Key White House Source for Moderate Syrian Rebels Argument Fired for Falsifying Academic Credentials

A researcher whose work was cited by Secretary of State John Kerry and Sen. John McCain as justification for aiding Syrian rebels has been fired for falsifying her academic credentials.

Elizabeth O'Bagy, a research analyst pushing the argument that Syria's rebels are moderates, was fired for falsifying her academic credentials. (Credit: CNN via YouTube)

Elizabeth O'Bagy advanced the argument that the rebels battling the Assad regime are largely moderate, countering claims that they are Al Qaeda-affiliated extremists.

The think tank that employed O’Bagy fired her Wednesday for falsifying her Ph.D. credentials.

Here's the statement from The Institute for the Study of War:

The Institute for the Study of War has learned and confirmed that, contrary to her representations, Ms. Elizabeth O’Bagy does not in fact have a Ph.D. degree from Georgetown University. ISW has accordingly terminated Ms. O’Bagy’s employment, effective immediately.

Her firing also comes after an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal last week did not disclose O'Bagy's affiliation with the Syrian Emergency Task Force, an advocacy group for the rebels. As Hot Air noted, O'Bagy later claimed her research for the institute was separate from the Syrian Emergency Task Force.

Check out O'Bagy being interviewed on CNN recently, via YouTube:

And here's McCain repeating O'Bagy's research and siding with her conclusions during Syria Foreign Relations Hearings, via YouTube:

--

[related]