The Air Force cyber community is abuzz today with a stunning revelation.  Defense Secretary Gates offered to let General Schwartz take command of all Pentagon cyber missions if they would give up the nuclear mission to the Army.

It's a bizarre offer but still it's very enticing.  The Army views ICBMs as "underground cannons," so it's not much of a stretch to give them our missile bases.  But why should we think the Army will know how to fly nuclear bombs on global-reach aircraft?  That's absurd.

I hate to say it but Secretary Gates did make a salient point when he argued that -- I'm quoting him here -- "if you guys (in the Air Force) don't know how to carry nukes around any more, then why shouldn't I give your mission to the Army?  They don't know how to do it either, but at least they haven't dropped the ball so many times like you did."

I would love nothing more than to see the Air Force take over all cyber missions.  It's vitally important that they do it, not one of the less-cognizant services.  But I don't know if giving up the nuclear mission is worth the price.  Right now I think we should let our cyber expertise stand on its own merits and take cyber because we deserve it, not because we struck a deal with Monty Hall to give up what's in the box for what's behind door #2.