To conclude: Viet Weekly can not hide its pro-communist stand. When its act is caught by the Vietnamese community that is predominantly anti-communist, its staff instead of recognizing the wrong doings and apologize to the community, they aggravated the problems by committing plenty of lies to cover them up. This cover-up can be seen as a “small scale Watergate scandal” within the Vietnamese media and the Vietnamese community. By spreading lies and inventing facts to back them up, Viet Weekly can no longer be trusted as a credible media organization. Phu Le. After the press release of April 5, 2007, in which Ambassador Michael Marine criticized the Vietnamese government specifically for political imprisonment and naming Father Ly, the American Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez who was escorting the wife of a political prisoner to the Ambassador’s home was prevented from entering. The Vietnamese woman was physically prevented by Communist police. After the Ambassador protested this to the Deputy Prime Minister Kheim with the American Congressional delegation on April 6, he was reportedly asked to resign by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. His resignation takes effect July 31. His nominated replacement is the Ambassador to APEC Michael Michalak. The extraordinary APEC appointment at Ambassador level was made by President Bush in November 2005 and confirmed by the Senate in February 2006. The nomination for Ambassador to Vietnam was sent to the Senate on May 24, 2007. Jean Libby   more »

Following the altercation in front of the Ambassador’s residence on April 5, 2007 between Hanoi police and Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez and her guest, the wife of an imprisoned journalist, Michael Marine resigned his post as Ambassador to Vietnam effective the end of July. He can be seen in this extraordinary video published two weeks ago by butvang (the editor of Anh Duong online) promising the Vietnamese woman (through an interpreter) that he will discuss her case with Deputy Prime Minister Khiem the following day. http://youtube.com/watch?v=p1MbiAFvxrE&mode=related&search= Jean Libby, editor of VietAm Review, shows evidence that the Viet Weekly Magazine is pro-communist and manipulated the transcription of the press conference of April 6, 2007 at which this incident was discussed in Hanoi. Soon after these events Ambassador Michael Marine resigned due to stress of the assignment, effective July 31. He will retire. This has not been reported on the Embassy website nor that of the State Department. Mr. Michael William Michalak was appointed to the rank of Ambassador to APEC by President Bush in November 2005. His nomination to Ambassador of Vietnam was sent May 24, 2007. Neither event is reported on the White House website; the site is criticized for ineptness.   more »

A new page on the Viet-Am Review website (www.vietamreview.net) features current essays, letters, and statements about democracy and human rights in Vietnam by people who have been imprisoned by the Communist government there beginning in the 1950s and 1960s and as recently as 2007. see www.vietamreview.net/Prisoner_Wisdom.html   more »

Congressman Mike Honda (D-Cupertino-San Jose) writes the following on the occasion of the visit of Vietnam President Nguyen Minh Triet to Washington D.C. I urge the Department of State to adopt the re-designation of Vietnam as a Country of Particular Concern for its continued oppression of religious freedom and political expression, as recommended by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. It is my hope that the Vietnamese government will consider how their actions are viewed by the world, and that they immediately cease their detention and harassment of peaceful, democratic activists.   more »

10TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 506 Condemning ongoing human rights abuses in Vietnam, and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should remove permanent normal trade relations status with Vietnam unless all political and religious prisoners are released and significant and immediate human rights reforms are made by the Government of Vietnam. Thank you, office of Congresswoman Lofgren, for the privilege of announcing this Resolution to Vietnamese American community organizations and media resources. Jean Libby, Editor VietAm Review   more »

Democratic Party of Vietnam Representative Visits the White House, National Security Council and the U.S. State Department for Consultations in Advance of Vietnam President Meeting with President Bush on June 22. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 18, 2007 In advance of Vietnam President Nguyen Minh Triet’s meeting with President Bush on June 22nd, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Ngai was invited by Vice President Richard Cheney, National Security Advisor Dennis Wilder and high level State Department officials to Washington, D.C. for consultations on Thursday, June 14. Dr. Nguyen, a physician and cardiologist in San Jose, California, is a key member of the Democratic Party of Vietnam, which advocates democracy for Vietnam and an improvement in human rights and religious freedom for its people. In addition, the renowned cardiologist Dr. Ngai Nguyen was asked for medical advice about his heart condition by the vice-president, which he promptly received. Jean Libby, editor, VietAm Review   more »

Vietnam Currents June 15, 2007 by Hai V. Tran. Issues of human rights instead of trade and business should occupy the conversation between President Bush of the USA and President Triet of Communist Vietnam on June 22, 2007 visit to Washington.   more »

The press release of Ambassador Michael Marine regarding human rights of political prisoners in Vietnam was announced on April 5, 2007. I see no change in his position of support of the basic human rights of Father Nguyen Van Ly in the courtroom in his press conference of April 6, 2007 after meeting with vice primeminister Khiem as reported in the VietWeekly magazine, issue no. 25 and/or in the audio file. The audio file containing a garbled version of the April 6 press conference of Michael Marine has been published by VietWeekly on or before June 14, 2007. I commend the U.S. State Dept. and Ambassador Michael Marine for his strong stand against political imprisonment in Vietnam and corruption in the government and economy. Jean Libby, editor, VietAm Review   more »

The recognition of Ho Chi Minh as a perpetrator of crimes to humanity along with the Soviet Union, Mao, Lenin, Stalin, and Castro has occurred because of efforts of Vietnamese Americans to educate within this larger group. The dissident poet Nguyen Chi Thien is traveling to Washington D.C. to participate in the Round Table in the afternoon. President Bush is scheduled to appear at the dedication in the morning.   more »