It's Mapes--she's the one they're circling the wagons around. She interviewed Burkett and saw the original forgeries. Burkett gave her copies, which were then faxed to the home office, but she saw that there were "originals". I believe she is Rather's unimpeachable source, based on the fact that she saw the original forgeries. She didn't know they were forgeries at the time. That's my take.
Burkett is a retired Army National Guard systems analyst. He knows his way around a computer and he knows his way around a military style memo. And he had a motive.
"Burkett is a retired Army National Guard systems analyst. He knows his way around a computer and he knows his way around a military style memo. And he had a motive."
You picked up on the 'systems analyst' part too. When I was starting my computer career, there were programmer analysts and systems analysts in the information systems department. However, I don't know if the term 'systems analyst' in the military meant the same thing as it did in business. It might have more military connotations than computer ones. Any comments from esteemed military folks?