Thank you very much. You write very powerfully. It is so painful that sometimes those that have passed still have things they’d like to say to us. We wish they were still here. Instead, we the living have a duty to pass on the messages they bring from that other place and the lessons they have taught us in their dying. I’m so sorry that you have lost your brother. I’m sure he was a wonderful man. So many wonderful men we’ve lost already. These are difficult times indeed where people can lead lives as willing slaves to The Lie. I will do my part to share what you and your Brother have to say to the rest of us. Blessings to you.

What a waste of a great human being who’s only mistake was trusting a leadership that doesn’t deserve to be in power.  Pat should still be alive and enjoying himself instead of being in a grave.  The American people are being played for fools by the present administration and it is working.  Bush used the church to get elected and used fear to get reelected.  Bush and his kind cannot hold a candle to people like Pat who actually had morals and a consience and was willing to die for his beliefs.  This “war” is about nothing other than oil and money and it makes me sick that good people are dying every day for nothing.

Thank you for your comments.  But I wonder if I have to remind you that the very right that you and every other American has to say whatever they want, even being “unpatriotic”(I wouldn’t call you that) is what many, many people in other countries do not have.  In fact, in other countries(like Saddam’s Iraq), you can be murdered just because the dictator says so.  Plus, in a large number of countries, you are required, not asked, to serve in their armed forces.  NO ONE told you or your brother that you had to serve in the military.  NO ONE held a gun to your head and said, Serve or DIE!!  Every single person knows what they are signing up for when they sign up for the military, pre or post September 11.  If anyone tells you any different, then they are pretty naive and think that there is not one country in the world that would love to see the United States get defeated.
I am no right winger, just a concerned American and I shudder to think what would happen to our country if either man that ran against Bush(in ‘00 and ‘04) was running our country right now.  That being said, Bush is not God and he is definitely wrong about some things.  But, I feel safer with him than a lot of people out there.
Just think, what would have happened to our country in WW1 or WW2 if, at any arbitrary moment in time, our president at the time would have said, “We have lost too many lives, let’s just pull out and hope for the best.”???

Oh it hurts to read it.  Soul ripping.  I hope your sacrifices and your brother’s death will teach us how important it is to do unto others…
I will remember your brother on his birthday and my vote is for him and for you and for future generations.

Kevin, you nailed it. 

And I hope, as so many here have noted, Kevin’s words get nailed (figuretively speaking) to the forehead of every chickenhawk, warmongering, Bush loving suck-up across America.  And every politician of every political persuasion.  And every kid in every school and every one of the faithful of every faith. 

Kevin’s words should be should be printed and handed out to every person at every Little League game, every church social, every Bahmitzvah, every rock concert, every state fair, every casino, every Nascar race, every shopping mall, every supermarket, every resort (and left in every hotel room), every bar and every club, every sporting event, every venue and event between now and election day in November.

Kevin’s words should be given to every government and public/civil servant and every person who is or has served in the military between now and election day in November.

Kevin’s words should haunt every corporation and stockholder who has profited from the deaths of so many.  Their email boxes should runneth over with Kevin’s words.  Like neighborhood watch groups do when a convicted sexual predator moves in, Kevin’s words should be posted everywhere to alert every resident in every neighborhood in America that corporate and political predators who thrive on killing American soldiers and innocent civilians live amongst them.

Kevin’s words should be posted on bulletin boards in community centers and supermarkets and coffee houses and campuses and on billboards and wherever there are signs announcing upcoming events and yard sales and on screen crawls on public access television between now and election day in November.

Kevins words should be posted on every message board and discussion group and chat room and news group and web site on the net between now and election day in November. 

The Internet should bend under weight of Kevin’s words as they are emailed far and wide between now and election day in November.

And on that day in November, at every polling place (within the legal regulations) across America, I hope Kevin’s words are given to every citizen who is going to cast a vote for the future of our country.

Kevin, I am truly sorry for your’s and your family’s and every family’s loss of loved ones in these wars.

This November, you can bet I’ll be voting along with millions of other Americans to bring about our country’s own regime change in WDC.

And the day after the election this November, Kevin’s words should continue to be distributed again and again to everyone as noted above, so his words will be indelibly etched into the hearts and minds of Americans when it comes time to vote again in November 2008.

When the World Trade Center was struck, I remember thinking ‘They got us. There may be 40 thousand dead.  They got us good.  How could we let this happen?  Our government has failed us.’

I lost friends in those towers.  I am from the East coast.  I remain angry at my country for that day.  We have killed so many people since then and to what end?  Are we safer?  The answer is probably no.  I believe we will be hit again, though I hope I am wrong. 

It is so easy to get into this country.  The answer to our problems are simple:  Seal our borders and ports to ensure we know who and what is coming into our country.  Develop the technology to defeat any incoming missles or such that could pose a threat from outside of our country (i.e. a missile defense system) and lastly encourage democracy and peace throughout the globe without the use of violence.

I don’t think we are working hard enough at any of this.

Nice writing and from the heart. Well articulated opinion. Having your brother die does not make your opinion any more true than the next guy, though. I understand your pain and am not deluded by this or previous administrations, but there are others who’ve lost fellow soldiers and family members who think you’ve discredited yourself and your own ideal with emotional whining. If you had anything to say, you’d have said it on this soapbox you were paid to stand on. You didn’t. You just played on the general Joe Average’s juvenile propensity towards conspiracy and irreverence. You had a chance.

