War on Academia

Once again Aftergood's Secrecy News brings news of new and ever more stupid attempts by GWOT nimrods to kill our economy by strangling academia. The latest idiocy involves an attempt to prevent furrenners from working on contracts involving export controlled technology:

Dod Proposes to Tighten Rules on Foreign Scientists The Department of Defense is proposing to tighten its contracting rules to restrict access by foreign nationals working in U.S. labs to information and technology that is export-controlled, a move that could wreak havoc in university research centers and elsewhere.

"Any access to export-controlled information or technology by a foreign national or a foreign person anywhere in the world, including the United States, is considered an export to the home country of the foreign national or foreign person," the proposed rule states. Accordingly, any such access must be restricted, or licensed, DoD contends.

What idiots. This must have been written by someone that has no idea about the role of foreign students in scientific research in this country. This will drive more foreign students to find a more accommodating country to study in.

University administrators and others say the export control requirements, strictly interpreted, would be so onerous as to cripple many DoD-funded university research programs, where foreign nationals make up a large fraction of working scientists.

Just what we need to win the battle against islamofacists. Yeah right.

Tags: secrecy, academia