BREAKING: Scott Thomas Revealed!
By Wubbies World Posted in War — Comments (85) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
[Update]: Sorry to take over your blog, Wubbie's World, but this is too good to pass up. Constant Reader dkilmer provides us with a link to what purports to be Pvt. Beauchamp's old blog, and what interesting reading it is. You may find 05/08/2006's entry of interest... (H/T: Hot Air). - Moe Lane
Promoted from diaries. My thanks to The New Republic and Pvt. Beauchamp for coming forward. To paraphrase/quote one of TNR's readers, I look forward to the results of the various investigations. - Moe Lane
The identity of the infamous Scott Thomas has been revealed by The New Republic
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.
I am Private Scott Thomas Beauchamp, a member of Alpha Company, 1/18 Infantry, Second Brigade Combat Team, First Infantry Division.
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 wanted Americans to have one soldier's view of events in Iraq.
It's been maddening, to say the least, to see the plausibility of events that I witnessed questioned by people who have never served in Iraq. 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. That being said, my character, my experiences, and those of my comrades in arms have been called into question, and I believe that it is important to stand by my writing under my real name.
--Private Scott Thomas Beauchamp
Now lets see if his accusations are really true.
My first submission: an old blog. Or a fake, who knows.
"I should be allowed to think" -- John Linnell
...there are some wonderful quotes.
Now anyone who knows me should be laughing right now at the mental image of ME working on a military armored vehicle worth hundreds of thousands of dollars when I can barely change the tire of an Escort. But...it did give me time to daydream about poetry
"I should be allowed to think" -- John Linnell
I hope Jeff gets the chance to meet this guy and talk to him. I looked at that page too. The guy is.... to conform to posting rules, I will say he is interesting.
Wubbies World, MSgt, USAF (Retired):
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("An argument is a sequence of statements aimed at demonstrating the truth of an assertion.); }
it will probably ruin the imaginary one I've conjured up for him.
John Mark Karr just pops into my head when I read that stuff he's posted.
We've traded our National Sovereignty for cheap roofing and yardwork.
"It's been maddening, to say the least, to see the plausibility of events that I witnessed questioned by people who have never served in Iraq."
That's the quote that is supposed to shut the rest of us up. We can't question his veracity because he was in Iraq and we weren't.
he and other liberals have no right to criticize Bush, because they have never been president.
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
But I expect their argument is something like that doesn't matter because, like Bush, they were never ELECTED President.
Having posted more than once against “Scott Thomas”, I’ll eat a bite or two of crow and salute the man for coming forward. Also, I strongly admonish anyone from going after him physically or psychologically. I still believe he did a very bad thing by writing his lies or exagerations, but he still maintained the honor to step forward and sign his work.
The official military investigation and court martials associated with all of these diaries should go forward. The events described in these diaries, particularly the grave desecration, require punitive military discipline. If it turns out the Pvt Beauchamp fabricated this event, it is he that should be disciplined.
"Scott Thomas" - The New Republic's Winter Soldier
Seems a bit soon to be assigning courage. I can think of many reasons this lunatic might have finally chosen to step forward to sign his work that are far from saluteable.
I read the redhot link to the leftblogger analysis of the boy. I have my own. I knew the macho wanna-be types he refers to. More than one in the Marine Corps. I remember this one in particular, so deep in his own fantasy version of himself he felt comfortable trying to pass off outrageous lies that no one could have been expected to believe. I can remember thinking, as he told me the story of the Yakuza and a gang of truck stop toughs trying to take him down, that I could just picture him imagining this all in his head. So detailed, so ridiculous.
If you confronted him about his lies, he became that much more attached to them. Worse, he would take them further. Add even more outrageous details, and do so defiantly. As if to say "Look! Look at this tale! How could I make this up? Who in their right mind would tell such a lie? It MUST be true!"