I forgot to say in my first comment…Watch out for those “Swift Boaters!!” Although I don’t see how anyne can criticise your article..
Arcelio A Martinez

A few weeks, I walked past the White House in DC. Only a few lackluster protestors were out, even though it was a nice day. Students on a field trip for Columbus Day weekend were milling around too, and a man came up to us. He asked us to hold up our thumb if we thought George Bush was evil or give some such representation. I just stared at him, and so did everyone else. Evil? Isn’t that what that lying contemptible action figure calls others? Isn’t that how, with his eyes beading, he calls down bombs on innocent people? Because they have a leader he has demonized? Do I want to go there?

It would be so easy to consign Bush and, frankly, all of the Congress (with few exceptions) to the “evil” category. They never saw a bomb from the US or Israel that they didn’t hug before sending it into someone’s back yard in some unlucky ME country. But are they simply evil?

They are perverted and twisted psychopaths, perhaps, too flawed to be able to see where their drive to power was leading, a drive which cost a pretty penny when it took them past all contenders into their seats.

Somewhere, other people are pulling their strings, too. Just as the Tillman brothers lost their autonomy by signing up with the Army, I would submit that our representatives are not acting autonomously either. They have gone where they are because they have been bankrolled, and whatever you may have given to their campaigns. someone who wanted to buy whoever would wind up in office gave more.

Who are those malefactors of great wealth and what do they want? I would say that in the present crisis they want two things: American supremacy and control over the world’s major source of power, oil.

I feel for Mr. Tillman and respect his memories. I feel for all the troops, and for the generation of children who may soon find themselves drafted, the generation I helped to bear and raise, never imagining the course which would be taken after an ambiguously caused Pearl Harbor copycat, where the wounded Pentagon resembled nothing so much as Charlie Stewart in a ghetto robbery which killed his wife and merely wounded him. Why are there so many murders like that - with the witchhunts they generate, huh?

Whatever happened on 9/11, constantly evoked like the image of the bushy-haired stranger killing one’s wife and wounding oneself, whoever gets away with murder, there has been a reason.

The will to power.

What a coward!  You should be ashamed of what you are writing since your brother is probably turning over in his grave!

If you want to get technical since you are calling this war illegal, try again!  Even if no WMD exists, nothing, you have a ceasefire in place since 1991 that had conditions - and those conditions were not being met!

If you want to get onto the torture subject, try looking at the Geneva convention.  Matter of fact, why don’t you look at the part about enemy combatants outside of uniform!  Then read about how they should be executed by firing squad for being out of uniform!  These people who want you and your family dead for simply not being of the sam faith, you want to protect when they should be shot!  On top of that, being out of uniform negates any protection by the Geneva convention.

Why don’t you start proping your country up for once and tell them what the media isn’t and tell them - about the good the US has done and the good the Iraqie’s thank you for daily.  They only tell you the negative on the news these days when there is a ton positve going on in both Afganistan and Iraq.  This is sickening to even listen to from one of our own.

No one is holding a gun to your head to stay like many other countries.  Leave if that is what you want to do.

Somehow, a man who made a conscious decision to do what was right for his country and join the Army, and prove himself as a true warrior, became one of the biggest pieces of shit to come out of the Army.
Somehow, you’ve lost sight of the values your brother was trying to instill in you.
Somehow, you feel it necessary to influence the ignorant who can’t decide their own values, that they should be against our ELECTED leaders and the harsh decisions they must make everyday.
Somehow, you went from being a soldier - a selfless guardian of all that is right, a noble warrior protecting the innocent, and fighting those who try to oppress the weak and destroy all that this great Nation has become, and someone I would respect above all others - to becoming someone even more harmful than terrorists and tyrants.
And somehow, you will find the ability to look yourself in the mirror after disgracing all that you tried to stand up for, and that your brother died for.

Hey brother, you know a loosly organized bunch of middle class idiological nuts got together with a rich Saudi brat expatriate and decided to teach America a lesson by flying some planes into our buildings. What do you think we should do about that?

Well, why don’t we join the army an fight for our country and teach all those towel heads a lesson they will never forget.

But don’t you think it is an intellegence opperation, or a law enforcement operation? Shouldn’t we react with prudence and hunt down the actual culprits instead of rushing to the military and destroying half the middle east just because we are capable of doing so?

No, brother, we have to join now and kill, kill, kill them, before they kill us. It is the patriotic thing to do. And anyway, if things do not go right, we will not be blamed for being war mongers ourselves, just the politicians. Then we can blame the American people for showing apathy when everything goes wrong. But we will be considered heros and patriots because we wanted to join and fight the arab/muslim/islamic psychos who are ready at a moments notice to attack us with hoards of turban headed, ak 47 weilding, christian hating, thugs that deserve to be nuked.

Well, I guess you are right. After all, they are not like us, and probably deserve to die anyway. Come on brother, I will race you to the nearest recruiting center.

Yeah, we will teach those Arabs a lesson.

