Last week, the eastern coast of the United State was rocked by a fuel shortage.
Well, in reality, there was no fuel shortage until people started freaking out like they did over toilet paper and started hoarding it all.
People who live with this fear mentality make it more difficult for everyone else to go on with their daily lives. I never panic bought toilet paper or gas, and I managed to get toilet paper and even gas the past Friday without a hitch.
The reason for all fo this though was, as you know, a key supply line for much of the southeastern seaboard was locked by an Eastern European hacking organization. DarkSide was paid $5 million in ransom to tentatively reopen the flow of vital fuel sources.
The White House was in direct communication with Colonial during the decision to pay. There is no direct evidence of a plea by the Biden administration, but public posture would tend to have one think Biden must have agreed.
Many reports insisted that Colonial did not want to pay. The company had reportedly requested help from the U.S. Department of Energy. It appears the help was a prod to pay. No has been said that the White House insisted that the ransom be paid.
Such a decision would be contrary to FBI protocol of not paying ransom hackers. It just seems bewildering that this whole scenario unfolded in less than 48 hours. The turnabout stance of Colonial mirrors the wishy-washy mannerisms of our current leadership.
New conflicts have arisen in the Middle East. Diplomacy is unraveling in Iran. The Chinese Communist Party has publicly disrespected U.S. officials. Collectively, along with the ransom hacking of the Colonial Pipeline, each of these problems is punctuated with an alarming perception of a weakened U.S. posture.
Joe Biden’s administration is being increasingly envisioned by our adversaries as spineless. The historically proven course of peace through strength is no longer the diplomatic strategy of the United States. Our vulnerabilities are now exposed.
The hacking of the Colonial Pipeline, and subsequent $5 million paid in ransom to reopen the vital energy line, is proof that crooks and crooked governments have no respect for America’s resolve to hold bad actors accountable.
The DarkSide arose from Eastern Europe. These ransom hackers are a growing threat akin to our worst nightmares about organized crime. They smell weakness. Joe Biden reeks of instability and lack of resolve.
His meandering wobble to speak at a podium resembles a jellyfish floating aimlessly at low tide. However, Joe has no sting. Biden is presenting the United States as a weakened spineless jellyfish. Bad actors and our adversaries smell weakness. We should all be worried.