The New Republic’s much maligned Baghdad Diarist blogger, Pvt. Scott Thomas Beauchamp, has admitted, finally, that he made up all of his horror stories about the troops in Iraq. Just as most in the military blogging community thought.

No wonder The New Republic is taking the week off. What will the arrogant editor of TNR, Franklin Foer, have to say for himself now? Can hardly wait.

Beauchamp Recants

THE WEEKLY STANDARD has learned from a military source close to the investigation that Pvt. Scott Thomas Beauchamp–author of the much-disputed “Shock Troops” article in the New Republic’s July 23 issue as well as two previous “Baghdad Diarist” columns–signed a sworn statement admitting that all three articles he published in the New Republic were exaggerations and falsehoods–fabrications containing only “a smidgen of truth,” in the words of our source.

Separately, we received this statement from Major Steven F. Lamb, the deputy Public Affairs Officer for Multi National Division-Baghdad:

An investigation has been completed and the allegations made by PVT Beauchamp were found to be false. His platoon and company were interviewed and no one could substantiate the claims.

According to the military source, Beauchamp’s recantation was volunteered on the first day of the military’s investigation.