the iron triangle

we can't expect any positive impacts of new technology as long as the iron triangle works to bring war to the world. the following documentary is a brilliant expose of the carlyle group - a private equity firm that is heavily involved in the defense (read "offence") business. some key points - a. what eisenhower called the "military industrial complex" is more aptly termed the "iron triangle" - a convergence of military, big business and politics - a sickening group of powerful individuals invested in war - "wartime is boomtime for business", b. senior leaders (particularly in the us and uk) around the world are profoundly invested in war industries as they are heavily government regulated ("you set up the policies. you leave office. you go into business. you exploit those policies") - conflicts of interest abound, c. a lot of players that form the iron triangle are hard to understand as they are privately held (like the carlyle group) - "it's like shadow boxing with a ghost," d. the iron triangle has the power to shape public thinking - they can easily make the case for war/military spending even when it is inessential, e. oil money (easy, plentiful and desperate to hold it's value) plays a major role in the global iron triangle.

until the iron triangle dissolves and the era of oil (elite energy) ends, it is clear that we cannot have a livable world...