Siemens Corporation
 

It appears that the Siemens corporation is the epitome of a multinational corporation. According to Wikipedia, it has operations in 190 countries. Siemens originated in Germany.

Last I heard, Germany was an ally. It appears, however, that Siemens has provided a great deal of the technology for the Iranian Nuclear program. What should be done when there is a disconnect between international security and corporate interests?

Regards,

D-Ray

But, Don, they did it to make a profit, which is always a good thing. Right?

Dave

I think we should lock the CEO up...just like we did with Bernard Schwartz.

The giant internationals and been selling technology and tools to both sides every since the earth cooled. And even if those in charge are prosecuted, they wind up doing less time than the guy who stuck up the liquor store.

Chas

Venerable old IBM was a Nazi collaborator too.

I wasn't suggesting locking anyone up. My question was more along the lines is there anything structural that could impose a conscience on these "persons?" As it is, profit has no allies nor any enemies. It exists to serve its own purposes. In our world it has become a value taking precedence over any other. This is just another example of that phenomenon.

Regards,

D-Ray

How about Standard Oil and DuPont's cooperation with the Nazi's and IG Farben (maker of Zyklon B, BTW). Nothing new here.

Iirc German companies are well known for their amoral sales operations to enemies of the west.

Pete

You have probably used the correct description, but in my little world the whole concept is immoral.

Regards,

D-Ray

I have to wonder what the laws in Germany look like for a company that operates potentially outside of German national/foreign policy interests. For instance, I would suspect that Seimens is not delivering supplies and materials to Iran via a German - based entity. They may be doing it though one of their many subsidiaries based outside of Germany, and do so in compliance with the laws where that subsidiary operates. How does German law treat that scenario?

Uh - I dunno. My inquiry was more an ethical puzzle. Does it turn out that the ultimate value set in the western world places profit at the top.

Regards,

D-Ray

I think the Germans (and the French, among others in Western Europe) take a more pragmatic view than we do (i.e., somebody somewhere is going to sell this stuff to them. It might as well be us).

BTW, we were among those who sold the precursor chemicals to Iraq for their manfacture of poison gas. Courtesty of Wikipedia:

The provision of chemical precursors from United States companies to Iraq was enabled by a Ronald Reagan administration policy that removed Iraq from the State Department's list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. Leaked portions of Iraq's "Full, Final and Complete" disclosure of the sources for its weapons programs shows that thiodiglycol, a substance needed to manufacture mustard gas, was among the chemical precursors provided to Iraq from US companies such as Alcolac International and Phillips.

Think about it, if they had gotten the controllers from say China it would not have been possible to mount that cyber attack.

As for us getting on our high horse - pot, kettle, black.

True dat. Who is to say that Siemens didn't provide us or the Israeli's the code? They (we) got it somehow.

Bear with me while I descend a bit into cynicism: ;)

What's wrong with taking millions from the Irans of the world (e.g., Saudi Arabia....) if we can subsequently render their toys useless at will if they misbehave? We have their money as well as control over the use of their toys. If China sold it, we'd have neither.

This would have made things a bit easier. However, does the "real world" of espionage work this way? It would have placed someone at Siemens potentially "in the know".

What's interesting is that a country such as Iran is incapable of developing the technology on it's own. So, it must go to it's enemies for help.

I think the scenario we're developing is very possible, if not likely. That someone at Siemens sold them the stuff, then shared this information with the German government, who then passed it along so that a cyber attack could later be launched to disable it.

If this is the case, then----Who cares? So Seimens turned a buck selling these idiots something our side would fully know how to disable? I see no need to punish anyone for that. Now, if said individuals sold the stuff then kept it a secret? That would be entirely different, IMO.

Dave

Smoke this over for a minute:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms_in...arms_exporters

It seems to me highly likely that we sell stuff to unsavory characters with whom our allies don't exactly have favorable relations.