A few people have written comments here supposedly in protest of Kevin Tillman’s excellent commentary on the war. I question the motives of people who will not even try to learn about what is going on, the kind of people that will blindly do or believe whatever is told to them, too lazy to check things out for themselves. Do they think this is some game of football or something, that you root for your team regardless—Go Team, Go Team! I don’t believe they are really into finding a solution, as they just want to shoot the messenger. If the US were a manufacturing plant these nimrods would want to fire any QC (quality control) people for not shutting up about defects in the product.
But maybe there are some that are honestly still on the fence, or still think that we should never criticize the president or anything the US does, so here goes nuthin’.
Yes, it is actually incorrect to say “Illegal War.” Why? Congress, not the president, is the only entity that can declare war, and they never did. Alberto Gonzales said, “There was not a war declaration, either in connection with Al Qaida or in Iraq. It was an authorization to use military force. I only want to clarify that, because there are implications. Obviously, when you talk about a war declaration, you’re possibly talking about affecting treaties, diplomatic relations. And so there is a distinction in law and in practice. And we’re not talking about a war declaration. This is an authorization only to use military force.” So, when you think about it, the president should not have ‘war powers’ then, should he?
Another thing. If a foreign country had infiltrated the US and installed their own government and flew the stars and stripes, would you say that you still had to show this foreign entity any respect? Wouldn’t it be your duty to at least protest? Now, what if it was some backwoods militia that had staged a coup and done the same, you wouldn’t say they were the proper government, would you? Now down to the brass tacks. What if our election process were hijacked and used to install leaders that were not elected by the people, and those usurpers began a campaign of spying on any opposing political entities in order to keep control?
When did torture, under any circumstances, become acceptible? When did it become acceptible to do away with habeus corpus, effectively doing away with all our Bill of Rights? When the man squatting in the oval office says that the FISA laws in 1979 were for a different world than what we have in 2006, and that the Constitution is just a G-D piece of paper, when our Bill of Rights have been nullified and our election process hijacked, can you still call this the United States of America? Can you really? I can’t.
My beloved United States of America has joined Camelot, legends of greatness past, tragedies of human frailty.

Kevin,
  Sorry for your loss…Pat was truely an inspiation to everyone.  I was in the Army and was deployed to Iraq in 2004.  As did you, I signed up because I felt an obligation to my country.  I guess the main difference is that I have no regrets.  Once you sign that line saying that you will serve our great country and do the duties asked of you by our President, then that’s what you do.  It’s not up to the soldier to agree or disagree, you obay the orders given to you.  Somtimes those orders might not make sense to everyone…but there are many things going on behind the publics eye and behind the individual soldiers eye that may explain the resaons for doing the things we do as soldiers.  Now that you are out, I’m sad to see you backstabbing our President and the administration.  There are thousands of soldiers who are proud of what they are doing and take pride in being able to say that they are soldiers.  You are stabbing all of your military brothers in the back by saying they are fighting without a purpose.  I respect the fact that you served and am deeply soory for the loss of Pat… But I’m also sorry that this situation has given you somewhat of a celebrity status, making your voice louder than all the rest of us who have served (proudly).

Somehow the United States has not been attacked since September 11, 2001.

Somehow Afghan girls are attending school for the first time in their lives.

Somehow tens of thousands of Iraqi citizens voted in their country’s first democratically held elections.

Somehow Saddam Hussein is behind bars, being tried in a court of law that was unimaginable during his destructive reign.

Somehow Saddam’s thugs are unable to rape women, cut off the hands of opponents and use weapons of mass destruction as a tool for genocide.

Somehow terrorist leaders are being killed and captured.

Somehow a fledgling democracy in the Middle East will light the fire of freedom for an entire region and ultimately help make the world safer.

Somehow the enemy understands that Iraq is the primary front in the war on terrorism and knows that America’s overall defeat is predicated on their success in Iraq.

Somehow the rabid left-wing in America is unable to see our enemy’s strategy.

Somehow the left’s hatred for America blinds them to the reality of evil in the world.

Somehow the crackpot left exhibits more hatred for fellow Americans than for the terrorists that destroyed the twin towers.

Somehow the left beleives that if you leave a cancer alone it will not metasisize.

Somehow America remains a force for good in the world.  We defeated the Axis powers in World War Two and freed Western Europe.  We rebuilt the continent, defeated Communism and freed Eastern Europe.  We will defeat radical Islam as well.

Somehow good, honroable, intelligent men and women continue to volunteer for service in America’s armed forces.

Somehow the left continues to dismiss these volunteers as ignorant to the realities of war and sad fools for signing up to serve their country.

Somehow they sign up and serve anyway.

Somehow we are blessed with strong, principled leaders who will not waiver in the face of evil.

Somehow good will defeat evil.

Somehow we will achieve victory.

Somehow freedom will prevail.

Like Pat, you are a true American Hero..I don’t know if you will change the minds of the entrenched, narrow viewed people who continually support this administration in this outrageous folly, but I hope we do.  I hope I live long enough to see the “outing” of the hypocritical traitors as they are brought to trial..if not in court.. in the eyes of humanity..I find it especially true that those “tough” Republicans who sent you over there are over here sitting on their ass telling America to shut up and “Stay the Course!” while they and theirs enjoy the safety of home.. I would have added in your sayings that ..Those who bravely send young Americans to die manage somehow to stay away and keep their family and friends away from the shedding of blood ..enough said.. hats off to you!!

Right on Kevin. Am reading this as we (Tompkins County, New York, Workers’ Center) show, in a public theater, the second of nine showings of “Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers”.

