[eevilspock]

Without the government there would be no military.

Thus your line of reasoning is really an argument for some degree of government and centralized planning, as opposed to total free market innovation. That Silicon Valley owes its existence to the government as much as if not more so than the free market.

As a socialist, I have no qualms about that. I'd just rather our communal resources and effort be spent on things other than the military (industrial complex). If Silicon Valley is a good thing (debatable), we could choose to make it happen without the military. It's all a matter of cultural will.

[edanm]

Well it's not just a matter of or cultural will, but rather of other people's will. The army exists in part as a defense mechanism from outside forces, and you can't single handedly decide not to take part in wars.