Long before their disagreement over Iraq, he and Rumsfeld had clashed over Rumsfeld's belief that high-tech warfare gave the Pentagon leeway to reduce overall American troop strength.

CNN: Punished for telling truth about Iraq war

He notes the irony of using technology, from GPS location data to mobile social-sharing, to report on a uniquely high-tech form of warfare.

CNN: Dronestagram uses social media to highlight drone strikes

It is an ironic twist for a country with a reputation as a high-tech and cyber-warfare powerhouse.

WSJ: Israel's Businesses Losing the Cyber War

But during the Afghan war there has been a new toughness in the Pentagon's message to countries that long for the prestige and influence that may come from fighting alongside America in high-tech, high-intensity warfare.

ECONOMIST: The war in Afghanistan

Huawei and ZTE have proposed a similar approach in America, working with outfits such as Electronic Warfare Associates and other private firms that vet high-tech gear for the US government.

ECONOMIST: Two big Chinese telecoms firms come under fire in America