Why can't this story be found anywhere else? Should Iraq Vets Against The War be held accountable?

Question

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,274097,00.html
http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20060529-101507-3385r.htm

(Before any attempts to discredit foxnews are made, know that the story came from the associated press...they didn't make it up. Please read it before you respond.)

Yahoo will link you to the article, but apparently doesn't seem to think it's pertinent that this scum would attempt to discredit our troops by making up stories about "atrocities" in Iraq, and claim to have been shot while there in an attempt to get benefits (that's right...from our pockets!). The problem with all this is that the man never went to Iraq and was discharged early in training. It is my fervent hope that his prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I would also like to see someone hold the Iraq Veterans Against the War be held accountable for the things they post on their site. They are surely entitled to their opinions, but at the very least should be more interested in truth than agenda.

Wow. Obviously a couple people didn't actually read the article. If people want to cite atrocities as an argument against war, that is appropriate, but if they must make sure their sources are valid if they want to maintain any legitimacy. There were two parts to this question, but you have limited numbers of characters available with which to work. The first part was, why didn't any other major news sources post this do you suppose? The second was, is anyone else bothered by the fact that ANY group, particularly the Iraq Vets Against the War, would use this person as a talking point without validating his story. On reflection, "accountable" was not the best word choice, when I meant accountable for what they post on their site, not accountable for the actions of this scum, Jesse MacBeth. They of all people should know better, and should take great offense that this person posed as one of them. Their actions show to me evidence of political motivation, rather than truth.

Answer 1

Like most of us, IVAW probably bought into MacBeth's story because they wanted to believe it.

If they promoted it to the media, the responsible party is the media. It is the responsibility of professional journalists to verify information before putting it to the public. To simply hand us something they claim is 'news', they should have done some simple research.

Once again, the media has proved it's left-leaning bias. No doubt the 1st story made more of a splash than its 2nd chapter.

Answer 2

Iraq Vets Against The War did not produce this person or his stories. This person who made false claims came to the group. I think this should be a good lesson on fact/background checking for groups like Iraq Vets Against the War.

But people falsely claiming military services is nothing new. This happens quite often.

Those articles really didn't criticize Iraq Vets Against the War. The group did remove McBeth's story from their website. McBeth also lied to our gov to take military benefit money. He lied to lot of people and to that anti war group. It's likely the group saw that McBeth received military benefits and didn't realize he schemed the gov to get it. It's very unusual circumstance.

Would you do extensive background checks on anybody you see, who receive military benefits? Ask them if they're lying? McBeth got benefits through lie and you think lot of people will ask him "hey are you scheming our gov?"

This guy was pretty good con artist.

And I hope you realize that nobody was held accountable for false(or many claim fabricated) intelligence about WMD. Nobody got fired over Iraq WMD fiasco. WMD that didn't exist.

Some guy making up fantastic war story isn't really big as WMD fiasco that drove our country into this war. Which by the way involved people who get paid with your tax dollars also.

This is not some vast left wing conspiracy. This story is about con artist who
"....admitted falsifying the documents because he was homeless and wanted to “sucker” anything he could out of the government."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,274097,00.html

And what about the system uh? This homeless guy was able to get thousands by making up few lies. Shouldn't you be also mad at the system that failed to detect this con artist? Same system that failed to protect out vets' personal info, failed to provide adequate health care to vets, now falls for homeless guy's scheme.

The group, Iraq Vets Against the War didn't assist this guy to get that benefit. This group thought he was for real because the group saw this guy and said 'gee, this guy got military benefits. He must be real soldier.' The group is not responsible for giving this guy his money. Is it?

Answer 3

Given the information we're given, I say "no, Iraq Veterans Against the War should not be held accountable." They took no part in assisting this man in securing his funds from the government. If they had somehow assisted in falsefying his records, then I belive they should be held accountable. But if they mearly posted his story on their website, then they did nothing illegal.
Freedom of speach should protect IVAtW, even if what they said were lies, as long as they did not defraud anyone.

Answer 4

Iraq Veterans Against the War be held accountable ?
Accountable for what? Using their free speech? Why can't Iraq Vets be against the war. Any young man who went to Iraq and came home alive. Can say anything they want to say. And any person who tries to stop them should be sent to Iraq.

Answer 5

Your question doesn't properly reflect the story,

I suppose FRAUD is contagious.

It IS illegal to lie under oath, it's called purjury!
It is damaging to spread lies, oral or written, libel and slander,

For example Scientology lies about L.Ron Hubbards Military service and had to take down it's claims from their websites.

And we are fighting to live in a free country where a man has a right to his opinion.

The lines you are arguing remind me of the Dolchstosslegende that led to the Holocaust!!!

Relax, and give everyone a chance to speak.

I DO blame to media for not to a great job on the sucess stories in Iraq, but hey, blood sells!

Answer 6

Outraged conservative indignation is just too much Bush/Cheney 2004 B.S.! The Washington Times backed up by Fox News? whats so funny is you demanding accountability while expecting grown ups to believe these PR media companies whose make-up-the-news serves as pure entertainment for the illiterate.

Answer 7

Did you know that the Moonies own the Washington Times? It is not a credible source. Rev. Sun Myung Moon had himself crowned the new messiah, he thinks he is better than Jesus. Quit believing these fools for God's sake.

Answer 8

So if a WWII veteran makes up stories about German atrocities, does it mean that atrocities did not exist?
You cannot generalize so easily.