[duncan_bayne]

I really don't understand how that sort of behaviour doesn't constitute an act of war.

Imagine if China sent saboteurs in-country to physically destroy infrastructure being used by American businesses. That would Not Be Taken Lightly.

[peteretep]

    > how that sort of behaviour doesn't constitute an act of war

You need photos of explosions and dead babies to convince your populace to go to war. Making a case for war between nuclear powers on the basis that "some website for geeks became a bit less reliable" isn't going to cut it.

[com_kieffer]

The same way that Stuxnet destroying Iranian centrifuges was an act of war ?

[duncan_bayne]

Yes. Although I'd have thought that particular war would have started back with the hostage-taking in, what, 1979?

I really don't understand relationships between States.

[ta0o0o0]

I'm not a West Hater by any means, but I'd say the war started when the US and the UK engineered a coup in Iran because Iran nationalized their oil industry (after the British oil company running it refused to be audited or to renegotiate terms).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d'%C3%A9tat

[duncan_bayne]

Whereas I'd say the problem was forced nationalisation.

[ta0o0o0]

That does not justify overthrowing another country's government. Most countries, including the United States, recognize the state's eminent domain over its land and its natural resources. Besides which, the Iranians tried to negotiate, the British refused, so the Iranians nationalized in response.

[lhopki01]

A foreign coup is a valid response to nationalisation?

[duncan_bayne]

I'm not sure. But nationalisation is certainly a violation of rights.

Of course, I'd be interested to see how those assets were set up in the first place - my bet would be during a non-rights-respecting period of colonialism.

How far back do you go? (Serious question).

[fleitz]

Starting point for international relations:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realpolitik

[mil0]

always love a good reference to Argo.

[cortesoft]

Which sort of behavior? Having their own root certificate?

[duncan_bayne]

I meant China's behaviour, e.g. orchestrating a DDOS attack against GitHub for political reasons.

The root certificate thing is 'merely' a violation of the rights of their own subjects.

[cortesoft]

Ah, ok that makes more sense.