Obviously this whole debacle with Iraq is a workers’ issue, and I think we need to make greater effort to be connecting with the workers who’re being screwed both here in U.S.; the workers being sent to Iraq; the workers being screwed in Iraq, and finally the workers from around the world who’re being forced to work for global corporations. It’s these corporations that are the ones *truly* making the “killing” on what’s happening in Iraq.

THANK YOU, KEVIN.  YOUR WRITING REFLECTS THE THOUGHTS OF THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS.
YOU HAVE TAKEN THE FIRST STEP THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER.  JUST REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Thank you Kevin!  I’ve been waiting for over three years for someone to speak the truth as you have said it. You have spoken the truth and this administration does not like that.  You will be branded for that.  Be on your guard at all times, because W will be after you.

Thank you Kevin!  I’ve been waiting for over three years for someone to speak the truth as you have said it. You have spoken the truth and this administration does not like that.  You will be branded for that.  Be on your guard at all times, because W will be after you.

Thank you, Kevin.  That was the most powerful and compelling testimonial that have I read relating to the unfortunate/unneccesary events that are taking place overseas.  Thank you for seeing this great nation for the way it is meant to be viewed and for offering hope for the future.  Thank you again, Kevin.

Most powerful words I’ve read since Woody Guthrie. Bravo.

This country needs more strong people like you to come forward and speak the truth.  I wish you and a team of yours would find out the REAL TRUTH behind the 911 attacks.

When the going gets tough, the tough cries foul.

Typical liberal propaganda.

It’s a shame you choose to dishonor your brother’s memory and sacrifice.  Just like Cindy Sheehan, all you do is attempt to turn public support away from and against your former fellow soldiers.  While everyone should have their own opinions on politics, the war, etc., we need to support those fighting men and women.  Speaking out like this only strengthens the enemy’s resolve against our troops and hurts the mission.

BR
Major,
Infantry

Mr. Tillmans anguish and loss over the tragic death of his brother is more than justified. However, it is a biblical command of the Creator of the universe, that we should honor those who are in positions of power and authority. The opposite of this command is present in Mr. Tillmans statements. Surely, mistakes have been made. Pat Tillmans death was a mistake, cominig as a result of “friendly fire,” from his own fellow soldiers. It is becoming very acceptable to speak words of discouragement, driven by anger, toward the President of our nation. I believe it is important to be careful about the words we use, ie., “incompetent, narcissistic, virtueless, vicuous, malicious criminals are still in charge of this country.” Many other very attacking and discouraging words are used in this article. In a free nation we can speak (write) these words, but these words have far-reaching and serious consequences, especially when coming from someone as influential as Mr. Tillman. I pray for the wisdom and choices of our leaders, and for the peace of our world.

Thank you Kevin, I am deeply moved by your essay. I think you speak from the perspective of many of your fellow Americans. You understand the realization that money grubbing, power hungry elitist who run this country use lies and deceipt to maintain their power at any cost. One day these criminals will be exposed for the cowards and hypocrits that they are and always will be. God bless Pat Tillman, may god bring your family peace.

Kevin my heart just breaks at what you must have seen and been through.  You have articulated so well what so many of us think and feel.  Yet somehow I feel so useless to change anything.  I vote, write letters to my representatives and senators as well as Bush/Cheney.  But I know they are of no use.  People make mistakes, but this seems like so much more than a mistake.  I do not truly understand the motives of those who got us into this mess, and I only hope that one day they will be held accountable and perhaps we might know why we are at such a terrible place. 

You and Pat are outstanding men, and the loss of Pat is a loss for each and every one of us. 

Please continue to speak out.  I believe you can make a real difference here, and perhaps some good can come of all the tragedy and misery you and your family have suffered.  God bless you and with all my heart I wish you peace.

Dear Kevin the Coward:

I find it funny that all these people on this website keep offering their prayers for you and your family. If they read the recent Sports Illustrated article on your brother, they’d realize he was an avowed atheist. If that’s the way your family sees things, why should you care if he’s been turned into worm food? Rot in hell, just like your dead brother Pat is now!

Kevin:

You are a spineless, attention-seeking coward. It is not “brave” to undermine the war effort; CNN and the major networks do it daily. What would have been brave would be to stand behind our country and its elected leadership while it confronts an upspeakable evil. Why would anyone listen to a failed minor league baseball player anyway? Get a life and an education, you tool.

Kevin,I agree with your words and have responded to many boards with similar sentiments. You put it in words that we all can truly understand and sympathize with, especially those, like I, who have served in the US Armed Forces. Boot Camp strips our “self” from our being so we become brainwashed to do the bidding of the George Bushwackers of the world. We are the pawns in a war chess game except these pieces bleed and truly die for the “game”. Please continue your push to bring the truth to the front, you have more people seeing more of the truth each day.

kevin,
Thank you. hopefully your truth will help the many who havent stood up for what they believe in to do so.
Tim