Some of his stories, and this is complicated, taken together would have meant he would have to be about ten years older than he was. Called on this fact he simply assumed a mysterious face, a knowing smile, and said "Yes I know" like it was a mystic pronouncement. The stories in question made me think of this Marine long before the private came out, so to speak. They have that same feel.
The military, like any large group of humans, has some bad seeds. I knew some. Some were liars, like the guy I just described, some were either emotionally disturbed or reasonable facsimiles thereof, some were cruel. Just like in the civilian world. But just because they exist doesn't mean that Private Cretin here ever told a true story in print in his life.
I don't find his exposing himself particularly compelling. For all we know its just part of his big delusion.
I'm actually somewhat relieved it wasn't true. I don't put that past TNR, but I'm glad it wasn't the case.
"Scott Thomas" - The New Republic's Winter Soldier
The military, like any large group of humans, has some bad seeds....Some were liars....some were either emotionally disturbed or reasonable facsimiles thereof, some were cruel.
And some just have a need to be important. Assigned to permanent KP and under the CSM's thumb for continual screw ups, they can hardly bear to admit they wasted their time in the military and spent a good portion of it washing out pans.
After awhile, the stories of others become their own and that scar on their finger (where the peeler slipped) is actually from the shrapnel of the grenade they threw back at the enemy (just as it exploded).
I've seen the same thing you describe many times.
When ex-military are telling fantastic stories (to civilians) about the throats they've cut and the bullets they've dodged, it's time to turn on the BS filter.
I have a general rule: Those who have done terrible things (whether legal or not)and actually risked their lives generally do not talk about it. Those that have not, generally do.
Case in point:
My Father, WWII paratrooper in the re-conquest of Leyte and Luzon in the Phillipines, still has told me nearly nothing about that time.
Case number 2: My wife's uncle was captured at Dunkirk and spent 5 years in a POW camp and still says nearly nothing to others about his time as a prisoner and what was required to survive.
They still won't tell you anything.
But then, you won't have to ask, either...
"It's a book about a man who doesn't know he's about to die, and then dies...
...But if the man does know he's going to die and dies anyway. Dies, dies willing, knowing he can stop it, then...
Well, isn't that the type of man you want to keep alive?"
Karen Eiffel, Stranger Than Fiction
"the one that got away"
Thus, you only get the story, and never see the fish.
Literary buyers, beware.
"I don't find his exposing himself particularly compelling. For all we know its just part of his big delusion."
He's got visions of book deals and Blo, um Hero-worship, from Olby (and the likes of Elena DeLori)dancing in his head. Unfortunately, they may not be delusions.
.cnl redruM has apparently already made up his/her mind about the veracity of Scott Thomas' posts:
"If it turns out the Pvt Beauchamp fabricated this event, it is he that should be disciplined."
So tell me...what will you-all think- and do if his telling of the event turns out to be dead-on (no pun intended) accurate?
Or since your mind(s) seem already to be made up, do you not want to be confused with facts that might contradict your preconceptions?
Since his story is about HIS actions, if it turns out to be true then his NCO's and officers should be court marshaled right along with him.
If his story turns out to be false, he should be discharged (DD).
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
Or since your mind(s) seem already to be made up, do you not want to be confused with facts that might contradict your preconceptions?
Hey howdy! I'm a nice fellow, so here's your one chance to tone back the insults and continue to post here; you only managed two in the space of a sentence that started out with an error for which a nun would have broken your knuckles.
One chance, and one chance only.
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We are all heroes, you and Boo and I. Hamsters and rangers everywhere, rejoice!
You were reading so fast you completely missed that little word ol' Inc. used, "If."
So, "If" it turns out to be accurate, the only crime for Mr. Diarist is that he's too well-steeped in pulp-fiction dialogue.
We've traded our National Sovereignty for cheap roofing and yardwork.
1) He still gets the Article XV. He stood there and watched a grave getting desecrated and
a) Did nothing to stop it.
b) Failed to report a war crime to his NCO chain of command.
He's basically screwed either way, now that I give it some thought.
