4 ms·

How come the company that made Pegasus is being sanctioned, but the government that used Pegasus to abduct, kill, and then dismember a dissident - isn't?

webkike 5y ago
Because it’s easier?
zakary 5y ago
The simple answer is that to the people that really matter in decisions like that, those in the intelligence and the state departments of countries like the US, software like Pegasus is an important tool in staying ahead of adversaries. And in order to do its job effectively, it’s best if people don’t know about it. Pegasus may be sanctioned, but another company will make a product to takes its place and the game will start again. A similar argument can be made in favour of keeping the Saudis on side; they are useful for what they can do to help attain the foreign policy goals of the US and it’s allies. Those goals are mostly related to making sure the US continues to have access to all the stuff they need to stay on top of the geopolitical tree
- GekkePrutser 5y ago
  How does it help to stay ahead of adversaries when they're selling it to basically everyone including most adversaries?
  - tapas73 5y ago
    you can sell basic version. Leaving premium to your self.
trasz 5y ago
That government is an important US ally.
- marcosdumay 5y ago
  By all the things the US does for them, they must be really important.
  - saiya-jin 5y ago
    Well look at the map. Look at neighbors. Look how many 9/11 culprits came from there. Look what is in the ground. US is more than happy to keep such dictators in place to get access and control over all this and more. It really doesn't matter how many people they behead or cut to pieces in their embassies, if you are not US citizen you mean little to nothing and its explicitly stated in US laws. I guess common americans have no idea how much this pisses large parts of the world.
    - recuter 5y ago
      Your use of the word happy is a bit of a stretch. Welcome to realpolitik. Presently Germany is more than "happy" to look the other way on Ukraine for desperate need of Russian gas.
smashah 5y ago
Because that would set the precedent to sanction the government that rubber stamped the selling of Pegasus also.

webkike 5y ago

Because it’s easier?

zakary 5y ago

The simple answer is that to the people that really matter in decisions like that, those in the intelligence and the state departments of countries like the US, software like Pegasus is an important tool in staying ahead of adversaries. And in order to do its job effectively, it’s best if people don’t know about it. Pegasus may be sanctioned, but another company will make a product to takes its place and the game will start again. A similar argument can be made in favour of keeping the Saudis on side; they are useful for what they can do to help attain the foreign policy goals of the US and it’s allies. Those goals are mostly related to making sure the US continues to have access to all the stuff they need to stay on top of the geopolitical tree

GekkePrutser 5y ago
How does it help to stay ahead of adversaries when they're selling it to basically everyone including most adversaries?
- tapas73 5y ago
  you can sell basic version. Leaving premium to your self.

trasz 5y ago

That government is an important US ally.

marcosdumay 5y ago
By all the things the US does for them, they must be really important.
- saiya-jin 5y ago
  Well look at the map. Look at neighbors. Look how many 9/11 culprits came from there. Look what is in the ground. US is more than happy to keep such dictators in place to get access and control over all this and more. It really doesn't matter how many people they behead or cut to pieces in their embassies, if you are not US citizen you mean little to nothing and its explicitly stated in US laws. I guess common americans have no idea how much this pisses large parts of the world.
  - recuter 5y ago
    Your use of the word happy is a bit of a stretch. Welcome to realpolitik. Presently Germany is more than "happy" to look the other way on Ukraine for desperate need of Russian gas.

smashah 5y ago

Because that would set the precedent to sanction the government that rubber stamped the selling of Pegasus also.