To start, sorry about your brother and thank you for serving in the armed forces.  After that, well, no… not going to praise you for being a good democrat like the others in this group.
I remember Charles Lindburgh condemming the thought of going to Europe and stopping the Nazi’s.  IT was after all, thier problem. Not ours.  When Hilter invaded austria nothing was done. And it was years afterwards before any formindable challenge could be brought against them.
You talk of Apathy??? I’m sorry dear Sir but it is your ignorance to the big picture that is the trouble.  Just as it was in the 1930s.  People fat on freedom and good living ignore the danger signs. Have to much to loose. Prefer to ignore it.  If nothing had been done, in 10 years when a nuke goes off in New York people would have rallied as to who’s repsonsible.  Nobody seems to watch history and learn from it.  And nobody ever seems to actually have the BALLS to nip something in the bud before it becomes a dangerous situation. The french? Umm no.  Germany? Umm no.  Russia? China? No they make to much money from such regions.  We should, in fact, be in Korea, Dufar and countless other places, putting things to REST rather then letting them fester as BOILS on humanity.  The killings in africa are an absurd blight on what we call humanity.  What happens? Oh they sit around in big rooms and say Shame on you, we will sanction you! We Will berate you verbally and tell you you are a bad boy!!  and well thats about all that comes of it.  12 years of sanctions didn’t do crap to Saddam.  30 years U.N. Bickering over North Korea has gotten us no where, just like the League of Nations never got anywhere with Nazi Germany.

Well, Where is YOUR voice Sir?  Where is the voice of these irgnorant peace loving liberal democrats in all this genocide and proliferation of nuclear technology?  As usual, those voices are no where to be heard until it becomes socially acceptable by our loving hollywood stars. Oooh dufar… so bad, so sad.  Of course a million people had to die before “batman” goes on camera and condems it.

We have the position to safe gaurd this planet and THAT is our responisibility.  WHen a man gasses hundreds of thousands of civilians. It is our DUTY to remove his government.  When A nation conducts genocide it is OUR DUTY to stop it.  Have you stopped to realize the extend of islamic fundamentalist reach??  All across south east asia, india, russia, europe and even here.  Yet we should just sit on our tails while they attempt to topple goverments in the phillipines and across the board?  Men die for freedom and the number that have passed in IRAQ is quite small.  Take a look at casualties in Vietnam, Korea, and WWII.  I’m sure you hate seeing people die, and I’m sorry your brother was killed, but ignorance is not an excuse.  Nor is freedom free.  If we want to sit back and be isolationists we will suffer a far greater demise than a few thousand soldiers killed.
Everybody talks of whats right, but nobody wants to stay the course.  Terrorists know this and use it to thier advantage. They learned it in Korea and Vietnam.  Kill a few americans on CNN and the country starts talking about how illegal the wars are and how we need to bring our boys home.  Sure lets make thier sacrifices worthless!  Those little scum balls hiding in caves in the middle east know full well if they just keep killing a few soldiers a week,  nutjobs at home will wave banners and talk of illegality and abuse and everything else jane fonda can think of. And eventually we will leave under pressure from the children at home.  War is War. Its never pretty and its never quick. 
Have mistakes been made. Yes, many.  Ive never seen a politician NOT make mistakes during war time.  Is the war illegal?  Um No.  Sorry.  Ignorance again. Try reading the cease of hositilities terms from the first gulf war and subsequent UN resolutions.

Wise up american, its the 1930s again…  and nobody learned anything the first go around.

You can help force the Republican led congress to do better and pass progressive compassionate legislation.

Please read my web page http://www.dmocrats.org

When you don’t like a television program, you contact the sponsors of the tv program and complain and threaten boycotts.

Why not contact the Republican party sponsors and complain and threaten boycotts against them?

I’m sorry for your loss Kevin.  I too share a lot of your views and am appreciative that you are able to use your voice to stand up and share.  All the best to you sir. IG

Thank you. I am grateful for people like yourself and your brother.

Thank you. I am grateful for people like yourself and your brother.

Your brother served and died so that people such as yourself could express their opinions regardless of their merit.  Your opinion, while emotional, lacks common sense, lacks truth, and lacks wisdom.

But because the secular progressives say that we should all be tolerant . . . I’m going to tolerate your meritless opinion!

Thanks to my brother and best friend who served honorably in Iraq . . . It’s a sad day when their opinions are unheralded and we celebrate opinions such as Kevin’s as being “truth”.

So Kevin Tillman in his (justified?) bitterness paints with a broad brush every leader of the country, as if only he and Pat are patriots, competant, informed and caring? By what crystal ball does he surmise that the world is more dangerous despite our leaders courage to face attacks and be proactive? I suppose by that logic the workd would have been “safer” if Hitler was not stood up to. You, Kevin Tillman are nothing your brother was.

Kevin, we live in a time when others want to kill us simply because we are different than them.  If the Bush administration is so wrong, propose a different solution to the most important problem facing our generation.  Anyone can point out what others are doing wrong.  Leaders offer solutions.

Another repentant soldier story.  Sigh.

It’s a shame that all of these repentant soldiers didn’t take the time to learn what they were getting into before they so casually handed themselves over to a state with a history of exporting misery and death.

All it would have taken would have been a trip to the local public library - Or even reading a few newspapers generated outside of American borders.  Had they done that, all of the people that these two brothers have murdered would still be alive.

as a veteran it galls me to see our brave troops being used or should I say misused as we’ve seen in Iraq.  After Viet Nam I thought if we ever went to war again it would be to inflict utter defeat and misery on our enemy.  I was wrong.  We are just pawns in the big political scheme of things… In this day of high tech and nuclear weapons we could take out a country’s leaders in an instant and defeat them in one week without sending any troops to invade.  If you wreck their way of life and ability to feed themselfves they will come begging forgivness and mercy.  That’s real war, not this crap we see Bush and Rummy playing while real patriots like Pat Tillman get killed trying to give thier all for the country and the people.  But politicans never die in combat…
They just send poor guys like Pat and me to do it.  I lied about my age and joined up at 16 and served 8 years and I came out ok but I’d never advise anyone to put themselves under the control of any politicians.. Dems or Reps….  They’re all thet same.  When a great patriot like Pat Tillman died needlessly because of some political hogwash, a part of America died with him.

