Envoy's letter in (Washington) Times is revealed as a forgery

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.washtimes.com/world/20030715-114911-5946r.htm

A letter to the editor of The Washington Times, purported to be from a senior U.S. diplomat with scathing criticism of the Foreign Service for lack of loyalty to the Bush administration, was exposed yesterday as a forgery.

Wesley Pruden, the editor in chief of The Times, said the newspaper learned "from the highest level at the State Department" that the letter was a hoax and the newspaper fully accepts "as true that the ambassador was not the author of this letter."

Stephan M. Minikes, ambassador to the Vienna-based Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, writes in an authentic letter to The Times, published in full this morning on Page A18, that the forgery was a "complete and utter fabrication. It was not written by or for me and it expressed views that are diametrically opposite to the views I hold.

"The fact is that never in my long career have I worked with a more dedicated group of professionals than those I have encountered in the Department of State led by Secretary Powell — people who are absolutely committed to executing the president's foreign policy goals."

[Cha]

1. Sounds like someone is in a World of trouble if..

they ever catch whomever forged the e-mail.

"The Foreign Service was showing lack of loyalty" to the bushwa?

[Frances]

2. Who did write the email?

My money is on Rove.

[snippy]

3. How very republican.

[Fovea]

4. Well, here we are

I guess I have to write my congressman again today and ask yet again about an investigation of the * administration(sic).

[TolstoyAndy]

5. Standard procedure?

The story says the standard procedure at the Moonie Times is to verify _all_ letters to the editor, but it was not followed in this instance.

Now, maybe you fail to verify a letter from John Jones of Bethesda, but before you publish a letter from the diplomatic delegation of a foreign government, wouldn't you make sure beforehand?

How did Karl think this lie would get by?

(Oh yeah, he looked at all the lies they've gotten away with and thought "what's one more?")

[SayitAintSo]

6. Even my measly paper verifies ME when I write a letter to the editor ...

This is really smelly ....

[VolcanoJen]

7. Something tells me Wesley Pruden authored it.

I've come to expect this kind of behavior from the Moonie Times.

Very interesting story, thanks for posting this!

- Jennifer

[roguevalley]

8. My god!

I hope a meteor strikes the earth. Now.