAMN THEE TO HELL !!!!!!" really also believes that the Bush administration is truly to blame.


Its called satire, all be it not that great but certainly not serious

[dynadon @ Feb 6th 2008 2:03PM]

@Ry,
terrorist groups utilize the internet on a daily basis to spread propaganda, recruit followers, and communicate with others.

i also don't think he was serious about bush given the fact he mentioned crab people too.

[Wwhat @ Feb 6th 2008 2:03PM]

Look up 'sarcasm' and 'joke' ry.

[Denver_80203 @ Feb 6th 2008 3:28PM]

The terrorists??????? How many submarines do they have? Detailed drawings of cable locations? I think you've been up watching too many Bond flicks.

[Brendon @ Feb 6th 2008 3:27PM]

@Kyle:

"All be it"? ^_^

[Chris @ Feb 6th 2008 3:34PM]

haha I laughed at that too... its 'albeit' not 'all be it'

[Onetruebill @ Feb 6th 2008 4:20PM]

The Bush admin can't USE the internet let alone do things to affect it. Get real

[enzo @ Feb 6th 2008 6:17PM]

Crabs pose no threat... We'll win by flipping them on their stomachs and inflicting massive damage

[mushrooshi @ Feb 6th 2008 7:35PM]

Terrorists kill people effeciently.

The difference is terrorists go to extremes. Like ants and bees, they will kill themselves to kill others.

Our soldiers will not kill themselves and cause unneccessary and reckless deaths.

Its likely they did something insanely simple, like explode something underwater using some lead and stuffs.

[Nate @ Feb 6th 2008 12:57PM]

Is this really a problem?

[Smart People Play Tuba @ Feb 6th 2008 2:16PM]

Headline: Productivity Up 400% in Middle East Due to Lack of Internet

[Skullfighter @ Feb 6th 2008 3:00PM]

More specifically, lack of porn leads to increased productivity. The men don't need to go to the bathroom as often with their laptops.

P.S. Please don't declare jihad on me because of this post.

[Omar @ Feb 6th 2008 5:20PM]

Sure it might not be your problem now, but believe me the internet is a vital for work in this part of the world. So yes it's a big problem for some of us.

[Flashpoint @ Feb 6th 2008 12:58PM]

How many cables have to be cut before reporting on Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and American Idol CEASE?

[booticon @ Feb 6th 2008 12:58PM]

Heh: http://twitter.com/ryanblock/statuses/684237632

[w00t @ Feb 6th 2008 4:52PM]

All of them!
Can't we just shoot them instead?

[Alan Strangis @ Feb 6th 2008 1:00PM]

Came across this article that looks at the coverage, which suggests that it could be more than 5.

http://www.cyberspaceorbit.com/ConnectingTheDots.htm

At what point does coincidence mutate into something beyond Ryan's sleepwalking habits? ;)

[Kamokazi @ Feb 6th 2008 3:15PM]

That guy seems to be one of the overly paranoid conspiracy theorist types with a heavy anti-U.S. agenda as you get down into his article (especially the part where he implies the U.S. government is going to cut undersea cables in the U.S. itself (great lakes, chesapeake bay, etc.) to isolate ourselves from the rest of the world...that's the part where I lost any faith in the guy's views).

His extra cable seem to simply come from inconsistent/bad early reports from the media. I'd still place a lot of money on it being only 5.

[daz @ Feb 8th 2008 3:18AM]

Even if it is "only" 5 then you don't have to be a conspiracy theorist to heavily suspect foul play. Then you only have to think about who had a motive. Of course while you are doing that some people will take the opportunity to try and discredit you for being a "conspiracy theorist"...

Perhaps the cuts are to mask a tap being placed on the cable somewhere else.

[FrankTheCrank @ Feb 6th 2008 1:04PM]

We need to fight the terrorist over there, so we don't have to fight them here.

They hate us for our freedoms.

Weapons of mass destruction.

