[softskunk]

> “If somebody came back and said, ‘Your science is bad,’ I think the United States would listen,” Treadwell told the media. “But I don’t think science is bad. I think we’ve had very good science.”

This is a very strange way to say nothing. Why is this guy talking to the media?

[hiddencost]

He's referring to China which is doing things like constructing artificial islands to make bad faith claims to territory.

The point is that he's trying to portray this work as honest, and part of honesty means acknowledging and adjusting when you're mistaken.