The Drudge Report acquired transcripts of Private Scott Thomas Beauchamp refusing to stand by stories he wrote for The New Republic, even in the face of questioning by New Republic editor Franklin Foer. The Drudge link has been taken down for some reason, but the Washington Post has a report.
Beauchamp had written that he and other soldiers had taunted a female soldier whose face was badly disfigured. The Army report said every soldier interviewed in Beauchamp's unit could not recall such a woman and called the account "completely fabricated."
The Army report also called Beauchamp's assertion that drivers of Bradley Fighting Vehicles deliberately ran over stray dogs "completely unfounded." And it dismissed as "false" Beauchamp's account that soldiers had played with the skulls of Iraqi children, saying just one skull was found and was buried with dignity.
Foer said the Army has refused to turn over supporting documents in the case, despite a Freedom of Information Act request, and then "selectively leaked" material to Drudge. In an e-mail to the magazine yesterday, Army spokesman Maj. Kirk Luedeke said he was "surprised and appalled that this information was leaked" and that the military would investigate.
Beauchamp, with the Army's encouragement, had agreed to talk to The Washington Post and Newsweek on Sept. 6, but canceled the interviews at the last minute at Foer's urging. Foer said yesterday that "given everything we have on the line, we have a right to have this exclusive line of communication with him."
Meanwhile, New Republic editor Franklin Foer stands by Beauchamp's stories anyway.
Despite the contentious conversation, Foer continued to defend the article days later. He did so again yesterday, reiterating that other soldiers whom the magazine would not identify had confirmed the allegations.
While Beauchamp "didn't stand by his stories in that conversation, he didn't recant his stories," Foer said in an interview. "He obviously was under considerable duress during that conversation, with his commanding officer in the room with him."
While the discussion "was extremely frustrating and engendered doubts," Foer said, Beauchamp defended his story in a subsequent conversation that was conducted with no superiors present.
Other soldiers whom the magazine would not identify? Please.
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