g fired from safe distances, and had defense systems capable of intercepting most Iraqi attacks. The Gulf War brought information war to its zenith: “The sheer information overload attendant to Coalition operations was mind boggling: 700,000 phone calls and 150,000 messages per day; successful deconfliction of over 35,000 different communications frequencies; AWACS aircraft controlling 2,240 air sorties per day—more than 90,000 during the war with no midair collisions.” While the Gulf War was a notable example of the success of IT in providing military dominance to those who possess it, the Vietnam war, as well as recent NATO action in Kosovo provide reminders that an IT advantage alone can not defeat all enemies. In both of those conflicts, American and NATO forces held a technological and logistical advantage. America lost the Vietnam War. And although NATO claims victory in the Kosovo military actions, the actual outcome is ambiguous: Slobodan Milosevic remains in power, a massive refugee crisis was produced, numerous civilian casualties were reported, and violence and conflict still plague the region.IT will continue to be a double-edged sword in terms of security. While it appears that IT has the potential to reduce the frequency, duration and brutality of military conflicts, countries and organizations that wish to remain sheltered from military or electronic attack must keep abreast of changes in the world of IT be ready to defend themselves against weapons of information.V.Socioeconomic Benefits and Consequences of ITWhile it is true that the main beneficiaries of the development of IT have been developed countries, LDC’s have benefited as well. Western European countries and US economies have benefited immensely from the growth of IT. For example, according to the US Department of Commerce, IT has accounted for 35% of total real GDP growth since 1994. Furthermore, IT has introduced an infinitely large f...
