SECRECY NEWS is an email publication of
the Federation of American Scientists (FAS)
Project on Government Secrecy. It provides
informal coverage of new developments in secrecy,
security and intelligence policies, as well
as links to new acquisitions on the Federation
of American Scientists web site. It
is published 2 to 3 times a week, or as events
warrant. Secrecy
News Article Index
Restrictions on the publication of unclassified scientific
research and on the participation of foreign nationals in such
research are documented in a new study from the Association of
American Universities.
"Over the past three years, universities across the country have
reported a significant increase of situations where a sponsor has
included... language that either restricts the dissemination of
research results or the use of foreign nationals without prior
approval on certain research projects," the report states.
The authors analyzed 138 instances of such restrictions, mostly
imposed by Defense Department funders.
"The most disturbing outcome revealed by the data is the
substantial negative impact on the conduct of basic and applied
research of value to the nation which normally takes place in
institutions of higher education in the United States."
In the best case, such restrictions typically cause delay in the
negotiation of contract agreements. In the worst case, they
drive scientists away from investigation of contentious topics,
the authors found.
"Faculty and researchers are often forced to turn their attention
and talents toward research projects that do not involve these
difficulties," according to the study.
The authors said that such restrictions run contrary to the policy
enunciated in the 1985 National Security Decision Directive 189,
which directed that unclassified research should remain
unrestricted.
The new study was described in "Reports Examine Academe's Role in
Keeping Secrets" by David Malakoff, Science Magazine, April 23.
Meanwhile, however, a report from the Defense Department Inspector
General (also noted by Malakoff) found that "one university
granted foreign nationals access to unclassified
export-controlled technology without proper authorization."
"Unauthorized access to unclassified export-controlled technology
could allow foreign nations to counter or reproduce the
technology and thus reduce the effectiveness of the technology,
significantly alter program direction, or degrade combat
effectiveness," the Inspector General warned.
The outbreak of the SARS virus in Ontario, Canada in spring of
2003 caught the Canadian public health system unprepared and
ill-equipped to respond. An official Canadian Commission report
dissects the failures and proposes remedial measures.
"The report is unflattering," a email correspondent wrote to
Secrecy News, "but it is an exceptionally good assessment of a
public health infrastructure under duress."
"You could swap certain words, like 'U.S.' for 'Ontario' or
'anthrax' for 'SARS,' and it would be a familiar story in some
ways."
On the other hand, the Canadian report does not include an
analysis of "the intersections of law enforcement and public
health that are important for a competent bioterrorism response.
We can only learn so much about intentional events by studying
unintentional ones."
The role of China in illicit drug trafficking is assessed in a
recent "drug intelligence brief" from the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration.
"China is a major source of precursor chemicals necessary for the
production of cocaine, heroin, and crystal methamphetamine," the
DEA brief said.
"Although China has taken aggressive actions through legislation
and regulation of production and exportation of precursor
chemicals, extensive action is required to control the illicit
diversion and smuggling of precursor chemicals."
See "China:
Country Brief," Drug Enforcement Agency, February 2004 (650 KB
PDF file).