Kevin,
Somehow, words are not enough to express our family’s heartfelt sympathy to you and your family for the loss of Pat.  We cried the day his death was announced.  We cried when we learned the real cause of his death. We cried today reading your words.
Somehow, words are not enough to express our gratitude and pride in your courage to speak out and speak the truth as you know it.
Somehow, words are not enough to express our fear of what you may be forced to go through when the “powers that be” start attacking you and your words.  Please keep your courage up.  The majority of true Americans will be backing you all the way.
Somehow, words are not enough to thank you for speaking out.  But, we do sincerely thank you for being our hero and a true American Patriot.

Kevin Tillman, having faced combat as I have not, earned the right to make this statement.  That said, his words disgrace himself, his brother’s memory, the Ranger Regiment, the Army, and the nation.  Errors have certainly been made in policy, planning, and tactics since 9/11, but this condemnation of all that has been attempted and accomplished is an outrage.  America needs to stop apologizing for all of the bloodshed in Iraq today.  The extent of Saddam’s threat to us may certainly be debated, but the brutality of his former regime cannot.  The Iraqi people have, thus far, tragically squandered the gift of freedom we have provided.  This should not prevent us from taking great pride in having bestowed it while most of the world sat and watched.  The threat of Islamic extremists did not materialize on 9/11 and certainly has not faded since.  The international and national obsession over the treatment and status of prisoners in this WAR is infuriating.  We are treating murderous terrorists far better than most countries treat common thieves.  In caving to public pressure, we have released too many of these captives as several we have released from Guantanamo have been encountered again fighting and plotting against us.  Mistakes will be made in identifying an enemy that hides among the civilian population, but the security of our nation must come first when there is reason to suspect an individual of terrorist affiliation.  Our enemy are not holy warriors or mujahideen worthy of Geneva Convention protections.  They are monsters who directly target and slaughter innocent civilians.  We should not need another catastrophic attack on our soil to remember this.  RANGERS lead the way!

I voted for Bush like millions of others, we were all fooled. I hope to God we don’t make the same mistake again.I’m sorry for your brother and the almost 3 thousand other soldiers that have died.

Hey Kevin, Your brother was a special person. He showed us that the small things in life are not important and to look at the big picture. I am sorry for your lose. I had the same feeling you have on the war in Irag since it started. I knew they would never find the things they said Irag had; I know Hussien was I evil man, But to invade Irag under lies, was just wrong. Kevin keeping speaking out. Pat was a real American.

I agree whole heartedly. If everything comes to the surface as to what this administration has been able to pass along to the American public, there will be a old time public hanging down at the White House. Two planes can not perfectly implode 3 steel frame buildings. Dont for a moment think that they were not in on it. Now look where we are. All living in fear of “terror”. It is people like you who are not afraid to speak their minds, that will get this country to realize what it has become.
Thank you so very much.

I love it when I see comments that say “quiters”,“losers”, and “cowards” THE TRUTH IS THIS IS WAR THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BENN FOUGHT!!! They just don’t like to hear it. Oh yeah, by the way, where are those WMD’s? That’s right they don’t have any, and we’ve lost over 2000 lives because of it!! ARRRGGGHHHH

I’m sorry about Pat and all the other soldiers that have died PROTECTING us and our country.

Have all you people forgotten about 9/11?

The guilt I, (and probably many) have felt from not participating in the Viet Nam conflict, while being a student,and having a high lottery number,  can never come close the the guilt, and helplessness I feel by not doing more to change whatever an individual could change, on a global level, but more importantly, right here, right now.  It’s all in the VOTE.  It IS what we all can do.  For most of us it’s the greatest thing we can do. These incumbants must be removed, it is the start.  Please get out and VOTE. Mr. Tillman, thank you for your words, my condolances to you and your family.

Dear Pat,
I miss you.  I had never met you, but i miss you.  I miss what you represented to me, you were what i read about growing up, you were an American.  You had pride in being American, in the hopes and dreams of this country.  You stood up for us, for Americans.  You were what i could not be, when i was too scared to move, you stood up.  When i did nothing you did something, im sorry.  im sorry that all i can do now is write an imaginary letter to you, im sorry that even for an instance i had pride in not voting for the administration that wasted your patriotism.  i get sick to my stomach thinking that i could find any good from saying “i didnt vote for them.”  im sorry i disgraced you by shifting the blame, by saying i did what i could, i voted against this, because in actuality, i did nothing.  i dont believe my grandfathers fought in World War II, for me to do nothing, i dont think Americans should die for me to do nothing, i dont think you should have died for me to do nothing.  im sorry if i let you down, im sorry if i hurt you.  just please know i will never again do nothing, i dont have you here anymore to do my work, to be my voice, now it is my turn to do for you what you can no longer do for me.  I miss you Pat Tillman, but i will never again forget what it means to be an American, i only hope i make you proud, as you have already done so for me.  I will be an American, i will stand when other do not, because that is what you would have done, i will miss you but i will never forget you, i will be Pat Tillman, I will be American, I will be.
Until we meet again, chuck

Wow - that’s a lot of somehows…

The staements on criminality seem pretty far out there though…

He should take an economics class, though.  He takes issue with the profits companies make, and somebody commented on the “record” profits of the oil companies.  They are “record” only in terms of the number - they are not a record by percentage, nor by adjusted dollars.  The oil companies are making 6-10% on massive revenues.  Nobody’s griping about the tech companies that are making 30-40% on 1/5 of the revenue.  6-10% is probably a little low to cover risk, but 30-40% looks a little more like profiteering.

