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| Scott Thomas Revealed | |
| 2007-07-26 | |
| via Drudge, so lots of people will read it. Presented in full, plus a useful post from the comment thread. I solicit the thoughts of those of you with military/Sandbox experience. Oh, and Instapundit has a roundup with links that will take you to other links... A STATEMENT FROM SCOTT THOMAS BEAUCHAMP: As we've noted in this space, some have questioned details that appeared in the Diarist "Shock Troops," published under the pseudonym Scott Thomas. According to Major Kirk Luedeke, a public affairs officer at Forward Operating Base Falcon, a formal military investigation has also been launched into the incidents described in the piece. Although the article was rigorously edited and fact-checked before it was published, we have decided to go back and, to the extent possible, re-report every detail. This process takes considerable time, as the primary subjects are on another continent, with intermittent access to phones and email. Thus far we've found nothing to disprove the facts in the article; we will release the full results of our search when it is completed. In the meantime, the author has requested that we publish the statement below. --The Editors My Diarist, "Shock Troops," and the two other pieces I wrote for the New Republic have stirred more controversy than I could ever have anticipated. They were written under a pseudonym, because I wanted to write honestly about my experiences, without fear of reprisal. Unfortunately, my pseudonym has caused confusion. And there seems to be one major way in which I can clarify the debate over my pieces: I'm willing to stand by the entirety of my articles for the New Republic using my real name.====================================================== This entry made the Drudge Report. I'm sure the TNR servers are being bombbarded, which explains the slow response times this morning. A quick glance at some conservative sites shows that the fact checking is just starting. Pvt Beauchamp appears to have been (or may still be) an undergraduate in creative writing at U of Missouri in Columbia. A few of his poems appeared in the undergrad literary magazine. It also looks like Pvt Beauchamp kept a blog for most of last year while he was training in Germany. I'm sure later this week members of his unit will be questioned about the events in Shock Troops. I'm curious to know what they have to say.
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| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #53 Ouch, 3dc. Our thanks to your son. Based on the samples of the Pvt. Beauchamp's writings that I've seen, I'm not sure how he survived in the creative writing program -- it's not like his stuff is actually readable. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-07-26 23:09 |
| #52 Son doesn't ever remember seeing him at either of the Mizzou papers or the city paper in Columbia Mo. Suggest his importance there was self inflated. In addition MFA students as compared to Journalism Dept didn't get any important positions and were usually quietly squeezed out to make room for the journalism students. Also, points out that many MFA students were ones who couldn't tough out the journalism dept. In blunt words - FAILED. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2007-07-26 22:29 |
| #51 I'm sure later this week members of his unit will be questioned about the events in Shock Troops. I'm curious to know what they have to say. For the record, the bit highlighted at the end of the article was from the TNR comment thread, not my own thoughts. There is now a formal investigation into Pvt. Beauchamp's allegations, it seems the private is married to a TNR staffer, and someone at TNR has been fired for talking to bloggers. This tempest is outgrowing its teapot. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-07-26 21:07 |
| #50 So, John Barnes got it right about this guy yesterday in the article referred to here at the RB - he's an MFA grad student. Barnes nailed it in 1. |
| Posted by: FOTSGreg 2007-07-26 21:04 |
| #49 he mistyped: My goal is to become an incompetent leader that gets seriously, though... I hope he sleeps with one eye open and likes eating by himself. He's not gonna have many friends in the motor pool. Lying that disparages your "comrades" has that tendency. Perhaps his TNR wife can get him called home early? Whoops, I bet that marriage isn't long for the earth, business backlash and all... Sorry Beauchamp, you woulda been a great CU Indian Lit Prof |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-07-26 20:23 |
