“He who can destroy a thing, can control a thing.” — Frank Herbert
In the science fiction classic Dune, from where the above quote is taken, a small fanatical band of zealots triumphed over a galactic empire by destroying all supply of a scarce natural resource the empire could not function without.
While Las Vegas may not be as evil as the Harkonens and the Deep Green Resistance may not be as virtuous as the Freman of Paul Muadib the concept of asymmetrical war is sound.
If the DGR or indeed anyone else can wage a sustained coordinated attack on the proposed pipeline should it ever be built it is highly unlikely that a drop of water will reach Las Vegas and the $15 billion spent on its construction will be wasted.
By their very nature pipelines are incredibly vulnerable to sabotage. Less than a pound of explosives cooked up in kitchen can blow a hole in them. A barrel of industrial acid time to released hours if not days after it is place can have the same effect without the boom.
An ATV or a tractor, a pick ax or even a rock could turn the 1,000 plus miles of pipe into an empty system carry air not water to the every thirsty Las Vegas.
That is not even mention the delicate and easily destroyed well heads and pumping stations.
“No one even talks about it (pipeline sabotage)” said natural gas pipeline coordinator Paul Kvam. “That is just too frightening.”
Pipelines particularly those transporting fuel are often the first targets in war either by invading armies or in the case of Saddam Hussein in the first Gulf War by defenders seeking to slow down the advancing enemy.
Carrying what could be the life’s blood of a country or a region pipelines are tempting targets. they are easily damaged and even easier to locate. Most are specifically and accurately mapped.
However despite their vulnerability pipelines in America have been almost free of sabotage. Indeed only the Owens Valley water pipeline was ever targeted while others such as oil and natural gas pipelines running through Alaska and the rest of United States have been almost sabotage free despite being strongly opposed by radical environmentalists.
There could be a very good reason for the free pass given to pipelines once they begin to transport fuel. While pipelines are a vital part of industrial civilization radical environmentalists despise sabotaging one would create and environmental disaster on a scale that would dissuade even the most fanatic.
On the other hand the proposed SNWA pipeline is intended to carry water, lots of water. If it springs a leak the absolute worse thing that could happen is lots of mud.
Anyone with even casual understanding of guerrilla tactics can see that a determined force of less than ten men could render the pipeline a sieve.
Like any asymmetric conflict those on the small side would necessarily need at least some support in the area they are operating and that might not be so difficult to muster in rural Nevada. With family ranches and whole communities believing they face certain destruction with the pipeline they may even greeted as outlaw heroes, heady stuff for a fanatic and a great moral booster to keep on the job.
For the SNWA the prospect of such attacks would certainly be frightening. With a well financed army of lawyers and lobbyists the Water Authority has cleared every legal obstacle in its path to build the water pipeline. It would be a very bitter taste if after all their victories in court and in politics to lose it all to a bunch of unwashed ill kept radicals still living with their parents and armed with little more than a couple of hundred dollars of house hold chemicals.