"Scott Thomas" - The New Republic's Winter Soldier
...it is that good! Thanks for the add.
Wubbies World, MSgt, USAF (Retired):
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("An argument is a sequence of statements aimed at demonstrating the truth of an assertion.); }
And via Allah and commenter Bad Candy, see this May 8, 2006 post from Scott Thomas. Allah notes: “He’s not in Iraq at this point, I don’t think: his sidebar bio says he’s training in Germany and he cops to being in Amsterdam three weeks later, but I guess it’s possible (is it?) that he was in Iraq and then went to Europe in the intervening time. Either way, the May 8 item can only be one of two things: an exercise in creative fiction that looks exactly like the sorts of things he wrote for TNR or a bit of reportage of an actual incident — in which a U.S. commander ordered the murder of children. Which is it?” HT - Michelle Malkin.
My tagline sums it up perfectly.
"Scott Thomas" - The New Republic's Winter Soldier
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 recall someone posting the other day someone's deduction that this was an MFA candidate. Sounds like that person may have been close to correct.
Oh, the shame of it!
First, Nebraska got five downs (or was it Colorado?) Then I had to suffer by being spatially and temporally associated with Kenneth Lay. I was embarrassed by Sheryl Crow. And now Scott Thomas Beauchamp pops out of the woodwork of the Alma Mater.
We've traded our National Sovereignty for cheap roofing and yardwork.
Being a student (albeit nontraditional) and a staff member at Mizzou, I have access to the email list of EVERY student, grad, UG, or whatnot. There are only 5 Beauchamp's in the directory, one is staff, there's a couple at the other UM campuses, and not a single one is named either Scott or Thomas.
If he came from MU's J-school, though, somehow it wouldn't shock me (that he might have made up a story). Who knows, though-it could have been for the Maneater!
Vos can't ledo astrum si vos intentio pro clouds
Formerly known as ShowMeConservatism. For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
...though I'm not sure that everyone would agree.
It looks like the semiotics guy was wrong. My girlfriend pretty much had it pegged. We both write fiction, and she pointed out that Scott Thomas' stories would be in for some serious abuse in an MFA workshop. She thought he was a real soldier with a serious interest in writing, but with too little ability to be an MFA "Golden Boy".
"I should be allowed to think" -- John Linnell
disseminates that view in a highly visible left-leaning journal of opinion, then is surprised at the publicity, is afraid of reprisal despite inviting the publicity, but is not afraid of it now, reluctant to take time out of his "insane schedule" to fight an ideological battle but put his blogs in a premier ideological publication AND found time to write the blogs, connect with TNR, yada yada yada
Yeah, right.
First impression - this an Army version of Anthony Swofford, of "Jarhead" fame.
I don't mind military guys writing about their experiences, good and bad. But they need to be honest about what they're doing.
an excerpt from his "poetry"
"We should scrap this “comprehensive” immigration bill and the whole debate until the government can show the American people that we have secured the borders -- or at least made great headway."
Fred Thompson
I was thinking about that Vietnam veteran schtick that I am sick of hearing from the former teacher Churchill when I read Scott's words about wanting to teach history.
"We should scrap this “comprehensive” immigration bill and the whole debate until the government can show the American people that we have secured the borders -- or at least made great headway."
Fred Thompson
"...but I can't do it without getting through this army experience first, which will add a legitimacy to EVRYTHING i do afterwards, and totally bolster my opinions on defense, etc..."
I gagged when I read this, and then thought that if you substitute the word "Army" with the word "Navy", John Kerry could well have written it.
We should know the truth soon, and I pray all appropriate action will be taken by the military. I am not on the "he's honorable" bandwagon at all, but I am waiting for my mind to be changed.
This is our term for taking some short-term job you's never take otherwise in order to benefit your long-term career. Typically it means people IDed as potential future execs straight out of college spending 9 months on some assignment where their main role is to make no political gaffes and make sure their executive sponsor always looks good. Some other poor schlub who has no guaranteed career but who actually cares about that job is then left to pick up the pieces when that person moves on.
