In the American Revolution, George Washington and John Paul Jones fought on land and sea. In World War I, air became a new sphere of warfare. During the Cold War, space joined the others. Within the span of a U.S. election, cyber warfare has thrust itself into national consciousness.

Alarmed by Russian meddling in U.S. elections, Congress and the Justice Department have launched investigations. Recent indictments have been handed down against Russian citizens accused of using social media to foment dissension between Americans of different political beliefs.

Recently, evidence points to foreign attempts to spark controversy over gun rights immediately after the tragic school shootings in Parkland, Florida.

We have entered another theater of war. Playing requires intelligence resources, not big bombs and missiles. Other nations unable to match our military might have intelligence capabilities and a population of educated players.

Misinformation (including fake news), cyber leaks, and danger to utility and other systems are new theaters of war.

Compare the new methods to irregular warfare as practiced by Francis Marion, the “swamp fox,” during the American Revolution, or Che Grevera in Cuba, overcoming stronger conventional armies.

Our defense? A refusal to use social media as a source of news is a good start. Take advantage of the country’s well established newspapers from different shades of the political spectrum.