Quote Originally Posted by Aimless View Post
No I'm just wondering how serious the US is when it says a cyber attack can merit a conventional military response. If it's really serious, then isn't a cyber attack equivalent to a military attack? So, basically, if the US had much to do with stuxnet, it has--by it's own standards--executed a military attack on Iran? Is Iran allowed to retaliate? I'm just curious
I'm not quite sure I get your point. If Iran has proof that the US is responsible for that virus, then yes it can claim that the US engaged in an act of war. War does not work by one side committing an act of war and the other side getting in a free retaliation after, however. If Iran wants to retaliate, whether conventionally or not, the US also has the right to retaliate. So sure, Iran would have a legal rationale for attacking the US; the problem is that retaliating gives the US a legal rationale to invade Iran.