The Institute for the Study of War has fired Syria analyst Elizabeth O'Bagy for falsely claiming she held a Ph.D.
26-year-old O'Bagy has been touted as one of the leading analysts on the current situation in Syria - in his discussion on possible military action on Damascus at last week's Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Senator John McCain cited excerpts from an "important op-ed by Dr. Elizabeth O'Bagy." Secretary of State John Kerry has also read from her work in front of Congress.
But it turned out that the analyst who made appearances on CNN and Fox News, touted as an expert who graduated with a Ph.D. from Georgetown University, was not who she seemed.
"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," officials wrote in a statement. "ISW has accordingly terminated Ms. O'Bagy's employment, effective immediately."
Dr. Kim Kagan, the president of the institute, told CNN that she was shocked to find out O'Bagy had lied, but was firm in her decision to fire the Syria analyst.
O'Bagy was hired last year as a research analyst, after having worked as an intern at the institute. Kagan said that she was an exemplary analyst, and that she demonstrated real skill. She was even "pleased and proud to move her forward."
Now, the Journal is under fire for publishing the op-ed referenced by McCain without first disclosing O'Bagy's spot as political director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, the Huffington Post reported. The Force, a Washington-based advocacy group lobbying for the oppositional forces, did not offer a comment.
O'Bagy insisted that she'd been paid as a contractor, and not a full-time employee for the SETF. She also stated she did not involve herself in their lobbying. But she did work when the SETF to help organize McCain's trip to visit the Free Syrian Army, one of the main opposition groups, in May.
Some are skeptical about O'Bagy's commentary and analysis now that her lack of credentials has been exposed. For foreign correspondent Janine di Giovanni, O'Bagy's alleged "enormous" experience covering Syria was merely a wild "exaggeration."
"Those of us who work in Syria, as reporters or researchers, are a very small group of people," di Giovanni told the Huffington Post. "We're all incredibly cautious. It's a very difficult job and difficult war to work in...A lot of people were quite shocked when a 26-year-old Ph.D., so-called Syria expert who appeared to have never worked in the region, and whom no one had heard of, appeared on CNN and other networks as a Syrian expert."
