The recent Eos Forum article from the Council of the American Quaternary Association (AMQUA) attacking the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)(Eos, 87(36), 364, 2006) goes beyond the pale of reasonable promotion or defense of AGU's position regarding global climate change and is a lamentable low for AGU in overarching political demagoguery. It is certainly within the purview of AGU to adopt a position concerning anthropogenic forcing of current global warming, as the association did in 2003. However, to challenge the competency, integrity, and intent of another scientific organization whose council and members read the data differently is truly reprehensible. The tone of the letter and AGU' position in promoting this view are nothing short of evangelical environmentalism with a dark shade of inquisitional environmental repression. Truly, the credibility, impartiality, and integrity of AGU are at question in the debate over climate science. Evidently, AMQUA believes its position to be so righteous that it should sit in judgment on all other professional scientific societies. Such a poorly reasoned and self-justifying position screams political bias. |