Let the word go out to one and all: The Wizard known as Elon Musk is really just a clever guy, standing behind a curtain, with a big control panel and a kingdom full of Munchkins. He’s smart, he’s hard-working, he’s successful, and he certainly is rich. But he is not the Almighty Oz.

How do I know this? In short, because he goofed. He failed to see through the duplicitous nature of the Russian government, and took them at their word last year when they said a strike by Ukraine against the Russian Navy on Russian territory (as defined by Russia) would result in a nuclear response. And so he shut down the StarLink satellites that power the internet service that in turn operates Ukraine’s drones, so as to prevent such a strike at Sevastopol, Crimea — thus taking upon himself the role of Commander-in-Chief and, in his mind, single-handedly saving the world from nuclear disaster. What a guy!

Well-intentioned? Most assuredly. An ego trip? Well, we’re not here for psychoanalysis, so let’s just skip over that and go back to his good intentions.

It would be difficult to argue with anyone who would do whatever was possible to prevent nuclear war. It is as noble a purpose as one might imagine. But trying to out-think the Russians . . . well, even the leading experts have frequently failed at that. And that said . . . who in hell gave Elon Musk the authority to make that decision??? Is he the President of Ukraine? Of the United States? Chief of Staff of the Army? An elected member of the House Armed Services Committee? Or anyone even remotely in authority in any branch or agency of Ukraine’s or our government, either civilian or military?

He is not.

You get my point, don’t you? He may be the richest man in the world, and one of the smartest; but that does not qualify him to do what he did — as evidenced by the fact that the very same action that he blocked, when taken by Ukraine just this month against the Russian Navy in Crimea, proved brilliantly successful . . . and without triggering the feared nuclear response. In fact, as of September 16th, Estonian intelligence reported that Russia’s Crimean naval forces may now have to be redeployed — that is, retreat — to Novorossiysk, a Black Sea port city located on actual Russian territory, as a result of that strike. So he clearly misjudged. And since he’s not, and never has been, a qualified military strategist or a diplomat experienced in dealing with Russia, such a misjudgment does not come as a surprise.

But SpaceX is his company, and StarLink is his technology. And therein, as I see it, lies a rather sticky problem. For how do you tell the person whose company provides Ukraine with the means of supporting and defending itself — and counter-attacking against an aggressor who would otherwise have wiped it off the map months ago — that he can’t make decisions concerning his own company’s technology? How do you tell the creator that he no longer has control over his creation? Because, in reality, doesn’t he? Can’t he pull the plug on the whole thing, if he so chooses? And then where does that leave Ukraine? And Poland? And who knows who else after that?

I don’t even want to think about it.

But would he do that? Is his ego greater than his conscience? And what are his legal obligations and restrictions? As I understand it, the U.S. Government “reached a deal with the company [SpaceX] to purchase the Starlink service for Ukraine in June.” [Anna Nemtsova, Daily Beast, September 15, 2023.] What are the terms of that transaction in regard to any limitations placed on Musk’s control? And did any such agreement exist at the time of the first proposed strike last year? We, the public, don’t know. And how effective would such restrictions be in any event when dealing with a man who — to put it mildly — does not take well to being told what he may or may not do . . . ever? And aside from the legal questions, do we not also have to take into account the deeper moral issues involved? There are far too many unknowns here.

So in the final analysis, I am simply left praying that this man — who is smart enough to have built his amazing empire — is also smart enough, and decent enough, not to screw it up for all of us.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/18/23