>>The straight answer as to why they were forged: unknown.<<

Perhaps, but I think the answer is obvious. The best way to kill the controversy was to put out the truth in fudged docs and get some idiot to take the bait and then pull the rug out from under him. Dan Rather in this case. Once that happened, America immediately tired of the controversy and refused to entertain it anymore. They were hellbent of Bush and were looking for ANYTHING that would enable them to forget his service record or lack thereof. It quickly became old news and no one wanted to hear about it anymore.

I talked to so many people who referred to "those forged documents" when they were never proven to be forged--they were, of course--but it was never proven.

It was the perfect way to kill the controversy and reassure the public that it was voting for the right guy. It has Karl Rove written all over it.

But Bush never answered the charges and the controversy will rise again once the stupid public remembers it never got an answer.