| #48 ...imagine somebody like Soros placing leftists in the Army to sow disinformation and then go out and run for political office. (And that's my entire daily allowance of paranoid theorizing.) What you're suggesting might not be too far off the mark if Soros is a paranoid schizophrenic with delusions...oh, never mind! |
| Posted by: Natural Law 2007-07-26 20:02 |
| #47 There's discussion over at Blackfive, that his unit might need some moral boosting after this. They might need to know, we know, it ain't them. Me, I'm gonna support whatever they come with, and will pass the word around. (not busy at work this month, so I got lots of time!) I'm so impressed with these guys and gals serving "over there" -- many folks have been calling them the "Next Greatest Generation." They deserve a name of their own -- I like what a Marine General called them: In reading Grim at Blackfive the other day, Grim posted the transcript of the Department of Defense Bloggers Roundtable with Major General Walter E. Gaskin, Commander Multinational forces-West via Teleconference from Iraq.. The words caught me, held me, stuck in my mind. General Gaskin had the words to describe them.. The Millennium Kids. Words the Marine Major General Gaskin used, "The Millennium Kids".... to quote him: What I've found out is, this is truly, truly the best generation of our generation. The Millennium kids have a feeling that they want to do something to better themselves and they want to be challenged. I got to take Major General Gaskin at his word..... the best generation of our generation.... The Millennium Kids.... had he thought about this? I don't know... but I like it... the Millennium Kids.... |
| Posted by: Sherry 2007-07-26 20:00 |
| #46 ooops ... didn't refresh my cache and thought that next to last comment of mine went into the aether. |
| Posted by: lotp 2007-07-26 19:57 |
| #45 Run for office or publish the book & hit the TV shows in the runup to the election. Actually, earlier, to force a withdrawl before the surge can be completed. I am sitting here seething at seeing this AGAIN in my lifetime. Winter Soldier was bad enough. |
| Posted by: lotp 2007-07-26 19:56 |
| #44 So, the wonder-boy Baghdad TNR correspondent turns out to be a baby-troop with delusions of adequacy, and a really pathetic, bathetic fantasy life... who out of all the milbloggers in theater, got a cushy gig because his significant other happened to work at TNR. My daughter had this really keen fantasy, of this twerps' commander lining up the whole unit at attention, with Pvt. Beauchamp standing at attention, while the Commander reads the entire TNR stories, with frequent requests for any troop who knows anything about the reported incidents to come clean. Yep, he will indeed be quite well known about his unit. |
| Posted by: Sgt. Mom 2007-07-26 19:37 |
| #43 Our boy Scott seems to be aiming either for the political route or for a book contract w/ TV appearances galore. |
| Posted by: lotp 2007-07-26 19:30 |
| #42 Makes you wonder how many provocateurs are out there. As lotp noted, this could all be a political operation -- imagine somebody like Soros placing leftists in the Army to sow disinformation and then go out and run for political office. (And that's my entire daily allowance of paranoid theorizing.) |
| Posted by: Jonathan 2007-07-26 19:09 |
| #41 Yeah, he might be ahead of schedule... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-07-26 18:58 |
#40 Another choice excerpt:My goal is to become an incompetent leader that gets fragged by 30 something NCO's at a forward operating base in Sadr City. Be careful what you wish for . . . |
| Posted by: Mike 2007-07-26 18:55 |
#39 Here's one example of a "lurid war fantasy", from nearly a year before Beauchamp got to Iraq:Monday, May 08, 2006 |
| Posted by: Mike 2007-07-26 18:36 |
| #38 Mark Steyn is on Hewitt's show as I type this. He says there are some "lurid war fantasies" in Beauchamp's blog archives written before he got deployed. |
| Posted by: Mike 2007-07-26 18:21 |
| #37 He's looking more and more like a mole. He should have stuck to stories that are true instead of making up stuff to feed his Liberal Ego. Talk about removed from reality. Sheesh. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2007-07-26 18:15 |
