Bonum Certa Men Certa

IBM and the Bomb - Part I: How IBM Played a Technical and Diplomatic Role in the Cold War

Not a bombshell, but certainly a lesson in diplomacy and history (recently declassified, as our introduction noted)

Thomas J. Watson, Jr.
Thomas J. Watson, Jr., IBM chairman and chief executive officer (CEO), then U.S. Ambassador to Russia from 1979 to 1981. Public Domain, American Embassy, Moscow.



Summary: IBM's role in US (domestic) and international politics, especially in light of political appointments acquired by Thomas Watson (the father) and his two sons

THE BIGGEST money is to be found where the government invests the most. In the United States nothing has a budget anywhere near as high as the military's. Historically this has been the case because of the World Wars and imperialism; some US Presidents warned about this. The 'death industry' (Department of War rebranded "Defence") does not just willfully shrink itself or goes away. It is always looking to grow, expand, to influence and control everything it can. One need not be a cynic to grasp all this.



"...speaking of self-serving charities, the IBM Watsons have their own."IBM was highly involved in the Cold War and it became rich in the process. Contrary to the PR slant (1% of the profits etc.), IBM loves war and segregation; it has long profited from US imperialism in particular. One might as well swap the "I" in IBM with "Imperialist" (not "International"). When corporations and governments are almost inseparable it is inevitable that oftentimes businesspeople (active or 'retired') will enter politics, representing their own interests/ideologies and/or business interests. Money (profit) and policy (rules of power) are closely connected, for one can be leveraged to attain the other. We see a lot of that in Bill Gates, who for over a decade disrupted politics all around the world for personal agenda; he has investments to which he wishes to funnel taxpayers' money in every country. It's a racket. It's not a charity, it is only disguised as such. And speaking of self-serving charities, the IBM Watsons have their own. In fact, formed in 1979 was the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs (coinciding with the political career of Thomas J. Watson, Jr.).

Watson's political career wasn't without opposition. Consider the following (notice the subject in particular):

watson-opposition

In early 1979 he was already meeting with Soviet officials (it used to be classified "SECRET").

watson-meeting

It may all seem shallow and boring. Some of it remains "SECRET" and the following has redactions labeled "SECRET" (still, to present):

plenary-watson-1

plenary-watson-2

Here's the text:

1. ON FEBRUARY 2, 1979, THOMAS WATSON, CHAIRMAN OF GENERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ARMS CONTROL AND DISARMAMENT AND WILLIAM JACKSON, GAC EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, VISITED EMBASSY BERN, CALLED ON DCM CROWLEY, JOINED ASAT DELEGATION IN WORK IN PREPARATION FOR AFTERNOON PLENARY, AND DISCUSSED STATUS OF ASAT TALKS WITH SECRET SECRET

PAGE 02

BERN 00682 051005Z

BUCHHEIM AND BRADBURN.

2. WATSON, JACKSON, BUCHHEIM AND BRADBURN WERE JOINED AT LUNCH BY KHLESTOV. CONVERSATION WAS GENERAL IN NATURE. CROWLEY

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 SECRET

NNN

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014


Page 2 is still all blanked out. Notice the decaption and disposition dates. Those are still considered too sensitive (even half a decade ago).

plenary-watson-3

In short, what we have here is the IBM dynasty meeting Soviet officials and deciding at a diplomatic capacity how to handle the Cold War.

"In short, what we have here is the IBM dynasty meeting Soviet officials and deciding at a diplomatic capacity how to handle the Cold War."This sort of matters because nowadays Microsoft is the same. "Bill [Gates] has high political ambitions for his cult," a person told yesterday, "and staying out of the [police] report was just one small maneuver, as was avoiding having Microsoft testify in congress this week."

Ever noticed how "GAFA" gets grilled but Microsoft is miraculously absent? As if Apple is a monopolist and Microsoft is not?

"At the moment the US President is enriching himself through his businesses and partners, blatantly misusing public office for personal gain. There's no lack of examples.""He can't position himself as candidate for VP this time," the person continued, "but my money is on him trying to run for the top office next round. Keep in mind he already even travels in convoys with decoy cars."

At the moment the US President is enriching himself through his businesses and partners, blatantly misusing public office for personal gain. There's no lack of examples.

The next part will talk about nepotism, perhaps even bribery, as we already know that Gates bribes a lot of politicians all around the world and we also know that the Watsons paid presidential candidates.

Recent Techrights' Posts

Mass Layoffs at IBM Today, Just Like Prominent Rumours Said Upfront
past couple of hours
IBM is Acting No Better Than Patent Trolls, Preying on Smaller Companies by Suing Them With Software Patents
No Red Hat employee should tolerate this aggression by the employer
Something Has Gone Very Wrong at iTWire
"iTWire has descended into marketing spam"
 