No one wants to look at solutions here either.  The economic boom of the 90’s and Clinton & Bush’s lack of an energy policy have exacerbated the problem.  Our foreign dependency is increasing, while we have huge reserves in the gulf and Alaska.  We could do limited drilling, increase refinery capacity, and even ponder becoming an exporter.  But we missed the window.  We could have put the OPEC boys in some dire straights if we had been on the ball after Gulf I.  Now the Chinese will suck up whatever oil they can - and the only way for us to keep the chinese from growing too strong too fast is to make oil expensive for them…

Kevin - if you don’t like them - run for office.  Do the job better.  Don’t complain about apathy if all you’re going to do is write a column for this crappy website.  This is the sideline - feel free to get in the game…

This is as true words from a heart that is broken not only thru blood line but also betrayed by a goverment that we thought could guide us to a better life for our family. And then again we had the opportunity to dethrone, and we chose to elect them again. I will say that Im really ashamed of this country. My heart goes to you and your family.

WHEN THE TILLMAN FAMILY FINDS OUT THAT THEIR LOVED ONE DIED TO PROTECT THE FACT THAT BUSH WAS BEHIND THE 9/11 ATTACKS, YOU’LL SEE HOW REAL AMERICANS FEEL ABOUT THIS CRIME RIDDEN, SECRET KEEPING BUNCH OF FOOLS!!

SEE THE REAL PROOF THAT THEY DON’T WANT TO LEAK OUT:

http://911again.tripod.com

Kevin, I just read your essay that you wrote
for Truthdig.com and I had to comment…I was really
impressed by the way you expressed your feelings about
the situation in Iraq. You really nailed it like nobody
I’ve ever heard before.

What’s going on with our government is unbelievable, and
I’ve grown cynical and fatalistic.
I don’t know what I can do anymore/
Thanks for speaking out.
Tom Lawless

Bush’s objective is to control Iraq, it’s oil resources, trade routes, and the permanent military bases he is constructing there.

Bush’s strategy is to create a weakened, and divided Iraq, which can be controlled in the same manner as the British Raj in India. The idea is to leave the Iraqi colonial government deadlocked between the competing factions, and unable to act decisively, except when decisive action is desired by the US government. An Iraqi colonial army has been configured without any real air force and almost no armoured forces or artillery support. Iraqi soldiers and police are essentially infantry, without logistics or fire support, totally dependant on US forces to provide those essentials.

The largest embassy on Earth, is being constructed in Baghdad, to serve as the de facto seat of colonial government, although the grunt work of filling potholes in pavement and providing utilities and the like will be done by the puppet government, real decisions affecting policy will be made in the embassy, and the satellite government will be told what they must do.

Bush has absolutely no intention of withdrawing US troops from Iraq, other than that he would like to be able to control the country with a permanent garrison of about 50,000.

This is the reason Bush has never had an exit strategy. It is not because of bad planning, (although there was plenty of bad planning in this colonial adventure), it is because Bush has NEVER intended to exit US troops from Iraq, from the very beginning.

Unfortunately for Bush’s designs, he is finding what the British, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Russians, and other colonial powers found out in the last century: Colonialism is an outmoded and unworkable system that can no longer be profitably sustained. Those former colonial powers did not give up their empires out of altruism; they found that the colonies were a drag on their own resources, and were ultimately unprofitable.

In an age of global communication, it is no longer possible to keep colonial populations ignorant, oppressed and docile. Rebellions and wars of liberation, usually waged by guerrilla warfare inevitably begin, and simmer on for years, sapping the resources of the dominant colonial power, to the point that the colony becomes unprofitable.

Guerrilla warfare, sometimes called asymetrical warfare, or also called “terrorism” is a highly developed system of fighting, that has stood the test of time. The occupying power usually considers it to be “fighting dirty” and calls it “terrorism”, rather than guerrilla warfare, but by whatever name, the method of fighting is quite effective, and almost impossible to defeat.

Bush’s war against Iraq has followed a fairly predictable pattern. US troops readily defeated Iraq’s conventional forces; followed by the inevitable “insurgency” period, which will last as long as US troops remain in Iraq, and, after however many years it takes, will be followed by the inevitable retreat of US forces, which will have won every battle, but will have failed to defeat the enemy.