| #36 It seems like TNR's Ms. Reeve has known Scotty since her days with The Columbia Missourian at the Missouri School of Journalism: Mid-Mo. protesters hit D.C. By ELSPETH REEVE and DANIELA VELÁZQUEZ April 26, 2004 | 12:00 a.m. CST Washington Hundreds of thousands of people descended on the nations capital Sunday to protest recent U.S. policies regarding womens reproductive health. Included in the throng of marchers were more than 100 young men and women from the Columbia area. I dont think theres usually enough men at these kind of events, so its really important to show up and support it, said Scott Beauchamp, who endured a 24-hour bus ride from Columbia to attend Sundays march. I think its really a civil rights issue. |
| Posted by: Steve 2007-07-26 17:21 |
| #35 Read Seafarious's link. And the link to the guy who uncovered the confirmation via the wedding site. Two things: 1) after the CIA got caught doing the nepotism thing with Mr. Valerie Plame, what made TNR think it was a good idea to do the same? 2) I don't know if the registry is still up, but no matter what: I'm cool with the towels we have. Totally and completely. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2007-07-26 16:46 |
| #34 Maybe somebody will arrange for this Beauchamp guy to fall down into a burning ring of fire. At least he won't have to live like a refugee. |
| Posted by: Mike 2007-07-26 16:41 |
| #33 not some goof who wants a Saudi financed library. Now that's gonna leave a mark. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-07-26 16:35 |
| #32 Real men read the Picayune. Yeah, I just buy it for the articles. Yeah, that's it. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2007-07-26 16:12 |
| #31 Get rid of the turkey shoot patrols, and you won't have any of this nonsense. US troops prevail when they take it to the terrorists. When they march to show the flag, they take sniper and IED kills. I read the unit websites; the troops need to be delivered a winnability context. And they need to get it by September. Sorry folks, the President lost me on the Euro-missiles, Kosovo, return to the Islamic Center (DC) and revised 2-state imposed suicide against Israel. We need a hardliner and not some goof who wants a Saudi financed library. |
| Posted by: Chusomble Wittlesbach1010 2007-07-26 16:06 |
| #30 #13 Are you questioning his narcissism? The funniest line I've read all day. Kudos! |
| Posted by: eLarson 2007-07-26 16:04 |
| #29 Go read Ace. Don't ask why, just go read. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2007-07-26 16:02 |
| #28 Are you questioning his narcissism? LOL! Seafarious, that's a keeper. |
| Posted by: xbalanke 2007-07-26 15:40 |
| #27 Darth beat me to it. I was going to question you 'active-duty' guys as to why someone who has been in the service as long as this fool could still be a private. I guess the operative word is 'fool'. |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2007-07-26 15:32 |
| #26 Also, it seems PV2 Dickhead was a PFC. (E-3 now down to E-2) On Malkin's blog this email: Im active Army & an Iraq vet. I just pulled up Scott Thomas Beauchamp on the secure Army Knowledge Online website. It lists his current rank as PV2″. (That data is kept accurate via pay records on that website.) In his Sep 06 blog post he listed his rank as Private First Class. That indicates that without a doubt he was busted at least one rank as part of Article 15 proceedings under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and he likely has a strong ax to grind with his chain of command. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-07-26 15:27 |
| #25 Recently joined up. The business connection to TNR was in place when he went in, or not too long thereafter I would guess. I suspect we'll find more people who appear to have enlisted in order to besmirch the military in the runup to the 2008 election. spit |
| Posted by: lotp 2007-07-26 15:23 |
| #24 After it is revealed that PV2 Beauchamp is spinning pure bullshit into propaganda, I hope his supervisors find other things to keep him busy and out of trouble. Anyone want to bet this turns out to be a REMF? |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2007-07-26 14:48 |
| #23 Heh. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2007-07-26 14:20 |
