Awe your just an asshole.

Well said. Thanks

Well said, GH. We've all burned too many brain cells on this one. Better to spend our time and efforts on getting out the real stories of effort, dedication and progress.

Clear, direct and to the point.

And I couldn't agree more.

Just another reason I've been poppin' over here for so long.

Stay safe Greyhawk!!

Without question, this is THE best thing I've read about this whole sordid affair...

Dear Greyhawk,

I agree that this issue with Pvt Scott is complicated. It really shouldn't be about Liberal vs. Conservative or Democrat vs. Republican. This is an American issue. Are the servicemen being accurately portrayed in the media? And do they deserve and are the troops getting the support they need?
I'm not naive to know that there are some a-holes in the service. But I also know that the a-holes don't represent the vast majority of our servicemen and women.
Pvt Scott's either delusional or accurate story couldn't have come at a better time in my family. My son has committed to joining the Army. I was trying to explain to him about his conduct and the soldiers he chooses to befriend. And at first he didn't understand what I was trying to say, but with Pvt Scott as an example he understands now. I told him that if I was a fellow soldier serving with this idiot that I'd keep my distance and both eyes on him. And that he'd be pretty easy to spot either by his actions or his lying big mouth.
Which brings me to my next point on who's actually supporting the troops. I don't give a damn if it's a Democrat, Republican or Green that brings us a military or political victory in Iraq. So I believe the more the merrier, but a certain part of the population has determined it's more important they have a political victory here than winning the war. I mean Hell, it was a bi-partisan vote that authorized America to go to war if Saddam didn't comply. Shouldn't these politicians and fellow Americans have the guts to see this mission thru. So when I see people like Senator Zel Miller, Senator Jo Liberman, Ron Silverman and Jon Voight supporting the troops and the mission it gives me some hope, but it also depresses me. Not only because they are vilified by the Left, but because it's such a small percentage that understands what is at stake. The Islamic Jihad's will kill any liberal American just as any conservative that doesn't convert. So please forgive me if I take some umbrage that there a-holes in both parties. I agree there are, but the MAJOR A-HOLES seem to be on the Democrat side.

Well said. Nuff said.

I sincerely hope that this pogue gets pretrial confinement during the Article 32 investigation

That's the best summary and commentary I've seen on this whole issue. Awesome.

Ah, yes, a timely lesson to remember perspective. Thanks, I needed that.

"those who think the Army transforms good people into assholes are wrong"

The reverse, however, has been known to happen with some fair regularity. Just not this time.

forgive me - i disagree with the lot of you...there are really, really nice people who aren't assholes who misrepresent the facts and confabulate..and there are assholes who do an excellent job of capturing the reality of a scene or a moment...

yes, i know the guy is a soldier and you are holding him to that standard of honor and character BUT he was published in a so-called 'elite' magazine that represented the man's words as accurate, truthful and - ahem - rigorously factchecked...

...well, the simple reality is that the new republic has a flawed to the point of unprofessional fact-checking process...we can easily prove this by pointing out two quick examples (there are others but i'm writing a comment not an essay):

1) the assertion that the 'square backed' cartridge was from a glock - which only iraqi police supposedly simply could not have been 'fact checked' as accurate because many, many folks reportedly use glocks in iraq...maybe even militias...what allows that inferential leap to be plausible?

2) the dog-killing bradley driver...umm, shouldn't a fact checker ask what, you know, the other folks in the bradley think of a guy who's trying to run down dogs? mightn't dog chasing lead to catching an ied?

this isn't rocket science - it's journalism 101; i would bet serious money that tnr didn't do it for, with or to their baghdad diarist...i concede beauchamp may well be an asshole...to me, the bigger sin is that the new republic cheated him and its readers of professional approach to journalism...for the publication gave stephen glass to the world to do this, well, shame on them - again...

...is it possible that everything beauchamp wrote is true...? maybe...it's possible...is it possible that everything published under his nom de guerre was fact-checked in a reasonable and professional manner? absolutely, 100% not...

Hehe. You certainly have a way with cutting through the fat and getting to the meat. Of course, having read this blog for quite a few years, I wasn't surprised.
Assholes come in all shapes,sizes,colors, income levels and political persuasions and any other category you care to mention. Even nuns can be assholes! (I went to Catholic school, I remember.)
Military justice is mostly fair and will deal with this. Personnaly, I hope it just goes away but I'm afraid it wont.
I do tend to agree with Pete's last sentence, though.

I agree that we need to leave this to his company now that the light has been shined on PVT Beauchamp. I guarantee that his 1SG literally shredded his desk into shards of wood and metal using only his hands and teeth right now. But the bottom line is this: As Greyhawk has said, either PVT Beauchamp participated in atrocities that are punishable by the UCMJ, or he has lied and slandered his fellow soldiers, which due to his actions is also punishable under the UCMJ. Bearing False Witness, making a false sworn statement (and trust me, given that his "prose" was presented as the flat out truth, that is a possible charge), plus a whole host of others under Article 134, PVT Beauchamp is going to get nailed to a wall. He has dug himself into a hole so deep that he's screwed no matter what he does.

