Michael Yon Ping
If he'd have taken the easy out offered - the cut and run - all bets would be off.
And I imagine he's going to try to be the best soldier he can, to prove to himself and others, and to earn the second chance he was given. (He will still always have this stigma around his neck, so he will never be totally free of it - consequences.)
Very interesting first hand account. I too am impressed Beauchamp stayed with his unit, probably out of guilt for throwing them under the bus to advance his little writing career. I’m saving the majority of my scorn for the morons at the New Republic who are all too eager to believe anything that puts America in a bad light.
I think the act he committed was treasonous and he should be charged under the UCMJ.
Yon is wrong on this.
There are always stupid youngsters, drama queens, and misguided wannabes around. The real fault is with TNR, which didn't bother with the most basic editorial standards - i.e. the fact-checker on the story was Beauchamp's wife. . . . talk about a conflict of interest! TNR ignored a lot of warning flags and then, Dan Rather-like, stuck with their story to the bitter end.
***He’d tried to hide his identity, but poor Beauchamp had no idea that the blog world would get on his trail and tree him like a coon.***
Does he mean raccoon?
thanks, bfl
find later bump
Did I read that right? There are thousands of patriotic, honest, American boys serving in dangerous parts of Baghdad. They should be honored that Beauchamp is "paying his price" by joining them?
All due respect Mr. Yon, dead wrong here, he has not paid his price yet. When I hear that he has repeatedly volunteered for the most dangerous missions, saved a few of his comrades, and donated his first medal to his old unit, then maybe he would have begun to pay his price.
For God's sakes Mr. Yon, his fabrications were translated in Arabic and published on untold numbers of blogs in the Middle East, many people over there do not - and will never - know that he was unmasked as a fraud. The damage he wrought the country and the war efforts is immeasurable, and you think he is acquitting himself well of all of this by joining his fellow soldiers in doing his duty?
Are we living in alternate universes?
The only “second chance” here is the chance to screw our servicepeople again. Wanna bet he tries his hand at writing again—only this time with a few scenarios that are a little harder to figure out? I certainly wouldn’t want to have him watch my back in a war zone.
Nice piece. He (and Beauchamp’s Commander) are way more forgiving of him than I am...
awesome last paragraph!!
I am sending some money to Yon today because he ANSWERED the question as to what happened to Beauchamp!! Thanks Michael!
“Let’s give General Arnold a second chance, General Washington. I mean, he was a good officer, right up until that one little mistake....”
I have never served in the military and no family that is in active service so I will hold my words on Beauchamp, but as far as The New Republic goes, they knew what they were getting.
Thank you Michael Yon.
Kiss my @ss New Republic Magazine.
Thanks Tennessean4Bush.
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