Seems like there are cetain parallels, but with no military background I can't say for sure.
He's alread planned out his writing career, instead of watching his lane.
"Scott Thomas" - The New Republic's Winter Soldier
That would be one who enlisted for me, chose to enlist after he had spent 10 years working with DoD as a networking, computer systems something or other. Anyway, when he told his family that at the age of 31, he was going to enlist, his "uncle" (by marriage a few times over he says) Kennedy told him:
"The Army is something you put on your desk when you start your real career."
"It's a book about a man who doesn't know he's about to die, and then dies...
...But if the man does know he's going to die and dies anyway. Dies, dies willing, knowing he can stop it, then...
Well, isn't that the type of man you want to keep alive?"
Karen Eiffel, Stranger Than Fiction
...we have to watch this dink run for president? Gag me with a spoon if I have to listen to "Reporting for Duty" one more time.
in the service. What's he's been saying, BETTER be true and verifiable or he's going to be doing a lot of extra everything and "bumping into walls" at night.
I expect him to be running for Congress from somewhere by 2008, 2010 at the tops.
His life is going to be ruined, starting yesterday.
“Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the Democrats believe every day is April 15.”
-Ronald Reagan
Anecdotal as it is. As a PL and CO - I spent an inordinant amount of my time on about 2 - 3 percent of my soldiers. Usually involving counseling, explaining to my superiors what the dork did and what I was going to do to "take care of it" etc.
He's been in the Army around 15 - 18 months (minimum) and it looks like he's only a PV2 (E-2).
You've really, really got to be a dirtbag for this. It's almost guaranteed that he's been busted at least once - possibly more.
I pity his PSG, PL, 1SG and Company Commander.
He should be a PFC and be counting down months to his E4.
"Scott Thomas" - The New Republic's Winter Soldier
Usually they involve the administrative staff and his PL and PS to all be douchebags, but they do exist.
That said, considering what I have read of what this guy wrote, I concur with you and the previous poster on "Scott Beauchamps's" likely identity...
"It's a book about a man who doesn't know he's about to die, and then dies...
...But if the man does know he's going to die and dies anyway. Dies, dies willing, knowing he can stop it, then...
Well, isn't that the type of man you want to keep alive?"
Karen Eiffel, Stranger Than Fiction
If the poor soldier is a good troop but his chain of command doesn't like him - he can be denied promotion multiple times.
That is more rare than this idiot's situation.
Reading what this guy wrote and said brought back a vivid memory of one particular whiny soldier I had as a PL at Fort Ord. And that was 20 years ago!
...he's scribbling in his journal or mapping out his first screenplay instead of watching for ambushes or IEDs.
--furious
"I find your lack of faith disturbing." -- Darth Vader
If they could figure out how to get furniture to mow a lawn or push a broom.
Consensus doesn't prove anything, in science or anywhere else, except in democracy, maybe. - Reid Bryson, speaking on Global Warming
The Army would need to figure out how to teach the furniture how to do KP and stand CQ...
"It's a book about a man who doesn't know he's about to die, and then dies...
...But if the man does know he's going to die and dies anyway. Dies, dies willing, knowing he can stop it, then...
Well, isn't that the type of man you want to keep alive?"
Karen Eiffel, Stranger Than Fiction
Ace of Spades has the goods.
Thomas was about as qualified to blog about life in Iraq as Joe Wilson was to go on an intelligence mission to Niger.
Scott Thomas Who'zit several times, real good.
We've traded our National Sovereignty for cheap roofing and yardwork.
"Thomas was about as qualified to blog about life in Iraq as Joe Wilson was to go on an intelligence mission to Niger."
Someone explain the logic of this to me. Beauchamp is confirmed to be a soldier in theatre. His blog posts purport to relay his experiences in theatre. He also holds a journalism degree from Mizzou (which I believe has a pretty good journalism school). Someone correct me if those facts are wrong.
