http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/may/11/susan-rice-us-national-security-agencies-too-white/print/White House’s Susan Rice: U.S. national security agencies are too white
By Dave Boyer - The Washington Times - Wednesday, May 11, 2016
White House National Security Adviser Susan E. Rice said Wednesday there are too many white people in key government posts, creating the danger of "groupthink" that could put U.S. security at risk.
Speaking at Florida International University's commencement, Ms. Rice said a diversified government workforce is more likely to yield "better outcomes" than a predominantly white one.
Referring to criticism that the U.S. national security workforce is "white, male, and Yale," Ms. Rice told the graduates, "In the halls of power, in the faces of our national security leaders, America is still not fully reflected."
"By now, we should all know the dangers of 'groupthink,' where folks who are alike often think alike," she said. "By contrast, groups comprised of different people tend to question one another's assumptions, draw on divergent perspectives and experiences, and yield better outcomes."
She added, "Intelligence analysts, diplomats and military officers who are native speakers may pick up subtle nuances that might otherwise go unnoticed. Diplomats who can read cultural cues may better navigate the political and social currents of a foreign nation. In sum, leaders from diverse backgrounds can often come up with more creative insights, proffer alternative solutions, and thus make better decisions."
Her comments were reminiscent of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who said in a speech in 2001 before she joined the high court, "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."
In an apparent reference to presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, Ms. Rice also criticized "voices out there that disparage our diversity — that question whether America should welcome people of all races, religions and creeds."
"Those voices can be loud. They can be intimidating," she said. "They can make us feel like we don't belong. Let fear be their problem, not yours. Shake it off. Ignore the haters."
The daughter of Jamaican immigrants, Ms. Rice was a leading contender to become secretary of state in President Obama's second term, but she fell out of contention after the storm of controversy over her role in the administration's "talking points" about the Benghazi terrorist attack in Libya in 2012. The attack, which killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, was blamed initially by Ms. Rice and other top officials on a spontaneous riot over an anti-Islam film produced in the U.S.
When it became clear that Senate Republicans would not tolerate her nomination as the nation's top diplomat, Mr. Obama appointed her as his national security adviser, a post that doesn't require Senate confirmation.
In her commencement speech, Ms. Rice said U.S. national security agencies "have not yet drawn fully on the strengths of our great nation."
"Minorities still make up less than 20 percent of our senior diplomats [and] less than 15 percent of senior military officers and senior intelligence officials," she said.
"Why should we care? For starters, a diverse national security workforce enables us to unlock all of our nation's talent," Ms. Rice said.