| #22 Real men read the Picayune. |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2007-07-26 14:16 |
| #21 You're all right! Michael Goldfarb of the Weekly Standard has been in email contact with Major Kirk Luedeke since last week. Here's his today response to Mike. Thursday, July 26, 2007 Reaction From FOB Falcon In response to a request for more information, FOB Falcon PAO Major Kirk Ludeke sent this along: Mike- We are in the midst of a formal investigation into the allegations Pvt Beauchamp has made. That's all I can say for now. Respectfully, Kirk Major Kirk Luedeke Public Affairs Officer 4th IBCT, 1st ID DRAGONS |
| Posted by: Sherry 2007-07-26 14:16 |
| #20 Angie: Kipling & Johnny Cash? I'm cool with that. Maybe somebody will arrange for this Beauchamp guy to fall down into a burning ring of fire. |
| Posted by: Jonathan 2007-07-26 14:11 |
| #19 Angie: Kipling & Johnny Cash? I'm cool with that. |
| Posted by: Mike 2007-07-26 14:02 |
| #18 Correction: Nothing wrong with Eco in small doses. But real men read Patrick O'Brian and listen to Celtic music, with an emphasis on Irish drinking songs. |
| Posted by: The Doctor 2007-07-26 13:54 |
| #17 Hey! Nothing wrong with Umberto Eco in small doses! I can see how large ones would drive you crazy, though. As for Mr. Thomas, anyone else suspect that he'll be in front of a court-martial within three months? |
| Posted by: The Doctor 2007-07-26 13:53 |
| #16 Are you questioning his narcissism? I'm questioning his literary skills. They are teh suxor. The aroma of superannuated piscines attends his every sentence. And this guy got an MFA in creative mastu -- er -- writing? Granted, it only was from the University of Missouri[1]. Ol' John Barnes, who used his mad semiotician skillz to conclude that "Scott Thomas" was a graduate of an "elite" MFA program, one of the top twenty in the nation, must be feeling mighty foolish about now. I think he meant discrete. And neither he nor the editors caught it. It's a sign of the end of civilization, I tells yah. (Real men read Tom Clancy and listen to Tom Petty, but I digress.) Real men read Kipling and listen to Johnny Cash. [1]Speaking as an only-somewhat-sheepish U. of Missouri grad. |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2007-07-26 13:52 |
| #15 Among others, PVT. Beauchamp may want to acquaint himself with THIS article: 878. ART. 78. ACCESSORY AFTER THE FACT Any person subject to this chapter who, knowing that an offense punishable by this chapter has been committed, receives, comforts, or assists the offender in order to hinder or prevent his apprehension, trial, or punishment shall be punished as a court-martial may direct. unless of course it is all BULLSHIT! and if it IS, then he should know that THIS splendid provision comes into play: 934. ART. 134. GENERAL ARTICLE Though not specifically mentioned in this chapter, all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces, all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces, and crimes and offenses not capital, of which persons subject to this chapter may be guilty, shall be taken cognizance of by a general, special or summary court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offense, and shall be punished at the discretion of that court. |
| Posted by: Justrand 2007-07-26 13:51 |
| #14 Don't know about you guys, but I'm questioning his narcissism, his patriotism, his veracity, his taste in literature and music, and his spelling and punctuation. |
| Posted by: Mike 2007-07-26 13:44 |
| #13 Are you questioning his narcissism? |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2007-07-26 13:39 |
| #12 As has been noted elsewhere in the blogosphere, PV2 Beauchamp has just set himself up for several bad days at his unit. I'm fairly certain his entire chain of command is going to want to have a series of little discussions with him. No, I have no sympathy for this mental defective either. He is either going to a: have to admit that he made up a bunch of BS, or b: get prosecuted for various violations of the UCMJ. My money is on a. And TNR is going to have to admit they've been snookered again. Heh(tm). |
| Posted by: N Guard 2007-07-26 13:37 |
