Modern War of Attrition
posted on Tue, 01/18/2011 - 16:59 by theshadow
War of Attrition is a tactic used in warfare. It is the act of engaging an enemy in a conflict to which neither opponent can win but where the costs of the engagement will cause one side to fall.
Barricades, embargoes, and sieges fall under this category. The idea being if you can either cut off or otherwise deplete your enemies resources they will eventually give in. Though the analogy about soon to be posed is not new, it is important to consider. In modern days in civilized countries where the actual act of mass physical confrontation is all but unheard off these military tactics are still employed with great amounts of success.
The international corporations of our world are the new standing armies. Though they don't fight with guns, bombs and 'boots on the ground'. Instead they use their vast financial influence to force opponents into battles of attrition. Patents are the vehicles most commonly used. Today our world stands in sort of a technological stand-off. Each company facing their version of Mutually Assured Destruction. The idea being that if any one corporation were to take another to court over patent infringement that their opponent would in turn do the same. Tying each other up in legal tape and costs for decades. This of course is the most obvious example. There are other more subtle maneuvers a corporation can take to bend other individuals an corporations to their will.
For example, say an individual intends to blow the whistle on a company, maybe not even something illegal but merely a business strategy which is found to be unfavorable with the general public. This individual takes their story to the local press and proceeds to spill the beans, as it were. The press organizations then proceed to broadcast this story out to the masses. The corporation is now viewed in a bad light, revenue is falling, they of course want to find the individual who leaked the information. They can't come right out and sue the press, laws are in place to protect such sources after all. But, what they can do is instead take the press organization to court and tie them up in legal costs for months. Now, if any of you have ever had to pay for legal services you'll quickly understand how such costs can add up quickly. The corporation doesn't even need to win their case since their point is now clear. Tell us who your source is or we'll tie you up in legal costs till you do give in.
This ladies and gentlemen is the modern war of attrition. Trust me when I say that this tool, this weapon, is swung often and hard. The most public case of this are all the RIAA cases. They had no intention of taking any person to court they wanted to use the scare tactic to force the victim to pay. The corporations of today act a lot like the feudal lords of long ago. Biding their time and resources for the time when they can strike against an enemy, wound it, and if lucky destroy it.
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