Harvard University withdraws fellowship invitation to Chelsea Manning
Harvard University on Friday withdrew a fellowship invitation to Chelsea
Manning, the transgender U.S. Army soldier who was convicted of leaking
classified data, after two top intelligence experts distanced themselves from
the school over the invite.
Manning, 29, was released in May from a U.S. military prison in Kansas where
she had been serving time for passing secrets to the WikiLeaks website in the
biggest breach of classified data in the history of the United States.
Harvard Kennedy School of government announced on Wednesday that it had
invited the controversial figure to be a visiting fellow and speak at a forum.
The invitation to speak at the university still stands, said Douglas Elmendorf,
the dean of Harvard Kennedy School, in a statement.
"I now think that designating Chelsea Manning as a visiting fellow was a
mistake, for which I accept responsibility," Elmendorf said. "I see more clearly
now that many people view a visiting fellow title as an honorific, so we should
weigh that consideration when offering invitations."
The announcement came after CIA Director Mike Pompeo canceled a speaking
engagement at the university on Thursday over the invitation to Manning, whom he
called an "American traitor" in a letter to the university regarding his
decision.
"My conscience and duty to the men and women of the Central Intelligence
Agency will not permit me to betray their trust by appearing to support
Harvard's decision with my appearance," he wrote.
Also on Thursday, former deputy director and acting director of the CIA
Michael Morell resigned as a senior fellow at the university, media
reported.
"Good," Manning tweeted after Morell resigned.
Source: Reuters
No comments
Your comments and Encouragement are welcome