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Sale of IBM's Chip-Making Business To GlobalFoundries To Get US Security Review
dcblogs writes IBM is an officially sanctioned trusted supplier to the U.S. Defense Dept., and the transfer of its semiconductor manufacturing to GlobalFoundries, a U.S.-based firm owned by investors in Abu Dhabi, will get U.S. scrutiny. Retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. John Adams, who authored a report last year for an industry group about U.S. supply chain vulnerabilities and national security, said regulators will have to look closely. "I don't want cast aspersions unnecessarily on Abu Dubai — but they're not Canada," said Adams "I think that the news that we may be selling part of our supply chain for semiconductors to a foreign investor is actually bad news."
That started with Reagan, who was happy to buy Saudi Oil rather than try and change the USA's energy picture. Sure. No security issue there.
So now we're selling our chip-making infrastructure. But what's one more attack vector? We're already dependent on chips made in China and software coded in India. I guess having our supplies cut off by Abu Dhabi couldn't be much worse.
It's all about moneyed interests. Countries are an illusion designed to keep the little people from revolting, which will continue to work until there's not enough affordable oil to keep cheap food, entertainment and drugs coming down the pipeline. After that, all bets are off.
Please do not read this sig. Thank you.
This.
Honestly I'm a big fan of the Star Trek future however possible that may be. If through automation / etc the needs of *all can be produced by an extreme few why do we need to continue the philosophy that everyone must earn money to survive. I'm not for pure socialism but I have no problem with the safety net being high enough that everyone can do "good" on "nothing" not just eek by. Choosing to live on that minimum is a choice that is perfectly valid for all and not even to be shunned. That leaves those who want to follow their interests the freedom to do so without having to worry about where the shelter over their head or the food on their next plate is coming from.
There are all sorts of logistical issues to work out for that dream to be a reality (not the least of which is making sure enough people work for their own benefit to keep the engine running) and our level of automation isn't quite there yet to support it but that's the future I want to live in.