A Question Regarding Foer's Editing Of Scott Thomas Articles

Today ABC says:

We (TNR) talked to one of the members of his unit to confirm the woman, a female contractor.

The lede for Shock Troops:

I saw her nearly every time I went to dinner in the chow hall at my base in Iraq. She wore an unrecognizable tan uniform, so I couldn't really tell whether she was a soldier or a civilian contractor.

Why would Foer leave this alleged fact vague when he published? And why wasn't their pseudonymous author certain, yet someone he presumably supplied for fact checking was? Seems sloppy to check facts, then not correct them before publication, at best.

Comments

[Capitalist Infidel]

Dan, did you read the crap by that "journalist?" He said or is this just some Conservative witch hunt against any paper that doesn't only show positive news from Iraq? I'd like to know where I can find those "positive" stories out of Iraq in any of the mainstream media outlets? I hate liberal "journalists!"

[Poppy]

OK, who does she work for? What's her name so we can apologize for your correspondents terrible behavior. She may want to bring up charges against your employee.

Saying she is a contractor does not confirm the story

[Kyle]

ABC also reported that while Foer was convinced Scott Thomas was in the military, Foer was unable to confirm the existence of a military e-mail address for Mr. Thomas. To any journalist moderately concerned about accuracy that would raise a flag. Foer's inability to put a date to any of these events is also a sign that he's hoping to skate on proof. As far as rigorous fact-checking is concerned, Foer's "smell test" standard is laughable. Maybe to Foer, "smelled good" is the new "fake but accurate."

[RDX]

Interesting...seems Mr. Thomas has a blog...

http://ghostsonfilm.blogspot.com