Compass Points - Superbowl Sunday

Musk and the National Anthem

Compass Points - Superbowl Sunday

Musk and the National Anthem

February 9, 2025

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Sunday is a good day for reflection.

And for many, this Sunday is a good day to reflect on football. Compass Points has received a special verse for this Superbowl Sunday. But first, some words from Elon Musk.

Elon Musk has created an incredible series of innovative businesses rivaled only by the great Thomas Edison. Now, in addition to his contributions in the world of commerce, Musk has plunged fearlessly into government. His Organization of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is advancing on federal agencies like Marines storming a beach.

Someday soon Elon Musk and his DOGE team will descend on the Pentagon. Before that happens, the broad military community would do well to know something of Musk's views on warfare.

Musk was interviewed by "Inside West Point" in August 2025, "In this episode, Musk explores the intersection of advanced technology and modern warfare, focusing on the role of AI and drones in transforming the battlefield." Here is an excerpt:

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ELON MUSK: I mean, the biggest effect, I think, by far is AI and drones. So the next well, in fact, the current war in Ukraine, is very much a drone war already. It’s sort of a contest between Russia and China to see who can deploy the most number of drones.

Now if there’s a major power war, it’s very much going to be a drone war. It’s going to be drones and AI. And, you know, it’s just sort of… I mean, I do worry about the existential risk of AI, which is that if you employ AI and drones, do you go down this path where eventually you get to Terminator? You know? Try to avoid that.

BG SHANE REEVES: That would be good.

ELON MUSK: Yeah. Minimize the Terminator risk. But I mean, essentially, when you’re making military drones, you are making Terminators. And I think you’re somewhat forced into giving the drone localized AI, because if AI is far away, it can’t control as well as localized AI.

-- Elon Musk, "Inside West Point"

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In the interview, Musk makes four basic points.

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-- Future battles will be mostly between drones.

-- In future battles, the front lines will be too dangerous for humans.

-- There is no place for pilots in future aircraft.

-- Space is the ultimate high ground and space-based communication is crucial.

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Musk is a technologist and a believer in the power of technology. He does not have a background in warfare. He does not seem to pause to ask why millions of drones in the current fighting in Ukraine have not been able to bring victory to either side. The fighting in Ukraine today has often become, not some futuristic high-tech warfare, but the bloody, grinding, infantry fighting from World War I.

Musk also does not seem to pause over the vulnerability of satellites. If satellites are crucial to future wars, it might be that future wars would begin with both sides sending swarms of drones into space to destroy all satellites. At that point, ground forces once again would be fighting mostly blind.

Before Musk and DOGE arrive at the Pentagon, perhaps someone could give him a copy of MCDP-1 Warfighting. Musk is said to be a voracious reader and might be fascinated by the Marine Corps handbook on maneuver warfare. Across the centuries many technologists have promised that some new technology would take the warfighting out of war.

Years ago, Colonel Billy Mitchell promised that airplanes had already rendered both the US Navy and US Army obsolete. Mitchell said future wars would involve only airplanes. Mitchell was correct to warn that airplanes would be an extremely powerful weapon of war. As powerful a weapon as airplanes have become, however, the bloody ground fighting in Ukraine today continues.

Musk is also correct. Drones are a powerful new weapon. But like all technologists, Musk overstates the power of technology. Will drones make the US Navy, Army, and Marines obsolete? Extremely doubtful.

See the links below for the full interview with Musk.

Over the last week, Compass Points readers have generated online and off a cornucopia of comments, insights, and analysis. Compass Points salutes all readers who in their own ways are continuing to build the discussion about a stronger Marine Corps and also thanks all our readers who served as seminar leaders this week by providing topics, articles, and comments. Many thanks!

And happy Superbowl Sunday. Compass Points has received a special verse about the Superbowl. Happy Sunday!

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The National Anthem of "Ron"

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At the SuperBowl party the snacks were all spread.

Waiting to watch two teams knockin’ heads.

But before the big game could get underway,

The national anthem had to be played.

And when the last note of the anthem was through

The announcer yelled, WAIT! Here’s anthem two.

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Anthem two?

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One anthem?

Two anthems?

Or anthems three?

How many anthems should one nation sing?

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If the anthem gets fractured,

Then what's fractured next?

A nation divided? A helluva mess!

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Anthem for all?

Or anthem for one?

Star Spangled Anthem?

Or Anthem of Ron?

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Once we all stood, to honor and praise,

The best of the hope of the home of the brave.

We once united under one song,

But some today feel that time has gone.

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Before all pro football games now,

One national anthem is too few somehow.

But why stop at anthems, two or three?

We all should have: an anthem of me!

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A national anthem, for everyone?

A national anthem for every name?

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Jonathan, Inez, William, Yvonne,

Leroy, Cortez, Jack, Henry, and Shawn.

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Jethro, Allison, Rebecca, Don,

Javier, Steven, Ellie, and Khan.

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Richard, Jill, Vernon, Robert, and John.

Peter, and Jacob, and Sherry, and Ron.

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Ron?

That is it!

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How could an anthem ever go wrong?

When it's the national anthem of Ron!

Every verse of Ron's own hymn,

Is devoted to Ron's every whim.

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Ron wants STOP signs to be painted green.

He demands everyone switch from java to tea.

He prefers the rain not fall on the street.

He wants all the fish removed from the sea.

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The Anthem of Ron, a Ron celebration.

We'll each have a song; we'll be our own nation.

But wait. That is sad. It's silly and then some,

Why fracture good things, like the national anthem?

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More than a few, still believe in our land.

Still want one anthem, will still take a stand.

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Who would destroy, corrupt, or erase,

The land of the free and home of the brave?

Who would group into warring tribes?

Who would break, dissolve, and divide?

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Once, out at sea stood Francis Scott Key.

Could the flag in the air survive bombs bursting there?

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And JFK used to advise:

Don't ask your nation to give to you.

Contemplate things that you can do.

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Abraham Lincoln said,

With malice toward none,

Let's stop fighting the war that we've already won.

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Anthem for all?

Or just for one?

Star Spangled Anthem?

Or Anthem of Ron?

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Once we all stood, to honor and praise,

The best of the hope of the home of the brave.

We once united under one song,

But some today feel that time has gone.

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If our anthem gets fractured,

Then what's fractured next?

A nation divided? A helluva mess!

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At the Superbowl party the snacks were all spread.

Waiting to watch two teams knockin’ heads.

But before the big game could get underway,

The national anthem had to be played.

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One anthem?

Two anthems?

Or anthems three?

How many anthems should one nation sing?

-- JDK

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USMA - August 2025

VIDEO:

Inside West Point: The Future of Technology in Warfare with Mr. Elon Musk

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uItR09tDMXM

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Singju Post

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

Inside West Point: The Future of Technology in Warfare with Mr. Elon Musk

https://singjupost.com/full-transcript-the-future-of-technology-in-warfare-with-mr-elon-musk/?singlepage=1