Military expert Sharon Weinberger on Silicon Valley as a weapons manufacturer
In her new book, Sharon Weinberger analyzes the growing influence of tech billionaires on the US military and intelligence services.
Quick Look
- In her book “Valley of Death,” military expert Sharon Weinberger examines how Silicon Valley is increasingly shaping the defense industry.
- She warns of a shift in power to private tech companies without democratic control.
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Why It Matters
Sharon Weinberger is a veteran military expert and former security reporting director for The Wall Street Journal. Your book addresses the intertwining of Big Tech and military interests.
Military expert Sharon Weinberger talks about the tech billionaires' new power over America's weapons, the dispute between the Pentagon and Anthropic - and Steve Jobs' secret dealings with the CIA.
Sharon Weinberger: The military expert explains in her book how Silicon Valley became a weapons factory. Photo: Reuters, Afp, Picture Alliance, Pete Kiehart [M]
San Francisco. Sharon Weinberger has been watching America's military and intelligence apparatus for a quarter century, most recently as director of security reporting at The Wall Street Journal. Her new book "Valley of Death. How Big Tech Is Fueling the Future of War" will be published on September 22nd. In it she tells how Silicon Valley became a weapons factory. At the end of August, Weinberger spoke to Handelsblatt via video call from her apartment in Washington D.C.
For her book, the Pentagon expert interviewed dozens of officials, military officers and other insiders. She also shows previously unknown photos that show many tech grandees in a different light: for example, Apple founder Steve Jobs sitting next to a secret agent, or Palantir boss and Israel fan Alex Karp in a Palestinian scarf.
Weinberger warns of a gradual shift in power to private corporations that are not subject to democratic control. From this she also derives urgent advice to the German federal government.
Read the interview with Sharon Weinberger:
Open Questions
- What specific advice does Weinberger give the federal government?
- How is the Pentagon responding to criticism of the power shift?
