[silverliver]

This was always going to be the logical conclusion to US hostile policy regarding the the proliferation of IC fabrication. The US, not cost, was the primary factor that discouraged many countries from pursuing their own IC fabrication capabilities. Had they not been so hostile, many countries would have had enough capacity to cover for the US until it rebooted its own industry.

This is also the same trap that China is barrelling into right now and they will absolutely find themselves in the same position eventually.