What about those facts disqualifies him to blog about life in Iraq? Whether we agree with his description or not, I doubt he is 'unqualified' to give his opinion.
Agenda. Agenda, agenda and agenda.
Which render his comments are worthless unless they can be proven beyond doubt. Why don't we let Al Jazeera do a documentary on GWB? About the same thing...
Been in a cave?????
1. Pvt "Thomas" is NOT blogging about "life in Iraq".
2. Pvt "Thomas" is NOT offering his opinions.
You need to read the articles in question. He is specifically writing about his personal experiences. Specifically...
1. He and his "friends" made comments about a wounded female contractor with a severely burned face. He wasn't relating something he "saw", he was relating something he "did".
2. He reported that as a BFV driver, he ran over dogs in a BFV.
3. He reported that he and his friends uncovered a "mass grave" and put skulls on their heads and in their helmets.
Bottom line, he is reporting that he is unfit for service in the US military. This guy is writing to achieve an end, just exactly like Joe Wilson's NYT editorial and virtually every word he's uttered since returning from Niger.
He and Wilson likely share a personality trait: they are both compulsive liars.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
All these confirmations are based on what Mr. Beauchamp is saying. If he was a student, he isn't now. The thesis is that his major was in creative writing, which, if I'm not mistaken, is not journalism. In fact, it's well below journalism. It's a major in which you have to be creative, and I don't remember being able to have a subjective grade on creativity.
By your logic, I'm going to reveal a truth. My name isn't Nick Haynes. I'm not a 27-year old college student, and I never served in the Navy. My real name is Shaquille O'Neal, and I play championship basketball for the Miami Heat.
There. I've confirmed it about as much as Scott Beauchamp has. Prove me wrong.
Vos can't ledo astrum si vos intentio pro clouds
Formerly known as ShowMeConservatism. For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
his page is playing something called "Psycho Killer".
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendi...
If this link shown on Malkin really does belong to him, forget the MFA - he's already got the MWA - Media Whore Artist.
seen this however here is an interesting little tid bit from little green footballs...
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=26414_Scott_Thomas_-_Engag...
turns out Mr. Beauchamp is engaged to a member of the staff of TNR.
"My pieces were always intended to provide my discreet view of the war" the word "discreet" was written as "discrete" - was that a typo, mispelling or a Freudian slip?
At any rate, from his old blog, he sounded like a person who never wanted to go anyway, he regretted being in the Army to begin with - I wonder why he even joined? Now, I'm sure the rest of his unit regrets it, too...
I suspect that Private Beauchamp may have to watch his back now that his buddies know that he's not watching theirs.
A precedent embalms a principle.
- Disraeli
Suggesting that Scott Thomas' identity was dubious, and enclosing the world soldier in quotation marks ("soldier") and making all sorts of tongue in cheek comments about his name being a pseudonym.
Will you apologize to TNR now that it has been discovered that a real soldier posted his views on their forum?
We even has a piece talking about how we will be wrong, but addressing other, remaininginginging points that had have not been addressing soon.
Any more, highly literate, utterly without factual basis questions?
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We are all heroes, you and Boo and I. Hamsters and rangers everywhere, rejoice!
I cited the fact that you suggested Scott Thomas was not a soldier; your hunch has been put to sleep.
And your conclusion is illogical. You say Redstate wasn't wrong because it talked about how it will be wrong. he he.
I wish it were that easy. I'm telling my math teacher that I will fail the next test. That will guarantee a passing grade. Right, my illogical friend?
My great-uncle used to say that you shouldn't wrestle with the pigs, as you just get dirty and the pigs just have a good time.
Here, I mocked someone's crappy use of a verb tense, and found that poor grammar is the least of the attendant mental and logical problems with this returnee. Ah, well. Lesson learned.
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We are all heroes, you and Boo and I. Hamsters and rangers everywhere, rejoice!
