Elon Musk Issues Warning On Potential Of WWIII

On Monday, tech billionaire Elon Musk said the war between Israel and Hamas and Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine raised the potential for World War III.

He also suggested that the United States military might isn’t what it once was compared with other global powers.

Elon Musk:

"I think we are sleepwalking our way into World War 3." pic.twitter.com/AK5AStgitS

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 23, 2023

Listen to the full conversation here:

Join us for this discussion of the state of war in the world https://t.co/ooPihPFWmN

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 23, 2023

From The Hill:

“We need to figure out peace in Ukraine, and I think we need to restore normal relations with Russia,” Musk said in a talk on his social media platform X on Monday.

“World War III is a civilizational risk that we may not recover from. So we need to prioritize avoiding World War III, that’s what actually matters,” he said. “And not what happened in World War I and have a regional conflict rapidly become a global conflict.”

The billionaire had previously offered a proposal to end the Ukraine war, which would have potentially ceded large swathes of Ukraine to Russia. He called for a ceasefire again Monday, saying the war against Russia is “helpless.”

Ukraine-Russia Peace:

– Redo elections of annexed regions under UN supervision. Russia leaves if that is will of the people.

– Crimea formally part of Russia, as it has been since 1783 (until Khrushchev’s mistake).

– Water supply to Crimea assured.

– Ukraine remains neutral.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 3, 2022

Musk’s suggestions have been derided by Ukrainian officials as non-starters. “F— off is my very diplomatic reply to you @elonmusk,” Ukrainian diplomat Andriy Melnyk responded to his proposal in October 2022.

Fuck off is my very diplomatic reply to you @elonmusk

— Andrii Melnyk (@MelnykAndrij) October 3, 2022

When former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly tried to get Musk to let Ukraine use SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service for use by the country’s military last year, Musk rebuffed the attempt.

“Starlink is meant for peaceful use only,” Musk stated.

Starlink is meant for peaceful use only

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 17, 2022

From the Daily Wire:

On January 31, Musk tweeted, “SpaceX Starlink has become the connectivity backbone of Ukraine all the way up to the front lines. This is the damned if you do part. However, we are not allowing Starlink to be used for long-range drone strikes. This is the damned if you don’t part.” Last week, SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell doubled down in the wake of reports that Ukraine’s military had used Starlink to control drones.

Starlink, which was permitted to be used by Ukraine for broadband internet for hospitals, banks, and families affected by Russia’s invasion, was “never never meant to be weaponized,” Shotwell said, adding, “However, Ukrainians have leveraged it in ways that were unintentional and not part of any agreement. … There are things that we can do to limit their ability to do that. There are things that we can do, and have done.”

That prompted Mykailo Podolyak, senior adviser to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, to respond, “A year of [Ukrainian] resistance & companies have to decide: Either they are on the side of [Ukraine] & the right to freedom, and don’t seek ways to do harm. Or they are on RF’s side & its ‘right’ to kill & seize territories. SpaceX (Starlink) and Mrs. Shotwell should choose a specific option.”

A year of 🇺🇦 resistance & companies have to decide:
-Either they are on the side of 🇺🇦 & the right to freedom, and don’t seek ways to do harm.
-Or they are on RF’s side & its "right" to kill & seize territories.#SpaceX (Starlink) & Mrs. #Shotwell should choose a specific option

— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) February 9, 2023

But on Saturday, Kelly tweeted at Musk, “Ukraine desperately needs your continued support. Please restore the full functionality of your Starlink satellites. Defense from a genocidal invasion is not an offensive capability. It’s survival. Innocent lives will be lost. You can help. Thank you.”

“You’re smart enough not to swallow media and other propaganda BS,” Musk responded. “Starlink is the communication backbone for Ukraine, especially at the front lines, where almost all other internet connectivity has been destroyed. But we will not enable escalation of conflict that may lead to WW3.”

You’re smart enough not to swallow media & other propaganda bs.

Starlink is the communication backbone of Ukraine, especially at the front lines, where almost all other Internet connectivity has been destroyed.

But we will not enable escalation of conflict that may lead to WW3.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 12, 2023