On the recordOctober 21, 2015
I ask the Senator, would you agree that this bill represents an important part of our cyber defense but that in order to deter attacks in the long term, we must have a cyber policy that goes beyond simple defensive measures? Mr. McCAIN. I would certainly agree, I would say to my friend from Maine, because if the adversaries that want to commit cyber attacks against the United States of America and our allies believe that there is no price to pay for those attacks, then where is the demotivating factor in all of this which would, if they failed, then keep them from doing what they are doing? It seems to me that this is an act of war, and I don't use that term lightly but I am trying to use it carefully. If you damage intentionally another nation's military or its economy or its ability to function as a government--I would ask my friend from Maine--wouldn't that fit into at least a narrow interpretation of an act of war? If so, then should we only have defenses? Have we ever been in a conflict where we only have defenses and not the capability to go out and deter further aggression?
