Elspeth Reeve
Posted on 08/06/2007 7:23:23 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative
THE WEEKLY STANDARD has learned from a military source close to the investigation that Pvt. Scott Thomas Beauchamp--author of the much-disputed "Shock Troops" article in the New Republic's July 23 issue as well as two previous "Baghdad Diarist" columns--signed a sworn statement admitting that all three articles he published in the New Republic were exaggerations and falsehoods--fabrications containing only "a smidgen of truth," in the words of our source.
Separately, we received this statement from Major Steven F. Lamb, the deputy Public Affairs Officer for Multi National Division-Baghdad:
An investigation has been completed and the allegations made by PVT Beauchamp were found to be false. His platoon and company were interviewed and no one could substantiate the claims.
According to the military source, Beauchamp's recantation was volunteered on the first day of the military's investigation. So as Beauchamp was in Iraq signing an affidavit denying the truth of his stories, the New Republic was publishing a statement from him on its website on July 26, in which Beauchamp said, "I'm willing to stand by the entirety of my articles for the New Republic using my real name."
The magazine's editors admitted on August 2 that one of the anecdotes Beauchamp stood by in its entirety--meant to illustrate the "morally and emotionally distorting effects of war"--took place (if at all) in Kuwait, before his tour of duty in Iraq began, and not, as he had claimed, in his mess hall in Iraq. That event was the public humiliation by Beauchamp and a comrade of a woman whose face had been "melted" by an IED.
Nothing public has been heard from Beauchamp since his statement standing by his stories, which was posted on the New Republic website at 6:30 a.m. on July 26. In their August 2 statement, the New Republic's editors complained that the military investigation was "short-circuiting" TNR's own fact-checking efforts. "Beauchamp," they said, "had his cell-phone and computer taken away and is currently unable to speak to even his family. His fellow soldiers no longer feel comfortable communicating with reporters. If further substantive information comes to light, TNR will, of course, share it with you."
Now that the military investigation has concluded, the great unanswered question in the affair is this: Did Scott Thomas Beauchamp lie under oath to U.S. Army investigators, or did he lie to his editors at the New Republic? Beauchamp has recanted under oath. Does the New Republic still stand by his stories?
News....
Got to run,...ping me if anyone starts a fresh thread....the USA Today report might be a good start...
This guy had better not get off the hook. He was writing crap that aided the enemey. And most probably pissed off a lot of border line Iraqi slowly coming into the fold. He deserves nothing less then a full courtmartial with a long prison sentence or face a firing squad or the guy with the black hood.
In the dictionary and in the world — Liar precedes Leftist and Liberal.....
Seems like he's DEFINITELY "established credentials" for liberal writing.
Elspeth Reeve
He went to Canada?
Thanks for the link. It is a great resource.
skin that FPOS alive... then set his azz on FIRE!!!
This should get him a Destorters job at the Old York Times.
Pray for W and Our Troops
TNR has a serious problem.
This ain’t the first instance.
The little turd should be courts-martialed. It figures that he has a French last name.
HA!
HA!
Glad to help. :)
When will TNR itself come clean???? They can’t give it up because they find trashing the troops s-o-o-o sweet.
Do Privates ever get fragged?
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