To the Times:
I'd like to respond to Ann M. Lesch's column "Villanova Center Answers Criticism," in the August 8 issue of the Delaware County Daily Times. The matter's a bit complicated, so hold on to your hats.
I invited Professor Lesch to speak at a program of the Foreign Policy Institute last November 13 and she accepted. I could not attend her talk but was subsequently informed that she asserted that I approve of the Syrian takeover of Lebanon. I wrote Professor Lesch a note and enclosed some articles of mine showing that I have consistently protested this takeover. She then called me and assured me that she could not have said such a thing. I accepted her word. The matter appeared closed.
But it was not. The issue would not go away. Several persons insisted that Professor Lesch had in fact talked of my approval of the Syrian takeover. Finally, I pulled out the tape recording of her talk, and this was precisely what was stated: "Some say, and Dan Pipes advocates this, that Lebanon should be part of Syria."
We have the tape of Professor Lesch's talk at our office and I have invited her repeatedly to visit us and listen to it if she wishes to verify the accuracy of this transcription. She has not done so. Instead, she sent a proxy to tape the tape. Professor Lesch then listened to that version and concluded that the word "advocates" in the quote above is really "indicates."
On learning of this new interpretation, we pulled out the tape yet again, this time listening to it repeatedly and very carefully. I regret to report that the tape is unambiguously clear: Professor Lesch said "advocates," not "indicates." Perhaps the fact that she listened not to the original, but to a copy, muddled the sounds; perhaps nine months ago she did intend to say "indicates." All that I can say is that the tape leaves no room for doubt that what she actually said was "advocates."
It was bad enough that Professor Lesch misrepresented my views last November; but she compounds her error by trying retroactively to change her words. Rather than continue to deny what she plainly said into a tape recorder, I wish she would apologize for her mistakes and thereby close this unfortunate matter.
DANIEL PIPES
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Philadelphia