Mister "Redstate wasn't wrong because it predicted it would be wrong."
Your quote will be remembered as the most nonsensical argument ever posted here:
No we isn't (meaning Redstate wasn't wrong). We (Redstate) even has a piece talking about how we will be wrong"
You are to reading comprehension what you are to logic and grammar. Does your sarcasm detector only work when one of your hands isn't engaged between your legs?
Keep up the cat and mouse, by the way. Next shift comes on duty in a few, then I'm back in the wee hours. You have to sleep some time.
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We are all heroes, you and Boo and I. Hamsters and rangers everywhere, rejoice!
The issue, you brain dead jerk, is not whether "Thomas" is a "soldier" or not, but whether the incidents he relates are true or not.
I know it's impossible for you to understand, but it wasn't his "views" that anybody cared about. It was the stories he reported as "facts". I'm sure that you have no clue what the difference between a "view" and a "fact" is.
I am consistently amazed that people with your obvious inability to pursue rational (or any, for that matter) thought can get out bed.
And, FWIW, if his stories are true, you will find the folks here calling for him - and his CoC - to be brought up on charges.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
There isn't only one issue. There is the issue of his stories, and the issue of his identity, which you put in doubt, and now you have been discredited. I understand your defensiveness, my unthinking partisan conservative ideologue. You have to defend Redstate.
for a waiting period between registering and posting. I tell you, there must have been a spike in the troll birth rate lately. They're thick around here...
...when they see me they'll say, "There goes Loren Wallace,
the greatest thing to ever climb into a race car."
Fella's left hand appears to have dumped him, leaving him an inordinate amount of time to keep re-registering. Sort of a Demophilus kinda thing; he looks like more people than he (physically) is.
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We are all heroes, you and Boo and I. Hamsters and rangers everywhere, rejoice!
This bird appears to have left enough droppings in the blogosphere and on MySpace so that his identity can be thoroughly confirmed...and evaluated.
Am I missing something, or was his pseudonym "Scott Thomas" while his real name is supposedly "Scott Thomas Beauchamp"? This seems fishy to me - he was writing "anonymously" using 2/3 of his real name? I have a hard time believing he'd be that stupid.
To blog about things that would land him a dishonourable discharge if they are verified, I would not be surprised...
"It's a book about a man who doesn't know he's about to die, and then dies...
...But if the man does know he's going to die and dies anyway. Dies, dies willing, knowing he can stop it, then...
Well, isn't that the type of man you want to keep alive?"
Karen Eiffel, Stranger Than Fiction
The reports of this "fog of war" kind of stuff didn't fit with the rose-colored worldview of the insaneosphere, so they immediately decided it was a fake.
Then Scott Thomas Beauchamp himself revealed himself as the soldier and author.
So the insaneosphere did what anyone who supports the troops would do: they went after the soldier personally.
But, you're gone anyway.
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We are all heroes, you and Boo and I. Hamsters and rangers everywhere, rejoice!
I haven't followed this topic much, but just read this (below). Seems like Scottie's got some 'splainin' to do.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/07/pvt_beauchamp_in_big_t...
http://discardedlies.com/entry/?31765_storm-troopers
"Scott Thomas" - The New Republic's Winter Soldier
[*...disregard. - Moe Lane]
If the actions of the members of our military are cause of so much concern, why has coverage of this general been virually non-existent? Even if Scott Thomas had been accused of something illegal, (which he hasn't) the lying general would be a much bigger story.
h ttp://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,290906,00.html
Now he just has to prove that what he said happened actually did happen.
And get a load of this ...
I wonder who it was, through his still implausible stories of soldiers laughing at an IED disfigured woman, a soldier wearing the skull of a dead child on his head under his helmet for a whole day, and a tank driver deliberately making sharp right turns to kill dogs, that called the character of "his" brothers in arms?
George W. Bush: He's A Folder ... Not A Fighter.