| #11 If this alleged Private does exist, he will shortly discover that his life has become very complicated. First and foremost, he will need to explain to a whole lot of people what he knows about any suggestion of war crimes, who if anyone he reported this to, and if there is anyone else in his chain of command that will soon be testifying in corroboration. If by his admission, he participated in war crimes, then he will soon learn to appreciate a special accommodation provided for him in Kansas, for say, the next 30 years. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-07-26 13:32 |
#10 Scott Thomas Beauchamp's blog is here. Last update: 9/8/06. He writes like a grad student in the English department:Sunday, September 03, 2006 Bob Dylan and Umberto Eco? Bob Dylan and Umberto Eco? Pretentious, overrated, liberal-Boomer nostalgia music. Pretentious, overrated, unreadable lit-fic that only pretentious Boomer liberals could love. Figures. (Real men read Tom Clancy and listen to Tom Petty, but I digress.) And how's this for stream-of-consciousness" Thursday, August 03, 2006 Oooohh! A Wilfred Owen reference in the title! His Poetry I prof will be so proud! Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that first part read like he was doing a little TDY with one of the local Frauleins while in Germany? And he puts that in the same blog as the "I miss you" post to his fiancee? No class. |
| Posted by: Mike 2007-07-26 13:24 |
| #9 my pseudonym has caused confusion Errr....correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that was the whole point of a pseudonym. |
| Posted by: Swamp Blondie 2007-07-26 13:17 |
| #8 So he's a real guy. So I guess he'd have some friends in Alpha Company, 1/18 Infantry, Second Brigade Combat Team, First Infantry Division to corroborate what he wrote, yes? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-07-26 13:12 |
| #7 they also serve who sit and post to Rantburg / LGF / etc.... (and now if you'll excuse me, i'm off to check the Chocolate Distribution Network in preparation for the next big Taliban kill...) |
| Posted by: Querent 2007-07-26 13:12 |
| #6 Corrections: #5 If in fact there is indeed a "Private Scott Thomas Beauchamp" and he penned the anti-American, *rat-bag* garbage for The New Republic, then this is more evidence that simply wearing a uniform does not qualify one as a "better" citizen than *those* who have not worn the uniform. |
| Posted by: Sigmund Freud 2007-07-26 13:00 |
| #5 If in fact there is indeed a "Private Scott Thomas Beauchamp" and he penned the anti-American, rat-bug garbage for The New Republic, then this is more evidence that simply wearing a uniform does not qualify one as a "better" citizen than does that have not worn the uniform. I'll take wheelchair-bound Charles Krauthammer, who obviously could never serve in the military over any number of scumbags that have worn the uniform, e.g., Lee Harvey Oswald, John F. Kerry, Marcos Zoulitsas (founder of the vile Daily Kos), and now PFC Beauchamp. Seems the latter has spent too much time reading Erich Maria Remarque and John Dos Passos. |
| Posted by: Sigmund Freud 2007-07-26 12:59 |
| #4 Pvt Andy Warhol, reporting for my 15 minutes of fame, sir. |
| Posted by: anymouse 2007-07-26 12:55 |
| #3 My pieces were always intended to provide my discreet view of the war; they were never intended as a reflection of the entire U.S. Military. I call bullshit. The two are inseparable and smearing one smears both. I was initially reluctant to take the time out of my already insane schedule fighting an actual war in order to play some role in an ideological battle that I never wanted to join. A mhw noted, it's pretty difficult to imagine that this clown didn't forsee the ideological usefulness of his writings. I hope general command cleans this guy's clock. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-07-26 12:52 |
| #2 This young leftist is living in a dream world whose sides are about to implode upon him. You reap what you sew, ahole. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2007-07-26 12:49 |
| #1 "...My pieces were always intended to provide my discreet view of the war" I think he meant discrete. Also, I call shenanigans on this, "...I was initially reluctant to take the time out of my already insane schedule fighting an actual war in order to play some role in an ideological battle that I never wanted to join." It seems obvious that he wants to be part of the ideological battle. Otherwise his reporting would have events that show the Coalition forces in a positive light in proportion to their actual occurance. |
| Posted by: mhw 2007-07-26 12:44 |