I can fully agree with the letter of the Fulbright fellow anthropologist. At least for anthropologists it is important to be able to conduct their research in different countries without being perceived as a spy (for any country by the way). Anthropologists need the trust of the people to be able to work at all - and also to get permission to work. If the residents of the area are thinking you´re a spy for a government they propably won´t share their stories, beliefs and knowledge with you and they will definitely not agree that you dig out the remains of their ancestors to research their forefathers burial rites and ancient life.


Sue,
I definitely disagree with your statement "People in the hard sciences have no problem with government using (and paying for) their research".
Even though we in the hard sciences (I am pursuing a PhD in Molecular- and Neuroscience and work at a university) often get money from the government we are still independent! There is no government agency telling me what to research or what the outcome should be and how to use it. Scientists have often disagreed with the way governments were (mis)using their research - so please don´t generalize too much.


I can´t say much about social scientists, as I am quite biased in this sector.


Shouldn´t the military anyway have special officiers that mediate between residents and army (in any conflict)? Even if those are (by degree) social scientists or antropologists, they should have military instruction and would then, as a real part of the army, be perceived as military by the residents. Thus they would not do harm to the big group of scientists around the world and could still help.