Michael Michalak, who was nominated by President Bush on May 24 to replace Michael Marine as Ambassador to Vietnam, has testified to two key U.S. senators, Barbara Boxer (D- California) and James Webb (R – Virginia) that he will seek improved human relations performance by the current VN government after his expected confirmation by the Senate.  According to SBTN News of 25 July 2007, “an activist in Orange County and member of Vietnam’s Democratic Reform Party said [Michalak] will need to walk a fine line between Vietnam’s 9.7 billion dollars bilateral trade agreement with the United States, and tensions between the two nations as the result of Vietnam’s recent arrests of lawyers and pro-democracy activists.”    

In response to questions by Senator Boxer on the nature of the crackdown on human rights in Vietnam, Mr. Michalak suggested the U.S. State Dept. could implement current human rights dialogue and a “public diplomacy program to train investigative journalists.”

 
SBTN has been following the story of the Viet Weekly’s manipulation of the audio file of the press conference of Ambassador Michael Marine in Viet-Am Review, commenting favorably.  

 
Since that time the Viet Weekly has launched a scurrilous attach on the renowned author Nguyen Chi Thien, asking “who gave him permission to talk about Viet Weekly?” and saying he was conducting “a kangaroo court” and “witch hunt.”

The American Embassy in Hanoi has been following the Viet Weekly’s attacks and lies too.  They provided me with an actual transcript of the press conference on April 6, 2007, which proves the pro-communist proclivity and the complete absence of education about the U.S. Constitution, rights and responsibilities of the press, by the Viet Weekly.  I have since emailed that transcript to any legitimate journalist who asks.