Iran attacks reinforce need to reduce US dependence

Two months into the year and the world seems to become a more dangerous place with every passing week. In January, it was the illegal invasion of Venezuela to kidnap its president, then another round of threats against the sovereignty of Greenland.

By February, it was an attempt to destabilize a country of over 90 million people, even as the Omani mediators said Iran was making real concessions in negotiations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel wanted to attack anyway, and offered the backward logic that because the US knew such an attack would prompt Iranian retaliation against its military bases, that the US just had to join in the bombing campaign too (instead of restraining Israel). I’m still waiting for the justification of a double-tap strike on a girls’ school in Iran.

Fools are leading us into widespread conflict, and it feels like more than ever we need to stop backing their recklessness and use what small levers we have to reduce their power over us. On that point, I want to point to three pieces of written over the past year that explain my thoughts:

• “The United States is a rogue state,” getting into the attack on Venezuela and the wider repercussions of reckless and imperialist US foreign policy.
• “Why should the US decide who can have certain tech?” on the quest to stop countries like Iran or China from having specific technologies because it would reduce US leverage over them.
• And, of course, “Getting off US tech: a guide” because reducing our dependence on its technologies just gets even more important.

All that aside, I’ll be speaking in Canada, Norway, and Germany over the next couple months! In this month’s recap, there are some good stories on the hidden work behind AI, the problem with tech critics using LLMs, and why state subsidies don’t explain why Chinese EVs are so much cheaper. Plus, plenty more great reads, labor updates, and news updates you might have missed.

Last month I wishing February didn’t have as grim of news as January, but I don’t feel confident enough not to wish that for February. I still hope you enjoy this recap!

— Paris