IBM Befriends and Exploits the Biggest Enemy of Software Freedom (Software Patents)
Software Patents and IBM in Today's News
Many Workers Quietly Leave Microsoft, the Company is Running Out of Money (Too Much Debt and Now Massive Buybacks to Keep the Shares From Collapsing While Hiding Humongous Losses)
I've heard of people who just decided to quit Microsoft. They could not handle the anxiety.
Links 17/09/2024: Volkswagen Layoffs May Exceed 15,000, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Arrested
Links for the day
Gemini Links 17/09/2024: Re-framing of Priorities and Journalists
Links for the day
The Linux Foundation is Associating Linux With Scams and With Scam Sites Right Now (Like the Wife of Jim Zemlin Did)
they profit from the sellouts
Google's YouTube Already Blocking People Who Block Ads
YouTube feels like it's dying
Links 17/09/2024: More on Microsoft Cuts and XBox Backward Compatibility Issues
Links for the day
The Hallmark of a Dying Company Running Low on Money (But Still Trying to Hide That)
Microsoft should look into selling red markers
UEFI 'Secure' Boot Has Put Security at Risk, Suggests New Report
We're vindicated once again
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, September 16, 2024
IRC logs for Monday, September 16, 2024
Links 17/09/2024: China Sanctions and Breadth of Latest Microsoft Layoffs Elaborated Upon
Links for the day
Gemini Links 17/09/2024: Small Improvements in Carbon Capture and Pseudo-Productivity In Java
Links for the day
'Open'AI Looks Like a Company Headed Towards Bankruptcy, Not IPO, Losses Grew Almost Tenfold in a Year (Yes, it's Just a Bubble Facilitated by Artificial Hype)
This isn't going to end well, especially not for Microsoft
Apple is Canceling Products, Services, Even Lays Off Staff in Large Numbers Every Few Months
Apple cancelling some more things
Later on Elon Musk Wonders Why Large Nations Block His Pet 'Social Control Media' (Incitement/Radicalisation) Platform...
This isn't a question of "censorship" because there's a call to kill
Microsoft: Layoffs Are Growth
Orwell would have loved this newspeak
Links 16/09/2024: Verizon Layoffs, 'Tram Driver Olympics', and Anniversary of Mahsa Amini's Death
Links for the day
Gemini Links 16/09/2024: ROOPHLOCH and MyGemini.Space
Links for the day
Invidious Instances Explain What Google/YouTube (Alphabet/Pentagon) Did To Them This Past Week
They're unambiguous about this
Dr. Richard M. Stallman (RMS) on How to Make People Care About Free Software and Why Prohibiting Proprietary Software Would Not Work
"maybe a similar general approach could work with non-Free software as a way of discouraging it from being a successful business."
Please Quit Uploading Event Talks (Especially of Free Software) to YouTube
This is enshittification
Links 16/09/2024: Shrinking Economy, Climate Issues, Soaring Energy Costs
Links for the day
'Former' Microsofter Jason Perlow Left Linux Foundation
The "communication" people from the Linux Foundation are basically scammers
MyGem Launched to Make Adoption of Gemini Protocol (With Gemini Hosting) a Lot Easier
a new week and also a new capsule
Disregard for History is Disregard for (Computer) Science
They're killing the real entrepreneurs and innovators
Dr. Richard M. Stallman (RMS) on His Hobbies and Health
Answering a question from the audience in Germany
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, September 15, 2024
IRC logs for Sunday, September 15, 2024
Gemini Links 16/09/2024: billsmugs.com Becomes rainywhile.net, Zaurus on Internet
Links for the day
[Meme] Wrong Priorities at Universities
Because what matters isn't expertise
Science and Academia Under Attack, Imposters Inheriting or Aggressively Seizing the Top Roles
Academia has turned into a bad place
Microsoft and the Sunk Cost Fallacy
"Microsoft aims for the sunk cost fallacy"
Turning Away Unwanted and/or Predatory Bots
If no human will ever read it, what's the point serving?
Links 15/09/2024: Complicated Music Licensing Schemes and Dangers of Sleep Deprivation
Links for the day
Links 15/09/2024: Sci-fi London 2024 and Outsourcing to Proton Mail
Links for the day
Links 15/09/2024: French Teachers Quit in Droves, Why 'eSports' are Not Sports
Links for the day
[Meme] Red Hat Staff Must Learn IBM's Dark History (IBM Still Boosts Donald Trump, So No Lessons Learned)
This isn't a subject for humour
Don't Fall for Reputation Laundering and Whitewashing
Remember history, don't pay attention to PR and charm offensives
[Meme] Microsoft as a Joke That Writes Itself
"Microsoft confesses its recent security updates…broke Windows 10 security patches"
GNU Turns 41 in Just 12 Days
Can truth and science be resuscitated, please?
[Meme] Large Language Models (LLMs) Destroy the Web With an Ocean of Disinformation and Misinformation, Falsely Promoted as "Intelligence" by Microsoft et al
"Microsoft bribes the media to say 'Microsoft loves Linux'"
Dr. Richard M. Stallman (RMS) Asks People to Stop Calling Large Language Models (LLMs) "Artificial Intelligence" (AI)
"I think that the first step is stop calling them AI"
Even Microsoft Boosters Think XBox is Doomed
"Reports Say Morale At Xbox Is “Very Low”"... a Microsoft booster cited by them
Dr. Richard M. Stallman (RMS): "There are still people who make it their business to try to stop me from getting invited to speak, and it's a slow process working back from that"
From the talk he gave last month
Very Few Invidious Instances Still Work (for Video Playback)
Google has sabotaged Invidious
Sites Writing Fake News About Linux Using LLMs (Microsoft Hype That Promotes Misinformation)
RMS recently called these "bullshit machines"
Gemini Links 15/09/2024: MINIbase and Pocket Reform Experience
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, September 14, 2024
IRC logs for Saturday, September 14, 2024