What made me think about this one was something I heard Nick Cook (the aviation journalist) say about his struggles to find out details about some secret US projects. He felt that the public ought to know more about some classified projects especially when you take into account their vast costs. I agree. This isn't the Cold War any more.
I'm sure every country has a strain on its public services these days and we who work in them have to justify every penny we spend and we don't get enough as it is. Yet it seems that a few politicians and senior military men can set vast budgets on projects for 'national security'. And are the projects even necessary? And who's doing the checking?! You can follow what NASA or the ESA is up to in great detail but who knows what the equivalent military forces are up to! Did the Stealth planes really need to be so secret even though toy versions were in the shops?
Besides the major rival nations all know what everyone else is developing in secret through their spy networks. The only people who don't know anything are the public and the poor countries. Figures! Anyone agree?
I'm sure every country has a strain on its public services these days and we who work in them have to justify every penny we spend and we don't get enough as it is. Yet it seems that a few politicians and senior military men can set vast budgets on projects for 'national security'. And are the projects even necessary? And who's doing the checking?! You can follow what NASA or the ESA is up to in great detail but who knows what the equivalent military forces are up to! Did the Stealth planes really need to be so secret even though toy versions were in the shops?
Besides the major rival nations all know what everyone else is developing in secret through their spy networks. The only people who don't know anything are the public and the poor countries. Figures! Anyone agree?