Subj : Starlink helps destroy Ru
To   : Dennis Katsonis
From : August Abolins
Date : Thu Mar 24 2022 09:46 pm

Hello Dennis!

** On Thursday 24.03.22 - 20:50, you wrote to me:

AA>> Perhaps there is such a thing as the right thing.  :/

DK> That is not for companies to decide.  Matters of
DK> international politics should be dealt by statesmen who
DK> understand diplomacy, international relations, not CEO's
DK> who think because they know how market a product, or make
DK> some money, that they can solve the worlds political
DK> problems.

I don't believe everything, specifically hardware-based
technology, has to be sanctioned by gov't before it is released
to the public. Most gov'ts don't even understand technologies.


DK> This is a recipe for disaster as international relations
DK> is not beholden to these rogue actors.

As far as I know, businesses are free to conduct business with
other countries as they see fit. The gov't has tarrifs and
duties that they impose.


AA>> It would be not different if a bunch of doctors got
AA>> organized on their own, call themselves Drs Without
AA>> Borders, and go help people with meds and medical
AA>> expertise.

DK> Offering medical assistance is completely different to
DK> enabling and supporting military activities.

Well.. conducting medical services to a soldier is just as much
as "enabling and supporting militarty activities". He gets
treated, and back he goes to fight.

Wrt, to Starlink, the internet service is just a comms system.
What users/customers do with it is THEIR doing. Criminal and
secret things get conducted over the internet all the time.

A lament on privacy from 1972..

https://kolico.ca/mpg/TGC1972-privacy.mp4


DK> Russians and Chinese won't see it the way you do, which is
DK> important because they both have nukes, and the ability to
DK> defeat the US in war should one start.  This is a time to
DK> tread carefully, to negotiate a peaceful solution, but if
DK> some random CEO is going to do something which starts a
DK> conflict, we're stuffed.

It is hard to know if just the Russians and Chinese can defeat
the US. No doubt all large countries have plenty of nuclear
power to cause a lot of damage.  But a nuclear fight will
affect the agressor and destroy the livelyhood of many
surrounding places.

Perhaps Putin underestimated the resourcefulness of private
citizens of other countries to one-up him on severing typical
comms systems and the internet in the country that he is
blasting. The people who are either trapped in Ukraine or who
choose to stay deserve to be in touch with the outside world
and their loved ones.

--
 ../|ug

--- OpenXP 5.0.51
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