Article

2023-10-30 Israel-Palestine-Jordan

[HotAir] When Israel cut off most of the supplies, fuel, and electricity going into Gaza, they did so for very strategic reasons. At the same time, they cut off most communications inside of the Gaza Strip as well. There were plenty of complaints about this from the usual suspects, but military strategists have remarked on the effectiveness of the strategy. Now, however, a new player is entering the field. Elon Musk announced this weekend that he would be providing Starlink connectivity in Gaza. For the time being, he’s saying that he will only be offering the service to "internationally recognized aid groups" and the United Nations. But it seems rather obvious that Hamas will figure out a way to use this to their advantage against Israel.

...Musk freely admits that if he does this he will be doing it of his own volition. Nobody has contacted Starlink asking for service in Gaza. And it’s unlikely that the Palestinians would have any money to pay for the service even if they desired it. So what is it that Musk is up to here?

...It seems fairly clear that a lack of communications in the region is probably hampering civilian relief efforts by the UN and other groups. I’m sure it’s hard to organize the distribution of aid without being able to effectively stay in touch and direct resources to where they’re needed. And Musk has figured out how to operate his system in a war zone before. He’s been running Starlink for the Ukrainians almost since the beginning of the Russian invasion. But the Starlink ground stations require power to operate and the Israelis have also cut off almost all of the electricity.

...It feels like Elon Musk just can’t help himself. Whenever there is a major event that’s generating all of the headlines for a period of time, it seems like Musk and one or more of his companies wind up being involved. We saw it in Ukraine and now the same thing may play out in the Gaza Strip. Israel has already begun turning some limited communications back on, but they are attempting to strategically hinder Hamas. A lack of communications will make it harder for them to orchestrate the movement of rockets and fighters around the country. If an available communications channel opens up, they will no doubt find a way to use it for themselves. Perhaps Elon Musk should just sit this one out and not interfere in Israel’s counteroffensive.
Stick to

Posted by Grom the Reflective 2023-10-30 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11136 views ] Top
File under: Hamas

#1 Musk is not one of the good guys.

Posted by Elmerert Hupens2660 2023-10-30 01:15|| 2023-10-30 01:15|| Front Page Top

#2 Like many other people in that power strata, he bears watching.

Posted by Besoeker 2023-10-30 03:17|| 2023-10-30 03:17|| Front Page Top

#3 He's also part of the military-security complex (SpaceX), so he's suspect.

Posted by DooDahMan 2023-10-30 03:19|| 2023-10-30 03:19|| Front Page Top

#4 Some men have shared their visions. Unfortunately, these men appear to be difficult to find today.

"I am collecting the history of our people as written into things their hands made and used .... When we are through, we shall have reproduced American life as lived, and that, I think, is the best way of preserving at least a part of our history and tradition."

~ Henry Ford said of his museum and Greenfield Village:

Posted by Besoeker 2023-10-30 03:34|| 2023-10-30 03:34|| Front Page Top

#5 Oh, Henry Ford shared his vision, that's for sure:

The International Jew

Posted by DooDahMan 2023-10-30 03:40|| 2023-10-30 03:40|| Front Page Top

#6 Show me the diamond or the man without flaw.

Posted by Besoeker 2023-10-30 03:55|| 2023-10-30 03:55|| Front Page Top

#7 Mobs of desperate Palestinians break into UN warehouses as Gaza begins to descend into anarchy as supplies run dangerously low in the besieged city

Posted by Skidmark 2023-10-30 06:03|| 2023-10-30 06:03|| Front Page Top

#8 The cynic in me says 'this is refered to as playing both ends against the middle'.
It's his money and he can blow it as he chooses.

Posted by ed in texas 2023-10-30 08:52|| 2023-10-30 08:52|| Front Page Top

#9 My Inner SysAdmin says "What a great opportunity to sniff their packets!"

Posted by SteveS 2023-10-30 10:10|| 2023-10-30 10:10|| Front Page Top

#10 Biden's all about that!

Posted by Skidmark 2023-10-30 13:46|| 2023-10-30 13:46|| Front Page Top

#11 Isn't Elon Musk in something of a No-Win here? If he provides Starlink connection to (quote)relief groups(un-quote) he is a Bad Guy and if he doesn't ...he's a Bad Guy. It looks like he just decided to get ahead of the PR Curve and incidentally score some free publicity.

Posted by magpie 2023-10-30 18:02|| 2023-10-30 18:02|| Front Page Top

#12 Any ISP has total control over what modems where are active. Who's connected and what they are doing not so much. You really believe any NGO wouldn't allow access to bad actors? I wouldn't.

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-10-30 18:06|| 2023-10-30 18:06|| Front Page Top

#13 The whole "end to end encryption" feature is about ISP deniability.

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-10-30 18:08|| 2023-10-30 18:08|| Front Page Top

#14 I think all these self-made billionaires: like Soros, Gates, and Musk; are crazy. If fact, isn't there a technical term for people who are good in one particular area thinking that they are universally competent?

Posted by Grom the Reflective 2023-10-30 18:17|| 2023-10-30 18:17|| Front Page Top

#15 Dunning-Kruger effect, and while Musk's span of competence is impressive, he's visibly subject to it.

Posted by Nero 2023-10-30 18:49|| 2023-10-30 18:49|| Front Page Top

#16 I try to avoid any situation involving the emotions of an engineer or accountant.

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-10-30 18:54|| 2023-10-30 18:54|| Front Page Top

#17 Add statisticions, epidemiologists and health scientists to that list.

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-10-30 18:58|| 2023-10-30 18:58|| Front Page Top

#18 Burroughs said it best: "Heaven save us all from a 'difficult decision' at the Pentagon."

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-10-30 19:00|| 2023-10-30 19:00|| Front Page Top

#19 #16 - Engineer emotions? I was told I didn't have any

Posted by Frank G 2023-10-30 20:10|| 2023-10-30 20:10|| Front Page Top

#20 Whoever told you that, Frank G, is a fool — at best.

Posted by trailing wife 2023-10-30 21:27|| 2023-10-30 21:27|| Front Page Top

#21 Emotions, bah!
Have slide rule. Will travel.

Posted by SteveS 2023-10-30 21:36|| 2023-10-30 21:36|| Front Page Top

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