Political interference not needed in Iraqi science

Sir

Your News story on the assassination of scientists in Iraq, “Iraqi killings prompt calls for US to evacuate weapons scientists” (Nature 429, 115; 2004), included the statement that, according to officials at the US Department of State, “scientists felt excluded from an attempt by a largely expatriate group of Iraqi researchers to form an Iraqi academy of science”.

In fact, the meeting to formally establish the Iraqi National Academy of Science, held at the Royal Society in London in November 2003 with the participation of the French and US national science academies, involved 12 scientists and engineers, eight of whom are – and for many difficult years have been — based in Iraq.

It is disappointing that such a carelessly inaccurate allegation should be attributable to the US Department of State. Indeed, there is a danger that it may be misinterpreted as a politically motivated attempt to undermine the new Iraqi academy. Iraqi science needs an independent academy “promoting pure and applied science for the service of the people and the country, and reviving Iraqi talents for the good of humanity”, as its charter states. It does not need political interference from within or outside Iraq.