LETTER TO BEN BOWERS FROM B. R. INMAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83M00914R002700130004-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 22, 2007
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: February 19, 1982
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 20O e 6Dr OP83M00914R002700130004-9
Mr. Ben Bowers, Executive Editor
Roanoke Times & World-News
201-09 W. Campbell Ave., S.W.
P.O. Box 2491
Roanoke, VA 24010
I take issue with your 13 January 1982 editorial titled "A Lid on
Scientific Information?" which inaccurately reported my views.
Your editorial was derived from a speech I gave on 7 January 1982.
would gladly have provided you a copy before you wrote your editorial,
had you asked, so you could have reported my views as I presented them.
I never came close to saying that scientists should "let U.S. intelligence
agents examine their papers before they're published. They should.do this
voluntarily--or else," as you reported.
As you will see in the enclosed copy of my speech, I proposed as a
societal goal a joint search for a system that would preclude harm to the
national security without imposing unreasonable restrictions on scientific
research, publication, or use of the results. I further proposed that a
potential balance might be struck by simply including in the scientific
peer review process the question of potential harm to society or the nation.
This is a far cry from clamping a lid on scientific information.
I expect you will wish to retract your inaccurate attribution to me,
and I urge you to publish a clarification for the benefit of your reader-
ship.
Sincerely,
B. R. Inman
Admiral, U.S. Navy
Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
OEXA/PAD/CEW/scn/19 Feb 82/x7676
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