Still Looking for "Scott Thomas's" Cohorts (UPDATED)

New Republic’s Frank Foer talked with the New York Times today about the “Shock Troops” controversy.

“Now that these questions have been raised, we’ve launched an inquiry. We’re putting the full resources of the magazine to look into the story,” Mr. Foer said. “It’s taking me a little bit longer than I wish it did. The author, not to mention some of the participants in the anecdotes he described, are active duty soldiers and they’re on 20-hour active combat missions sometimes, and it’s very difficult for me to get them all on the phone to ask them the questions that I’d like to ask.”

No doubt, but, one wonders how long it took to discover “Scott Thomas” in the first place and get him to work for TNR. (And email, anyone?)

If these other soldiers (marines?) exist, likely they are not as willing to violate standing military orders in the manner that Mr. “Thomas” has (by going to the media, rather than to a superior, about alleged violations of the UCMJ and/or in-theater policy). And, if the incidents in question actually did occur and none of these soldiers (marines?) reported them to their superiors, that makes two issues--violating DoD media policy and covering up violations of the UCMJ--for which these GIs will have to stand, inwardly quaking, in front of their CO.

Meanwhile, Foer says that “he had met the writer and that he knows that he is, in fact, a soldier.” We’ll see.

(Thanks to Michael Goldfarb)

UPDATE: I noticed that in this post and in the other posts about the New Republic controversy, I typed "Steve Thomas" instead of "Scott Thomas" several times. I was kicking myself for it, but then I got over it. It's not his real name anyway.

UPDATE: In TNR's blog, the Plank, Foer again asserts that "Thomas" is an actual soldier (marine?) in Iraq, but does not yet assert that the stories related by this "Thomas" are true. For entertainment purposes, check out the comments.

UPDATE: Yesterday, Goldfarb received a note from a Major Kirk Ludeke who is stationed at FOB Falcon in Iraq--the scene of the allegedly-committed crimes which "Thomas" documents in "Shock Troops".

I've been watching the events on the New Republic's "Scott Thomas" piece with interest.

As the 4th IBCT Public Affairs Officer- I can tell you unequivocally: there was NO mass grave discovered [one of the stories told by "Thomas"] in this area of operations in conjunction with the building of a coalition outpost anytime in the past 12 months. None. Zero. Zip. And Frank Foer's assertions to the contrary, there is no way that his mystery soldier "Scott Thomas" can prove it. Foer can produce all of the alleged "eyewitnesses" he wants- unless these individuals are willing to back up their claims with real evidence, it's just so much garbage on a computer screen. Some people seem to forget that the burden of proof should be on the New Republic to back up his unsubstantiated claims and not the other way around.

PREVIOUSLY:

Further Comments from Foer
A Note From New Republic's Foer
Digging into New Republic's Anonymous Source
Gruesome Stories from Anonymous Sources

[Re-edited]