Pentagon Report on Tillman Fratricide Leaves Many Questions Unanswered

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Posted on Mar 27, 2007

The Tillman family and members of Congress expressed disappointment at the story presented by the Pentagon on Monday during a briefing regarding the investigations into the death of Pat Tillman and the subsequent military cover-up.

SF Gate:

Tillmans assail Pentagon report
Family sees whitewash in death of soldier

By Robert Collier, Edward Epstein, Chronicle Staff Writers

The family of former NFL football star and Army Ranger Pat Tillman denounced the results of a Pentagon investigation released Monday that found neither criminal wrongdoing in his death by friendly fire nor an orchestrated effort to cover up details of the incident.

A report by the inspector general, the military’s investigative branch, found that nine Army officers, including four generals, were aware that Tillman’s death in Afghanistan was caused by the bullets of fellow soldiers, not by Taliban guerrillas as the Pentagon insisted for five weeks after the April 22, 2004, shooting.

Investigators recommended that the officers be held accountable for making misleading statements about Tillman’s death, but the 18-month investigation found no plot to conceal the friendly fire incident.

In a statement Monday night, Tillman’s family said testimony released with the Pentagon’s report revealed “an overpowering suggestion of violations of law, regulation and policy that reaches from the vehicle that fired on Pat and took his life to the Office of the Secretary of Defense.”

The statement, co-signed by half a dozen of his close relatives, added: “In our opinion, this attempt to impose closure by slapping the wrists of a few officers and enlisted men is yet another bureaucratic entrenchment.”

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TAGS: afghanistan cover-up death military taliban tillman

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By moni, March 28, 2007 at 10:58 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

The mother of Cpl. Pat Tillman spoke on NPR recently describing the military’s attempt to make her son the “Poster Boy” for the WAR.  He was strong, committed and handsome in a “GI JOE” sort of way.  The perfect soldier.  The perfect young American man, willing to “fight for his country”.  It was the epitome of irony, then, that this courageous young soldier, who gave up a “frivolous” football contract for two million dollars would die by “friendly fire”. 

Too embarrassing for the military to admit this attrocious accident, they prefered to fabricate a huge legend of valor befitting a man of the calliber of Pat Tillman.  Fortunately the parents and family of this “sacrificial lamb” wanted only the TRUTH.  Hopefully they are getting it and with the acceptance of this truth will come another kind of valor.

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By Quy Tran, March 28, 2007 at 8:30 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

One drop of water falls down to an overflowing cup !

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By LG, March 27, 2007 at 7:17 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

please re-read ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT. Its truths need to be relearned today.

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By Steve Hammons, March 27, 2007 at 3:44 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Honorable front-line troops have been used in many ways by higher-ups ... Pat Tillman seems to be one of many.

The Bush-Cheney administration, some high-ranking uniformed officers, war profiteers and chicken hawks all have used our combat troops for political gain and glory, billions of dollars in profits and a sense of being “macho” for those who have never been in harm’s way.

Maybe one day those responsible will be held accountable. For more on this, see:

“Victory of Courage, Fellowship and Honor”

By Steve Hammons
Columnist, PopulistAmerica.com
Populist Party of America
December 17, 2006

http://www.populistamerica.com/victory_of_courage_fellowship_and_honor

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By vet240, March 27, 2007 at 2:29 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

It’s sad that Tillman like all our troops was a hero, but the Army gave his death special treatment due to his high profile.

The Army is a bureaucracy of Careerists with upward potential. That is to say, every Captain wants to make Major, every one star general wants his second star, etc. And they all want more money and more enemies to rationalize expansion of their orginization which needs money from our pockets to perpetuate their existance.

The Army was more concerned about their ability to recruit more niave young Americans. The fact that Tillman died in a hail of American bullets fired blindly by what is supposed to be the most highly trained combat forces we field made them look bad. It makes it much harder to tell our young that if they volunteer they will be fully trained to face the enemy on the field of combat. The truth is that in modern warfare you’re much more likely to be killed by a Non-discriminatory bullet than one fired purposefully at you.

With the new technologies war is more about murder than combat. How many of our troops find themselves the target of indiscriminate rounds. How many of our troops have to live with the fact they fired on their buddies or innocent civilians.

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