Dr. Lani Kass

**Sumtingwong** · 04-23-2010

Walrus,

To chime in here, I would be surprised if Dr Kass gets more than 30 minutes a week with the Admiral. His staff may read her stuff and may pass the pertinent perspectives, if any exist. The ADM and the service staffs know very well the perspectives of the advisors that surround them as all would have meet and greets upon entering the position.

Also, where you quote her "rhetoric" on Islam, this appears to be on "Islamism" as interpreted and carried out by radicals. This is somewhat analogous to Zionism in that both are political movements. Not many Muslims subscribe to this, as you attest to in your travels.

I would argue that a degree in computer science is absolutely not required to be an expert in cyberwarfare; I do not need to know how to build an F-18 with laser-guided bombs to know the effects of its capabilities. Other than "Flying and Fighting in Cyberspace,"

what was wrong with the presentation linked?

I base that statement on the simple fact that a small group of like minded individuals working together convinced America to invade Iraq when all sane professional intelligence indicated such an act was totally unnecessary.

A very small group of individual(s) had also convinced his own staff that he had WMD.

My $.02.

**Entropy** · 04-23-2010

Walrus,

I think we get that you don't like what you believe to be Dr. Kass' political and policy views. There's nothing wrong with that of course, but your ad hominem-based arguments aren't very convincing when the basis for your opposition to her is so transparent.

As someone who's held a high-level security clearance for the better part of two decades now, Dr. Kass' history does raise some questions in my own mind, but I'm in no position and I see no evidence that the decision to grant her a clearance was inappropriate. The clearance adjudication process and rationale is a bit opaque by design. At the end of the day, however, the information collected by investigators on Dr. Kass or anyone else is protected in this country, so there is no way to independently verify what you believe to be true without someone violating a lot of laws and the privacy of Dr. Kass, her family, friends, associates and neighbors.

**Dayuhan** · 04-23-2010

I have to say that the cyberwarfare ppt is really, really, dumb. That doesn't mean that Dr Kass is dumb, but it does suggest that she has a fairly low opinion of her audience. If someone asked me to watch that under the guise of professional development I'd walk out early on and have some choice words for somebody. Of course I've never been in the military or worked for the Government... possibly this sort of thing is normal in that environment? One hopes not...

Have to note that the alleged comments on Islam, while less than impressive, are second hand. It would be more convincing to cite some work that comes from Dr Kass herself. The potential for divided loyalties is of course a concern; we all know the Israelis spy on the US when they can and do what they can to influence US policy in support of their interests (just like everybody else). I assume there are procedures in place for vetting and monitoring in cases where the potential for divided loyalty is obvious.

**walrus** · 04-24-2010

Ken, thank you for your long post on the Byzantine Washington bureaucracy.

I hope you are right about the beneficial effects it has in moderating conflicting viewpoints. I have no personal issues whatsoever with Dr. Kass, how could I?

As long as Washington recognises the context of her advice all will be well, but why did the Air Force pull their bio of her?