Redstate

to the oldest trick in the leftist playbook. They make unfounded, ideological fueled allegations that they do not attempt to prove when challenged. Instead they attack those that question them and ask them to prove their position and still cast doubt upon their evidence and intent.

They believe their "cause" is right so facts are only things that get in the way.

Safe in the knowledge they will not be challenged by their own supporters and MSM, they do what they do best- attack and smear the US military they apparently abhor.

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Thou art the Great Cat, the avenger of the Gods, and the judge of words...-Inscription on the Royal Tombs at Thebes

I think of the hundred of thousands of hours OUR young Sailors and Soldiers volunteer doing humanitarian projects for families in foreign lands every year juxtaposed with the liberal media's use of this undercover scumbag and it makes me sick. Thanks for all you do Jeff.

The longer we dwell on our misfortunes the greater is their power to harm us - Voltaire

...Dan Rather's standard (in his mind) was "fake, but accurate." TNR is not even "up" to Rather’s standard. TNR’s standard is "fake, but plausible."

Jeff, damage from TNR's actions can only be done to those with a conscience. There is no fallout for them in the conscienceless world inhabited by TNR and Beauchamp. "My mind is made up, do not try to confuse me with facts."

John
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Why would God invent something like whiskey? To keep the Irish from ruling the world of course

Moving on from this story is exactly what TNR wants!!

Now is the time to keep up the pressure. For, if the right side of the blogosphere doesn't, TNR will be able to slink away.

I'll bet that, in the offices of TNR, NYT, WaPo and other lefty-leaning publications, they're looking at Jeff's article here and smiling. YES!!!, I can imagine them chanting. Let's move on! (Insert motivational, rhythmic clapping here) Let's--move--on! Let's---move---on!

Translation: Let's let this story die, so our buddies at TNR can slink away to lick their wounds and regroup.

I think it's more important to keep TNR stuck in the spot they've put themselves in. Keep following up on the story. Keep digging up more holes in it, potholes so big that the MSM can't ignore them. Example: Confederate Yankee's interview of the BAE communications rep. THAT nees to be trumpeted loud and wide.

We need to press the Army to release as much of the background on this story, and its investigation, as they can. Perhaps someone should point out to the Army that the reputation and image of its soldiers is at risk here. Especially in the eyes of audiences who by nature look askance at American troops, and are inclined to believe fabulous tales about the US military. Such as....oh, say, Arab populaces and US liberals.

TNR has deliberately floated the perception that the US Army is not letting the full truth out here, and is muzzling the voice of a potentially innocent solider who might want to tell his side of the story. For Al Jazeera, The Nation, Bill Maher, Keith Olbermann and Ayman Al Zawahiri, that perception is all they need. They'll treat it as fact and spread it around. Before we know it, another KnownFact will have taken root.

Then, the precious air time Jeff Emmanuel rightly says needs to be spent telling the story of all the good our troops are doing, will be spent instead uprooting the KnownFact of the muzzled and mistreated Scott Beauchamp.

The Army needs to do itself---and those of us who speak for it on the blogosphere---a favor here. Put out as much info as you can, so the conservative press can blow the legs out from under this story. Before it gets deeply rooted. For, mark my words, it's planted now. And it's growing. The longer you wait to pull it up by the roots, the harder it will be.

Yes, I know there are procedures and regulations. But, the Army needs to be smart here, and put out what it can. This is a new kind of PR war we're fighting here.

And, most important of all, TNR has put itself in a bind here. Its reputation is imperiled. From what I can see, TNR is more than willing to let the Army's reputation take a hit---even a BIG hit---if that's what it takes for TNR to save its own hide. They want a scapegoat, and they seem to be hoping that the Army's insistence on following procedure and staying silent will give TNR a chance to foist enough blame on the Army itself that the magazine's liberal and MSM critics (i.e., those who TNR fears the most) will be placated. TNR can then slink away into the brush.

How to prevent that?

- Get the Army to officially refute as much of the Beauchamp stories as possible. Go point by point, and explain (in as much detail as possible) why the Army determined that this point or that point in STB's diaries was FALSE. Not "unsubstantiated," but FALSE. That should then put the ball in TNR's court, to make them explain why they found those points believable enough to print. I'd love to hear their explanations---explanations that I suspect TNR prays they'll never have to give
- Let STB be interviewed. If he only talks to lefty publications, we are then free to speculate why he won't talk to MSM or conservative reporters. Jeff, given what STB has done to the Army's image, why CAN'T the Army justify letting Beauchamp talk? If he proves himself to be a jerk, let the Army rebut him, and shred his credibility! And, in so doing, send a warning to the next TNR that they,too, risk being humiliated by an Army that isn"t going to sit back and be baselessly smeared anymore.
- Get more independent interviews that debunk Beauchamp. Jeff, can't the commandet or CSM of 1-18 speak? The A Company commander? I'd think they'd want to---because, according to the reporting of a TNR rep (Beauchamp), there are plenty of bums in 1-18 IN. Does the 1-18 IN and its families want the world's most vivid reporting on their work and sacrifice in Iraq to come from Scott Thomas Beauchamp? If you were a 1-18 soldier, would you want to be remembered as a member of "that" unit? ( Did YOUR daddy crush dogs in Iraq?) Well, in those places where TNR's seeds can take root (e.g., any Ivy League university), that's the perception is growing.

Am I wrong here? I've got a baby in my arms, and no place to go. Discuss!

"Who will stand/On either hand/And guard this bridge with me?" (Macaulay)

Just my guess, but the latter is just a another naive and vainglorious young man.

The TNR episode is another instance of sloppy journalism in the service of a lefty agenda. That is where we need to direct our fire.

Also, the conflict-of-interest situation in this case is simply amazing. On the other hand, who can Plame TNR? There are very successful precedents.

The price of this nonsense to the reporting entity has to be raised, and raised to high levels.