We shall be greeted with flowers and candy.

Mission accomplished.

[Blaktornado @ Feb 6th 2008 2:02PM]

... We've found our culprit.

[Fred @ Feb 6th 2008 3:52PM]

Are we sure his name is not "FrankTheCrabperson"?

BTW Flashpoint, I almost blew soda out of my nose on that.

[Thermos14 @ Feb 6th 2008 1:07PM]

Anybody read "Sphere"? We need to start looking for space ships on the bottom of the ocean.

[L @ Feb 6th 2008 1:30PM]

Such a shitty waste of time...and the movie is even worse!

[fischju @ Feb 6th 2008 1:49PM]

Did you know that it took him 20 years to write the end?

Random trivia FTW! When all the cables are cut people will call me instead of going to wikipedia!

[Big Sam @ Feb 6th 2008 1:51PM]

The book was awesome. The movie sucked.

[Frank Furter @ Feb 6th 2008 1:57PM]

Just out of curiosity, why are the books always 'awesome' and the movies always 'suck'?

[Kaminix @ Feb 6th 2008 2:09PM]

Frank Furter:
Maybe because the movies are usally more compact than the books? Plus, they usually "add" stuff to the movies to make it more exciting and understandable (since you can't communicate with the one watching in a movie like you can with the reader of a book).

[Smart People Play Tuba @ Feb 6th 2008 2:19PM]

I thought Jurassic Park was a good movie . . . though mainly b/c of the special effects. It was very different from the book, of course.

And I can't think of another Michael Crichton movie that I would call "good." Congo? Timeline? Nope.

[Frank Furter @ Feb 6th 2008 2:20PM]

Perhaps. It's just that I've never heard someone say, "Man, that movie RULED! The book version sure sucked, though."

Of course, if it takes someone dozens (hundreds?) of hours to read a book, how could it -ever- compare to 2 hours of cinema?

Dunno. I can't focus long enough to read a book, so I get my versions from movies.

[macona @ Feb 6th 2008 2:30PM]

Also you have directors adding their own touches and going by their "interpretations" of the novel. Prime example: Starship Troopers. Paul Verhoeven messed this one up bad. Movie: Dizzy is a girl and a love interest for the main character. Novel: Dizzy is a guy and dies in the first paragraph of the first page. Movie: Troopers are basically space marines. Book: Troopers are Powered Suit equipped infantry. The basis for Mecha such as found in anime. (Book was written in the 50's)

[Tommy @ Feb 6th 2008 3:39PM]

In Crichton's case, the books are so much better for us nerds because of the science. Science would make the movies dull for most of the audience, so it's usually dumbed down to the point it's not the center of the story any more. Then they hire sub-par producers, directors, and actors to make it a film.

I'm still waiting for Prey to be made into a movie, BTW.

[Paul @ Feb 6th 2008 4:01PM]

I did not really like the end of Sphere, felt it was kinda depressing that they made themselves forget all about it...

[Thermos14 @ Feb 6th 2008 6:13PM]

Oh hells yeah! (about Prey) I've been wanting that one to be made into a movie ever since that book came out...which isn't all that long ago, but still. It's decieving because there nine movies listed on IMDB as "Prey" one of which comes out this year and one slotted for 2009, yet none are the Prey we know and love.

[Frankenstein Black @ Feb 6th 2008 1:12PM]

The first move is to always disrupt communications, which means the Sith Lord Richard Bruce Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot Cheney has begun to move the Empire against the Persian Rebel Forces **insert Star Wars music here**...

[3rdsun @ Feb 6th 2008 1:50PM]

It looks like a firesail

[kiddragonmd @ Feb 6th 2008 1:13PM]

It's sea monsters trying to find something strong enough to floss their teeth with.

[DT @ Feb 6th 2008 2:26PM]

Guess they'll have to keep trying.

[MikeLong @ Feb 6th 2008 1:15PM]

Isn't there something about this in the book of Revelation?