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?
Should Beauchamp be punished worse if he had stood by his story, or if he recanted?
Which branch of the Federal government do you think should have the authority to define that term, which is central to a treason prosecution?
Sure, he could always write a book about how the Colonists never actually owned firearms; then he could get a job as a history professor at some second-rate college in Atlanta!
LOL!
Which branch of the Federal government do you think should have the authority to define that term, which is central to a treason prosecution?"
One could start by defining "enemy" as those whom the President has ordered the military to oppose and whom Congress has authorized the money to do so...
The "enemy" could be foreign or domestic....
That is precisely why it is so damned important that folks don't send assholes like Clinton, Kerry, Kennedy, Schumer, Reid, Murry, Dodd, Murtha, Pelosi, etc, etc, etc......to Congress or the White House..
You're right! I consider myself fairly fluent in "parse-tongue", but you are the master.
I think Beauchamp’s wife will spend a month or two debating her husband’s truthfulness...and likely by next summer...she will divorce the guy. If he lies about stuff like this...what else does he lie about? Most women don’t like that type of episode to linger around the house.
Awesome list of journalistic scandals.
hey, lookee here, here comes another one ... like clockwork...
Globaloney on global warming:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1880337/posts
If he cuts himself while shaving, does he get a Purple Heart?
I know I presume too much, and I served my 4 years under the UCMJ, but sometimes liberals join up and create a travesty with their connections, like Kerry did when Clinton worked over his records for him.
When my son was in Iraq in 2003-2004, that is exactly how most troopers felt. The reporters would launch onto to the troops with the biggest yarn to spin. Not lies, exactly, but "creative" story telling. And the reporter--who knew nada about the military--ate it up. He was an "embedded" reporter, so he wasn't negative, but it was mostly BS.
He may be a finalist for the Ward Churchill Chair of Ethics and History in the Media.
Wanted all of you to know that Jesse McBeth only got five months, check it out:
http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/189468.php
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.