[Reubend]

It's a good idea. I don't think secrecy is really necessitated aside from the idea that if the US government is the one spending the money, then they should reap the benefits. Ideally, I'd love to see many governments collaborate here and share the technology with each other as a result.

[AtlasBarfed]

What is scary about this memo, and contrary to your "lets be friends" outlook, is that we are entering a geopolitical era of precisely the opposite.

The US is withdrawing from its global cop role. Russia and China are saber rattling. NATO may be dissolved by Trump, at least the American side of it. Israel and Saudi Arabia are new strange bedfellows and allies. Japan and India are vastly increasing their military spending, and Japan will likely arm itself with nuclear weapons. Sunnis and Shiites are nearing a war. Turkey wants to throw its weight around regionally. International trade is very likely to be strongly disrupted and production nearshored.

We are entering "interesting times".

The Five Eyes may cooperate. Maybe.

[Reubend]

> What is scary about this memo, and contrary to your "lets be friends" outlook, is that we are entering a geopolitical era of precisely the opposite.

That certainly may be true! Or perhaps, the cost of not collaborating is now too great to ignore.

[jlaporte]

> The Five Eyes may cooperate. Maybe.

On this point - check out Matthew Pines on his view that over the next year the US will force allies to convert treasuries and gold to US century bonds, with the stick being a threat of being left outside the US security and technology alliance system. The conversion being a way to deal with the big overhang of US short-dated debt.

The world is changing fast.

[tiahura]

Where do people come up with nonsense like that?