In my opinion, we need to focus more on the fact that The New Republic published unconfirmed lies as "truth". There's where we need to focus our attention.

I've known MANY teenage assholes that were turned into decent - or at least reasonable - young men by the military.

I've known ONE that went the other way. He was painfully shy as a teenager, and had a psychotic break in the military (in CONUS, in peacetime in the 90's, in a technical MOS). He was schizophrenic, and it was going to happen whether he was in the service or not. In fact, being in the service may have saved his life - he didn't go far over the edge before people noticed and he got prompt treatment.

It's clear that Scott Thomas was an asshole before he took the oath, he's an asshole now, and he will always be an asshole.

At least this way, everyone in the entire world knows it.

I'm afraid this situation is worthy of more attention, and it much more important than Beauchamp's inherent assholiness because our enemies (the jihadists and democrats) have made it so. Do recall, if you will, that our enemies have admitted, and it has been publicized around the world, that they cannot possibly win on the battlefield, but they know they can win in the media through propaganda. And the democrats in Congress are doing all that they can, each and every day, to cause our defeat.

So when an American publication publishes, apparently without any checking at all, what amounts to propaganda, it is a matter of concern, and something we ought to be speaking out against as loudly and as long as the jihadists and dems press their defeatist agenda.

Thanks for all that you do to inform us back home of what is really happening. There are only certain news stations I watch: Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and then the talk radio- Rush. I try and read this blog and some of the others. Common sense says that there are bad apples anywhere. But I find it harder to excuse educated people for not being more well rounded in their search for truth. I see more hate from the left side toward America and our great military families. Most Americans love their country and love the military and respect them. Please keep up the good work keeping us informed. Tell any of the soldiers listening that we still believe in our finest soldiers and wish them all a safe,speedy return.
thanks again,
apcutter

I'm pefectly content to let the army handle its own assholes, as I've always presumed they would. I'm not, however, willing to give The New Republic a pass on according an asshole tacit "whistle blower" status, along with a national podium and protection. It's irresponsible for starters, but it breaks my heart to see it when you guys are out there 24/7.

If you tell me that the effort to hold Franklin Foer's TNR feet to the fire is bad for morale, I'll put a lid on it right now. Otherwise, I think there should be consequences for shoddy journalism too. That business has its own share of assholes, and I'd rather not make life any easier for 'em than I have to.

hooah, G. nicely put. I haven't lost a moment's sleep on this turd... but will be interested in the eventual outcome... but in the greater sense, it will be meaningless in the war on terror and killing as many al Queda as possible. I feel for those that must serve with him, but they have their ways of shunning assholes like STB. And frankly, his parents must be mortified.

OPSEC violation? I hope an Article 32 is in the near future. Then a General Courts Martial, maybe.
Thomas may be one of those individuals in life whose head is permanently up and locked. Airdales know what that means. But even so, to break the rules in a system with rules, personal accountability comes into the picture. 20 years experience with personal accountability and responsiblity right here.

It's easy to see how these assholes, at TNR and in the Army, got together. Mutual attraction, one asshole to a group of them. But you are right. This won't be the last of them. How could it be?

Great post GH. Was I the only one thinking about Team America as I read it?

Right wing bloggers chased this non-story obssessively for how long? For this?

Well said.
Military justice and his company will take care of it; his 15 minutes (bad ones) should be done.
'nuff said.

Made my freaking month GREYHAWK ! You & Mrs. G are amazing.

Greyhawk,

Well stated, we use POS for the name but it amounts to the same thing. Every unit has one in various forms. This POS just happened to let everyone outside his unit also know. This actually makes it easier for the military to remove him and say "that was easy", now what are going to do with that POS over at BN HQ

Stay Safe

We wont be allowed to let this one go. His OPSEC breaches will be used to hammer the good-guys by everyone with an agenda. How long until we see a CNN story on "Milbloggers endangering the mission"? I predict that we and the milblogs especially will be fighting for there lives in the near future because of this. I can't say that I blame the commanders because they are going to have their asses reamed over this. Somebody tell me I'm wrong, please!

Bravo & a big Hooah!

Ummm... nice post, Greyhawk.

But I'm sorta confused about one tiny detail.

Do you, or do you not, think the guy is an asshole?

Thanks for clearing that up :p

Thanks GH. I think most readers agree that for this POS, asshole is a common epithet we throw out when discussing this story. You, however, have given clear definition of the meaning of asshole with regard to this POS's character. Thanks for that.

I respectfully disagree.

Please do not call this yahoo an "Asshole".

An Assholes serves a vitally useful function in life; expulsion of waste. Ask yourself, has Pvt Scott reached this level of functionality or usefulness to mankind?

That's what I thought.