Thunderpig’s Mirror

Archive for the ‘Fake News Stories’ Category

The New Republic Beauchamp Stories—False!!!

Posted by Thunder Pig on August 7, 2007

Just another case of the Legacy Media spreading lies to turn the public against the battle for liberty in Iraq…

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.

Source: Gateway Pundit, who has links to many others covering this latest in Fake News Stories.

Posted in Fake News Stories, Iraq, Legacy Media | Leave a Comment »

Another Media Attempt to Harm Our Troops Fails

Posted by Thunder Pig on July 22, 2007

The Left, which includes most of the Media, is so against this war that they are willing to lie in order to support their agenda to get us out of Iraq.
I have documented others’ findings on this matter before, and here is another one exposed: The New Republic, who’s only response to the discovery is a terse statement as follows:

NOTE TO READERS:

Several conservative blogs have raised questions about the Diarist “Shock Troops,” written by a soldier in Iraq using the pseudonym Scott Thomas. Whenever anybody levels serious accusations against a piece published in our magazine, we take those charges seriously. Indeed, we’re in the process of investigating them. I’ve spoken extensively with the author of the piece and have communicated with other soldiers who witnessed the events described in the diarist. Thus far, these conversations have done nothing to undermine–and much to corroborate–the author’s descriptions. I will let you know more after we complete our investigation.

–Franklin Foer

Matt Sanchez wrote the following:

I was at Camp Falcon earlier this month and didn’t recognize any of what Scott Thomas described. So, I e-mailed the public affairs officer Major Luedeke at Camp Falcon:

Per COL Boylan’s request, I have prepared the following:

1. There was no mass grave found during the construction of any of our coalition outposts in the Rashid District at any time. Such a discovery would have prompted an investigation and close attention paid at levels higher than ours to making sure that the victims were properly interred and attempts would have been made to determine their identities. It is difficult to fathom that a unit’s leadership would condone Soldiers disrespecting the remains of anyone in the fashion described.

2. Due to the threat of IEDs, our combat vehicles are driven professionally and in control at all times. To be driving erratically so as to hit dogs or other things would be to put the entire vehicle’s crew at risk and would be gross dereliction of duty by the noncommissioned officer or officer in charge of the vehicle. Drivers aren’t allowed to simply free-wheel their vehicles however they see fit, and they are *not* allowed to be moved anywhere with out a vehicle commander present to supervise the movement. Therefore- claims of vehicles leaving the roadways to hit animals are highly dubious, given the very real threat of IEDs and normal standards of conduct.

3. As for the alleged woman with severe burn scars, we have nobody matching that description here at FOB Falcon. As Soldiers, we practice the value of Respect: “Treat people as you want to be treated.” If the blogger and his friends can’t live the Army value of respect, I have little doubt that someone around them who does would have made an on-the-spot correction. The Falcon dining facility is not a spacious one. Anyone being rude, loud or raucous calls immediate attention to himself. It is hard to fathom that anyone would be able to get away with such callous behavior without somebody intervening and stopping it from happening.

These type of stories are part of I believe are part of a 5GW-type of campaign being conducted against our troops, against our people, and designed to provide moral support to the anti-American War Protesters here, and the enemy in the Theater.

For a more detailed timeline of how this particular story unfolded and fell apart, visit Gateway Pundit, where Jim has been following developments of this story.

He also links to others who are covering the story.

Posted in 5GW, Afghanistan, citizen journalism, Fake News Stories, jihad | 6 Comments »