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I don't understand why the NSO Group, and by extension Israel, has not been sanctioned over this spyware. It's a dangerous company that sells tools ripe for abu
by cedws 3y ago
I don't understand why the NSO Group, and by extension Israel, has not been sanctioned over this spyware. It's a dangerous company that sells tools ripe for abuse to some of the West's worst anti-democractic enemies.
- devwastaken 3y agoPeace and "defense" are marketing. Eisenhower warned of the military industrial complex and it's growing power. It's mainly not "the wests" enemies contracting NSO, it is the west.
- FactKnower69 3y ago-1 because this comment made me feel bad. The US and its client states have never done anything to deserve this reputation, and to suggest that they have is frankly nothing short of unpatriotic. The Lavon Affair never happened.
- notso411 3y ago[dead]
- roywiggins 3y agoNSO has been: https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-adds-foreign-companies-to-entity-list-for-malicious-cyber-activities/ https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-adds-foreign-compani...
- cedws 3y agoAh, didn't know that, thanks. It seems NSO Group are still alive and kicking in spite of this.
- dkjaudyeqooe 3y agoFor the same reason it hasn't had any of $10 billion in military aid reduced even after acting counter to numerous US interests and values: Politics.
- halJordan 3y agoNso group has been put on the same punitive sanctions Chinese companies have been. You dont have to be wrong just to confirm your biases.
- richardw 3y ago/engage tinfoil hat. I’d guess there are some deep benefits in having a strong partner selling this stuff compared to a rival. Not great for the target countries at all, but good for the Israeli and US intelligence apparatus.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- MattGaiser 3y agoBecause NSO group has been sanctioned? https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/11/03/pegasus-nso-entity-list-spyware/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/11/03/pegasus...
- photochemsyn 3y agoIsrael has long served a kind of cut-out role for delivering weapons to states with atrocious 'Western values' records but which are compliant with US corporate interests. Equatorial Guinea was one such example, with dictator Obiang and his ExxonMobil contract. Steve Coll mentions this in "Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power" (2012): > "Fortunately for Obiang, coup-prone African governments rolling in oil but lacking in arms and intelligence to defend their bounty had a discrete alternative to the Pentagon and C.I.A. for defense support: Israel. Quietly, the Bush Administration encouraged Obiang to enter into security and commercial ties with Tel Aviv." Azerbaijan is a similar example as US weapons sales were banned for human rights abuse reasons. A Wikileaked US State Dept cable stated (2009) "Through its close relations with Israel, Azerbaijan gets a level of access to the quality weapon systems it needs to develop its army that it can not obtain from the U.S. and Europe due to various legal limitations..." If the dictatorial government funnels the oil money into the Western banking system, then the US turns a blind eye to this kind of thing (e.g. Saudi and UAE use of Pegasus to persecute pro-democracy activists) and if not, it's sanctions and regime change time.
- CatWChainsaw 3y agoWell it probably sells those same tools to the West as well. Gotta stalk those pesky journalists covering genocide somehow. Plus it helps if someone other than you is seen with the dirty hands.