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sure, that makes it state-managed monopoly or whatever else you call it; keeping to the topic, any competition?

What did DARPA have a monopoly over exactly? They were and are a defense research agency.

Late Columbia professor Seymour Melman demystified this in his book "Pentagon Capitalism" back in 1970. And, for a summary, http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Chomsky/PentagonSystem_Cho...

A lot of preconceptions may be in the way though in trying to understand this.