Debate: 'The cyber war threat is grossly exaggerated.'

Those that argued the threat has NOT been 'grossly exaggerated' ended up winning the debate, having changed more minds during the course of the evening than did their opponents.

THE CYBER WAR THREAT HAS BEEN GROSSLY EXAGGERATED from Intelligence Squared US on Vimeo.

The first speaker FOR the motion almost immediately concedes the real and large cyber dangers, but he has reservations about giving a single government agency ability to monitor the intertubes. BUT that is not the point at issue, the advisability of that particular mode of protection, but rather whether or not large cyber dangers loom. He began his argument by admitted they do exist. No wonder his side lost. Mike McConnel made very sure to point out this same thing immediately. Ouch. Those arguing for the motion; you needed to throw in the towel at that point. Looks like most of what they had to say was that people arguing against their motion have less than pure motives, and in fact are really after control of the intertubes, so are purposefully exagerating the threat, for that nefarious purpose. At one point they even hyperventilate and wildly gesticulate toward President Bush, and V.P. Cheney raising the spectre of the dreaded NSA wiretaps. Good God folks. The man is out of office. Calm down.