"I'm very happy that their collective reputation is salvaged," said Mr. Debat. In September 2007, the French news media "Rue 89" alleged that two interviews, one of Barack Obama and the other of former US Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, both published in the French magazine "Politique Internationale", had been fabricated. These allegations in turn led to Debat's voluntary resignation, allegedly for "personal reasons", from "The National Interest" and the Nixon Center. Many other personalities also since stated that "Politique Internationale" published bogus interviews of them. The list included former US President Bill Clinton, US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, former US Secretary of State Colin Powell, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Alexis Debat has denied "Rue 89"'s allegations, and claimed that he was taking steps to charge "Rue 89" and Pascal Riché, author of the story, for "slander. The trial is pending." He admitted however having made "a mistake" for Obama's interview. On the other hand, Debat also admitted he did not interview Bill Clinton, Pelosi, Bloomberg, Gates, Greenspan or Annan, but that these "interviews" were piece together from speeches, with the consent of Patrick Wasjman, the director of "Politique Internationale". He has also claimed that "a technicality" had prevented the Sorbonne University from issuing his PhD, which he had not been made aware of. Alexis Debat moved to California and currently uses the name Yves Bergquist. Debat was a respected expert on terrorism issues, writing for example on the Jundallah Balochi and Sunni organisation, on the Tabligh organisation, on Iran and many other subjects. Two days before "Rue 89" 's revelations, Alexis Debat was the source of a "Sunday Times" article claiming that The Pentagon had a "‘three-day blitz’ plan for Iran". In an article published by "National Journal", Laura Rozen has questioned Debat's account of alleged US support to the Jundallah in purported covert operations against Iran. This ABC report by Debat had itself been angrily denied by Pakistan official sources, ABC later reported. ABC precised that "ABC News stands by its reporting on this story." Laura Rozen then explained that according to the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, partially funded by the US government, Debat had been a paid employee of them, until the controversy lifted by "Rue 89".