Fact-checking him down to his shirt sleeves
One Jesse Macbeth claims to be an Army Ranger who committed war crimes in Iraq, and a video interview of him is circulating on the internet. Dozens of veterans and milbloggers have challenged his credibility (with good cause it seems)
Allahpundit at Hot Air is tracking it all with Jesse Macbeth video goes viral
Despite the best efforts of some, nonsense thrives on the Internet. Which is why, despite the fact that MilBlogs has already blown barn-sized holes in its credibility, the Jesse Macbeth video has spread this morning to Information Clearing House and Mininova. If you see it anywhere else, e-mail us or leave a comment below and we’ll update.
Don’t miss the statement from Terry Portinga, the Peace Moonbat who posted the damn thing in the first place. Now that his phony war criminal looks like a fraud, he’s all “peace and understanding and conversation and we all just want the truth.” A little late there, huh, Terry?
Update: Even the posters at Democratic Underground have realized that this guy is a fraud. Read the whole thread there. You can see the discussion flow, as more and more DUmmies link or post challenges to his credibility.
Sweetness & Light finds out that Jesse has had run-ins with the law before (credit card fraud).
Indeed, MacBeth’s long and intimate involvement with Arizona’s criminal justice system doesn’t seem to have left him any time to serve in the military, let alone time to do all the things he now claims.
Update: JUST CITIZENS. Not your Father’s Political Party.: Nimrod of the Week
Today, the Army ran a check on Mr. MacBeth’s credentials. It turns out, not surprisingly to anybody with half a mind, that Mr. MacBeth has NO Army service record. Anywhere. Period. This is a direct quote given to me by Army spokesman John Boyce:
“Initial research by the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg shows no Soldier with the name of Jesse Macbeth having ever been assigned to the Special Forces or the Army Rangers — which are, in fact, two separate disciplines. This appears to be some sort of hoax. No Soldier by that name at Fort Lewis to our knowledge, in the past, either. Of course, the line about “go into the Army or go to jail” is vintage TV script not heard since the 1960s. There are also numerous wear and appearance issues with the Soldier’s uniform — a mix of foreign uniforms with the sleeves rolled up like a Marine and a badly floppy tan beret worn like a pastry chef. Of course, the allegations of war crimes are vague, as are the awards the Soldier allegedly received.”
Treason: “Violation of allegiance toward one’s country or sovereign, especially the betrayal of one’s country by waging war against it or by consciously and purposely acting to aid its enemies. “
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