EXPORTING SYSTEMS DISRUPTION

The ETA, a Basque seperatist group, has adopted global guerrilla tactics. Last week they disrupted energy exports from France to Spain by bombing a high voltage power line.
France is a major power exporter, and operates two 400 kV lines and two 220 kV lines that carry power into Spain. This week, the ETA placed two more bombs on these power lines. A warning to the authorities allowed them to find one device, they are still searching for the second (there is one conduit on each doast and one in the middle -- see diagram. The likely target is on the western coast.).

In addition to the ETA, Nigerian guerrillas are moving towards global guerrilla tactics. Alhaji Dobuko, a warlord and muslim convert who admires Osama bin Laden, has directed his group (the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force) to attack oil infrastructure (or oil industry personnel) in order to put pressure on the government. His threat is puts at risk 1-2.5 million plus barrels a day of oil and is largely responsible for driving the price of oil to recent record highs.

Global guerrilla tactics are not restricted to Islamic groups or the Middle East. These tactics can be exported. The focus of these efforts: increase the financial costs of ownership (of the Basque region or the Niger river delta) until it cannot be sustained. Also: disrupt daily life for as many people as possible.

Comments

[Rahul Sinha]

Obviously I don't sympathise with organizations that kill innocents, but philosophically is there any difference between an armed group that feels oppressed carrying out guerrilla strikes on targets that do not result in direct loss of life, and "freedom fighters rising up against tyrrany"?

In the American revolution mobs destroyed property (Boston Tea Party) used geurrilla tactics against combatants and simply tried (successfully) to increase the cost to the UK of retaining its property until the price became too high.

What is the difference between the behavior we cheer (our efforts in the close of the eighteenth century) and those we condemn (ETA's non-lethal protest activities).

I am not Basque (nor Muslim nor Nigerian etc etc).
-RS

[Ben Hunt]

I had heard that the lack of oil production due to the evacuation of several oceanic oil derricks during the recent group of hurricanes was responsible for the high prices recently.

but i guess i don't know enough to cite my sources ;)