this post was submitted on 07 Sep 2023

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CNN Exclusive: 'How am I in this war?': New Musk biography offers fresh details about the billionaire's Ukraine dilemma | CNN Politics (edition.cnn.com)

submitted 1 year ago by dragontamer to c/[email protected]

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Elon Musk secretly ordered his engineers to turn off his company’s Starlink satellite communications network near the Crimean coast last year to disrupt a Ukrainian sneak attack on the Russian naval fleet, according to an excerpt adapted from Walter Isaacson’s new biography of the eccentric billionaire titled “Elon Musk.”

As Ukrainian submarine drones strapped with explosives approached the Russian fleet, they “lost connectivity and washed ashore harmlessly,” Isaacson writes.

So Elon Musk has personally interfered with the Ukrainian war effort. Definitely concerning, especially since the USA mistakenly provided so many Starlink terminals to Ukraine.

Ideally, we get the Ukrainians off of Starlink and onto a platform that is truly trustworthy. But it seems like we have some discussions with regards to the newfound pro-Russian asshole billionaire.

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

If I remember correctly he inserted himself offering Star Link to Ukraine? Then tried to turn it against them?

edit: Even better he offered for free!!

https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/17/musk/

[+] [email protected] -14 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Thank you for remembering that.

Ukrainians are a weird bunch, when it's them doing something, they don't owe anybody anything. But when they want something, then everybody is apparently in their debt.

Yes, they are the defending side, but some self-awareness wouldn't hurt.

[–] dragontamer 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

We're talking about Elon Musk's weird behavior to try to appear to be a hero, but then to immediately charge exorbitant amounts of money after-the-fact.

Elon Musk is not to be trusted, and is seemingly a Russian Asset now. Fuck him. Its our job as Americans to find trustworthy providers of services to our military. If Musk wants to be a military contractor with a top-secret clearance and fancy Pentagon Contracts, he can start by not being a fucking asshole during wartime.

Pentagon has plenty of money, and there are plenty of satellite competitors. This is all SpaceX's loss, because we all know not to use SpaceX in our military anymore. I thank the Ukrainians for finding the turncoat in our ranks but we still need to figure out how to solve the Ukrainian internet problem for their troops.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

Well, contracts should be formalized.

[–] NOT_RICK 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If I give you a garden hose to help you put out a fire at your house and then later turn off the tap cause I’m worried I might get some water in my basement, my neighbor isn’t the one who’s the asshole…

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You'd be one, but still, sorry for the pun, on your territory in your right. I mean, people here are calling him a traitor.

[–] NOT_RICK 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It is his right, that’s part of the problem. Ukraine has every right to point out he pulled the rug out from under them. I think he’s just a dummy rather than a traitor but if he didn’t want starlink used for military purposes maybe he shouldn’t have given starlink to Ukraine in the first place.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Well, in terms of publicity he is getting that feedback.

TBF, I'm almost sure things like this happen all the time with a stronger side supporting a weaker side. "We don't want you to go there", the weaker side ignores the warning, and something given by the stronger side stops working. Just usually it's kept confidential.

Just this time Ukraine apparently can afford to disclose it.

[–] helmet91 14 points 1 year ago

...and people are surprised the counteroffensive is going slowly. Because they're not only fighting Putler and his orcs, but also this traitor piece of shit. He should be thrown right to the frontline.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Musk provided. Not "USA provided". It's just that his wishes and positions are different from Ukraine's. As in "invasions are bad, yes, but I don't want Ukraine to win militarily without negotiations".

Well, may seem like a weird opinion with the people who negotiate from the Russian side (those guys who think that just lying and betraying every time is very smart, get owned and dominated by those who are better at lies and betrayal, but don't learn anything).

However:

As far as I can see, those sats have been an enormous net benefit for Ukraine's war effort, so I don't understand how ungrateful you have to be to even complain as if he owes you anything.

[–] dragontamer 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Though Musk has received widespread acclaim and thanks for responding to requests for Starlink service to Ukraine right as the war was starting, in reality, the vast majority of the 20,000 terminals have received full or partial funding from outside sources, including the US government, the UK and Poland, according to the SpaceX letter to the Pentagon.

So fuck Musk. Not only about turning off internet, but also about faking the news and lying to the world about the funding source.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

OK, then agree. If by vast majority we mean 75%+ .