12.20.2004
Signature Row Turns Up Heat on Rumsfeld (Guardian.co.uk)
Defence secretary admits machine signed Iraq condolence letters
Dan Glaister in Los Angeles
Monday December 20, 2004
The Guardian
The pressure on the beleaguered US defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, intensified yesterday and threatened to taint his main supporter in Washington, George Bush.
David Hackworth, a retired US army colonel turned writer, reported that Mr Rumsfeld had used a mechanical signature writer to sign his name on letters of condolence to relatives of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Although the charge was initially denied by the Pentagon, Mr Rumsfeld issued a statement on Thursday acknowledging the practice and promising to halt it.
"While I have not individually signed each one, in the interest of ensuring expeditious contact with grieving family members, I have directed that in the future I sign each letter," Mr Rumsfeld said in the statement.
Mr Hackworth also reported allegations by relatives of deceased soldiers that letters they had received from the president had been signed by a machine.
(More ... Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Signature row turns up heat on Rumsfeld) ¶ 22:58
Dan Glaister in Los Angeles
Monday December 20, 2004
The Guardian
The pressure on the beleaguered US defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, intensified yesterday and threatened to taint his main supporter in Washington, George Bush.
David Hackworth, a retired US army colonel turned writer, reported that Mr Rumsfeld had used a mechanical signature writer to sign his name on letters of condolence to relatives of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Although the charge was initially denied by the Pentagon, Mr Rumsfeld issued a statement on Thursday acknowledging the practice and promising to halt it.
"While I have not individually signed each one, in the interest of ensuring expeditious contact with grieving family members, I have directed that in the future I sign each letter," Mr Rumsfeld said in the statement.
Mr Hackworth also reported allegations by relatives of deceased soldiers that letters they had received from the president had been signed by a machine.
(More ... Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Signature row turns up heat on Rumsfeld) ¶ 22:58
