[Cincinatus' Wife]

Personally I don't think a self promoting LIBERAL acitivist is the best source of information when it comes to U.S. national security. But it would seem, either the media doesn't do it's homework, or it is eager to present John Pike as a "national security expert."

[Arkle]

Whatever you might think about Pike's agenda, the Federation of American Scientists website takes some beating as an information source about weapons systems.

[michaelt]

I used to see him quoted in stories about space stuff - missiles, sattelites, NASA, etc. Now it seems that his expertise has expanded to making national security policy.

The liberal media need a liberal expert to give them a perspective they can understand and use to bolster their opinions.

And didn't Pike once get in trouble for claiming a degree (PhD) that he didn't have?

Nevertheless, fas.org is chock full of info.

[fishtank]

I have LONG been annoyed with the simpering sissy of the left, John Pike.

He needs to be opposed even more than most elected officials, since he is a self-appointed NGO guru, constantly being fawned over by the commie-islam press.

He is the ultimate DISARMAMENT DORK

[the Wayne]

I remember a few years back when this guy got his jollies by publishing the locations of classified government facilities on the internet. He thought he was so damned clever. Some of his observations were correct and some were ludicrous.

[TADSLOS]

Just another left wing nut beaker freak.

[Brett66]

He's one of the many reasons I no longer watch network news. Anytime they have a story related to space/physics they robotically go to him. I would rather have someone like Robert Zubrin or Rick Tumlison commenting on space. The network's space related stories are always boring, trite and shallow.

[r9etb]

Based on my own experience, John Pike is very knowledgeable about some things, at least in his descriptions of hardware at the FAS website.

Where he falls down is in the practical application of his knowledge.

I first became aware of Pike back in the late '80s, when he was CNN's favorite commentator on NASA's DOD missions. Pike would smugly describe the payload ... and he would invariably be wrong.

I can confidently state that Mr. Pike would have avoided such errors if he'd simply bothered to read the latest issue of Aviation Week....

[Doctor Raoul]

He makes himself available on short notice. A boon to lazy producers.

[El Sordo]

"It makes me nervous that, like the British, we've acquired an empire in a fit of absent-mindedness,"

How does one absent mindedly acquire an empire?

[chimera]

John Pike is a professional talking head, sort of like the Zsa Zsa Gabor of scientist wannabes, you know, famous for being famous. He's the go-to guy if you want a left-wing opinion on any kind of technical subject, be it space science, defense policy, or energy technology.

Steven Aftergood made his bones with a crackpot organization out of LA with the dubious name of The Committe to Bridge the Gap, and their forte was intervening in many proceedings and cases involving reactor licensing, especially educational and research reactors. The Congressional Record is rife with his drivel on the subject. It got so bad I had to send in some comments on a subject using the pseudonym of Marvin Supergood, of The Committee to Blow the Bridge.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I concur. Didn't he work under Madeline Albright for a time, spreading the message of gun control to folks in Afghanistan, etc...I have the same question about this ambulance chaser media darling:
Sen. John Edwards: Intelligence Expert?.

This one has even fooled Bill O'Reilly.

[NMC EXP]

"national security expert."

Pike and FAS are very knowledgable on defense issues. You can of course disagree with his positions, but downplaying the level of expertise because of his positions is wrong. Your argument falls in the category of "red herring", I believe.

Regards

J.R.

[NMC EXP]

Why does the media think John Pike is a "national security expert

Good question. Lets extend it to: Rumsfeld, Rice, Wolfowitz, Perle, Ridge et al.

In Pike's case, he knows a lot about the hardware and who has it.

As to those I mentioned......well.....a businessman, academics, a governor. Experts all, of course.

Regards

J.R.