Poisoning people and pushing them out of windows is exciting at first. It creates intense misery for the victims' loved ones and alarms people around the world who believe in democracy. But after a while, high-rise defenestration and polonium tea lose their thrill. What can a psychopathic dictator do next? According to recent events, the answer may lie beneath the Baltic Sea.
The Wall Street Journal reports two undersea fiber-optic cables were severed this week: one connecting Sweden's Gotland Island to Lithuania, another linking Finland to Germany. The timing seems curious, given both Sweden and Finland's recent NATO membership.
The WSJ suggests the sabotage aims to "spread panic, bind security resources, and increase pressure on Western governments," but they're missing the main reason — the sheer pleasure of kicking over human anthills when no one can stop you.
Previously:
• A software developer's version of the CIA's bureaucratic sabotage manual
• The NSA's program of tech sabotage created the Shadow Brokers
