The mercurial billionaire turned off Starlink communications just ahead of a submersible drone attack, thinking that the assault might unleash nuclear war, according to a forthcoming book.

クロスポスト: https://hexbear.net/post/539800

SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk reportedly caused a geopolitical crisis last year, when Ukrainian forces—which have relied heavily on the company’s Starlink satellite communications—were on the verge of striking Russian naval vessels off the coast of Crimea with submersible drones. Concerned that the attack would provoke Russia into using nuclear weapons, Musk unilaterally opted to sever the submarines’ satellite connection, throwing a wrench in the entire assault.

The incident—shared by CNN based on an adapted excerpt from an upcoming book by Walter Isaacson—demonstrates Musk’s increasing unwillingness to lend his satellite network to offensive maneuvers waged by Ukraine. “How am I in this war?” “Starlink was not meant to be involved in wars. It was so people can watch Netflix and chill and get online for school and do good peaceful things, not drone strikes.”

After foiling the attack, Musk reportedly received a desperate text from a Ukrainian deputy prime minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, who asked that Musk reinstate the Starlink connection to the drones. “I just want you—the person who is changing the world through technology—to know this,” Fedorov wrote. But Musk refused to reverse course, telling Fedorov that Ukraine “is now going too far and inviting strategic defeat.”

Apparently he was worried that the assault would provoke nuclear war. Musk showing actual thought for the first time in ever.

    • darkcalling
      2·
      10 months ago

      Admittedly I did forget that but it doesn’t change the larger picture. Also I really doubt he instigated that incident. He’s just a loud-mouth.

      Look, he’s not a friend. But he’s like Trump, says things and takes positions strangely contrary to the hawks /at times/. Besides that his fan-boys go nuts and have melt-downs over this so it’s all very amusing. If you think he’s the worst because he’s a loudmouth you’re objectively not paying attention and you are a liberal and there’s no quibbling over that because that’s not material analysis.

      Come to think of it, he kind of resembles Trump in another way, he has this huge ego and interest in building a brand off his name, not directly like Trump but he does things like sell himself, get himself in Star Trek episodes, goes out of his way to get others to stroke his ego, has a craving for being seen as very smart, very capable, a genius.

      I don’t get why people here are losing their minds over my saying that maybe uh he’s useful in certain ways and I enjoy him not shutting up and being a quiet bourgeoisie. If anything his talking continues to do a lot to ruin his own efforts.

      He seems pro-China. This isn’t because he’s a good person but that doesn’t matter.

      People will critically support Iran despite the fact they execute communists, homosexuals, and disobedient women yet I say this Musk fool has his utilities and it’s nice he’s saying this and pushing these things and people lose their damn minds as If I’m fan-girling for him instead of simply making observations that he’s taking positions that while probably born out of self-interest and his own pompous arrogance are good actually. Some bourgeoisie are liable to at times sell us large quantities of ropes not because they want us to use them but because it lets them profit.

      But this thread seems like it’s been brigaded by liberals so whatever.

      • cfgaussian
        22·
        10 months ago

        For what it’s worth i can understand what you’re trying to say and after giving it some thought i think i basically agree. He’s a piece of shit but he’s just stupid and egotistical enough to be detrimental for the overall capitalist-imperialist project. A “useful idiot”, if i may borrow that phrase which liberals love so much.