The Weekly Standard’s Michael Goldfarb writes that The New Republic Diarist Scott Beauchamp has reportedly signed a statement saying that the stories he provided to TNR which illustrated our fighting men in Iraq as cruel and inhuman psychopaths were almost total fabrications.

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.

TNR responded to Goldfarb claiming that they had corroborated their source and stories again, and that the military source quoted by TWS denies having made his statement that Goldfarb quotes. Goldfarb fired back with this:

(1) They neglected to report that the Army has concluded its investigation and found Beauchamp’s stories to be false. As Major Lamb, the very officer they quote, has said in an authorized statement: “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.”

(2) Does the failure of the New Republic to report the Army’s conclusions mean that the editors believe the Army investigators are wrong about Beauchamp?

(3) We have full confidence in our reporting that Pvt Beauchamp recanted under oath in the course of the investigation. Is the New Republic claiming that Pvt Beauchamp made no such admission to Army investigators? Is Beauchamp?

Dean Barnett, who has been on this one from the beginning thinks that TNR’s editor Franklin Foer has doubled down when he, Foer, insists that Beauchamp has always been, and still is, telling the truth.

FRANKLIN FOER SET OUT TO HAVE A BAGHDAD DIARIST who would show what combat is really like, and what it does to men’s souls. Ironically, instead of revealing the true face of war, Franklin Foer instead revealed the true face of certain members of the media: Agenda-driven, arrogant, prejudiced and woefully unaware of their own biases. The Diarists purpose was to provide confirmation of Franklin Foer’s pre-existing prejudices and to slander the war effort by slandering the soldiers. As I’ve said countless times on this site and on the air, The New Republic’s original sin in this matter was publishing the Diarist without putting its stories into the proper context of our 160,000 men and women who are serving honorably in Iraq.

Media bias seems to be the theme for me today. Foer and his source make me think of a guy I knew in high school who’d lie, even when the truth sounded better. Of course, to The New Republic, the truth is something that they just can’t stand to accept. That truth is that the majority of those serving in our armed forces are decent, honorable, brave human beings that care about, and are willing to sacrifice their very lives, for their fellow countrymen. Foer and his ilk can’t even sacrifice the time necessary to authenticate a story. Shoot, can’t have that — might interfere with or contradict their version of the truth!

Technorati Tags: The New Republic, Scott Beauchamp, Pvt. Scott Thomas Beauchamp, Shock Troops, Baghdad Diarist, FRANKLIN FOER

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 7th, 2007 at 2:08 pm and is filed under Iraq War, Media Bias, Media Doin' It Wrong. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  |   Print This Post  |   Email This Post

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