Kevin and Pat Tillman are true American Patriots this article by Kevin also brought me to tears and shame that these things could happen in my name I wonder what Collen Powell would think about it.
Bill Martin

Besides the obvious guilty party of this illegal invasion-I beleive we as Americans are all guilty for the deaths of our soldiers and innocent civilians.
Why?
Because we have allowed those in charge who have stolen elections, abused the Bill of Rights and Constitution, have given to the rich and taken from the working class.
We as Americans have allowed fascism to creep into daily life without standing united to fight it.
I have been called anti-government, a terrorist, have been the victim of verbal assault, my house has been egged as has been my wife’s van.  My vintage truck had a brick thrown through the back window becasue of my views.
If anything, those who have attacked me are as guilty as those in Washington DC.
We NEED to stand united and work for a true change. 
Let our votes show a preferance for change. 
Lets return our country back to a balanced government.
Lets start on November 8th to try and change the world. 
Lets mend fences internationally by using our voting power(if it still exists-)to have those who are guilty of war crimes tried and convcted.
Lets show our soldiers we really support them by having them leave the bloody civil war that has engulfed their very best efforts and
BRING THEM HOME.
To a HEROS welcome.
Lets change this my fellow country people.
Lets show the world we are better than what our so called leaders have shown.
Mark Karol-Chik

Kevin,
The most patriotic thing we can do is:
When we see the administration going the wrong way is to take a stand against it and let your voice be heard loud and clear.  We need more patriots like you.
Thank you,
Barbara

Thanks Kevin for your powerful insight on the state of our nation and the world. Please except my deepest codolence for your lost as you and Pat’s service to ‘The Cause’ shall not go unforgotten.

Dear Kevin,
No words can express the deep sorrow I feel at the loss of your brother, Pat; and at the loss of all life - soldiers and civilians from the U.S. as well as thousands of Iraqi citizens.
Your article is a clear testament to the loss of perspective the administration follows from the day that an invasion of Iraq was made reality.
Following 9/11 the world wept with us and expressed an outrage that could have led to dialogue among the nations of this world with the possibility of genuine community building among the peoples of this planet.
I weep, also, for this lost opportunity and can only pray that the election this fall will demonstrate to the administration that a well thought-out process of disengagement from Iraq must begin in earnest.
Blessings to you and your family,
Rev Mary Harris

“Somehow American leadership, whose only credit is lying to its people and illegally invading a nation, has been allowed to steal the courage, virtue and honor of its soldiers on the ground. 

Somehow those afraid to fight an illegal invasion decades ago are allowed to send soldiers to die for an illegal invasion they started.

Somehow faking character, virtue and strength is tolerated.

Somehow profiting from tragedy and horror is tolerated.

“
Where’s the lying whore media when it come to truth from the horse’s mouth

This article should all over the news till it bring down the criminal occupying the WHore House.

US citizens voted twice for a monkey and perhaps will vote again for the gorilla in the house next november that is Dick Cheney the real evil

Dear Kevin,

I am a disilliusioned half-American born and currently living in Germany. If anything my US roots or genes come through when it comes to sports, especially American Sports. However, as an avid follower and reader of ESPN.com I never understood how you and your brother could leave behind a promising and secure career in the NFL for an - even at that time in my mind - unjust war. Following the general disease of most professional athlestes in the USA and most of the world it seemed to me you were just succumbing to bling nationalism. I never heard an open statement explaining your motives for going to Iraq. It seems as though there is a gentlemen’s agreement between athletes to pump iron instead of using there immense popularity and influence to speak up for their ideals. So as Euro-trashed individual I joked about you and your brother as the perfect example for blind patriotism of US-American design. Thank you for destroying my prejudice, bias and ignorance. Thank you for finally speaking your mind and using the attention given to you and your family. Thank you for showing the WORLD what the war in Iraq is really about from a perspective of a true warrior. And finally all my love and condolences to you and your family for losing an obiously very special person.

Brother Ben

Kevin as a combat soldier in Vietnam (67-68) I salute for the courage to voice a strong statement of the facts of the occupation of Iraq.

    You can be sure that your family has two men to be proud of.  Our nation owes it to you and all the brave men and women who paid the supreme sacrifice, not to just stand by.
               
            George A. Williams

Contrary to the other commenters, I did not think this was an eloquent piece. It sounds like talking points for a campaign, like he’s being used.  And the comments that people have attached seem like groupthink, too.

It’s one thing to gripe - but I didn’t hear any solutions, either.  My question for Kevin is this - What would you have done after 9/11 if you were one of this country’s leaders?  What would you suggest be done with people like Hussein, Ahmadinejad, and Kim Jong Il?  Does anyone else in the world deserve a shot at freedom, or should we cut them loose and twist their lives to agonizing deaths under repressing regimes.  You seem to say that we shouldn’t be anywhere - isolationism should be the order of the day.  Take a lesson from WWII - isolation and appeasement lead to a worse state in the world - not better.

You’re right - they’ve run this war like crap, but that doesn’t mean that we should be there.  We should be more places.  There should be more men & women joining are forces to go help oppressed people throughout the world. 

I’m amazed that any woman in this country would not support such efforts.  The women under these regimes live with no rights.  Abused and terrorized daily.  No vote.  No driving a car.  The only way to prove rape is to have 4 male witnesses on your side.  Do we not care about these women?  And don’t tell me that a culture that embraces this is one worth saving.  They need the opportunity for freedom - and we have so much to give that it would be criminal if we did not do it.

Also - Kevin makes some pretty interesting accusations.  Every “secret” listed is in fact not a secret now, and most weren’t in the first place.  Other secrets “exposed” include what we’re doing to catch terrorists.  How many military deaths have been caused by that?  The blame here is simple and short-sighted - easy, but not well thought out.  And before you accuse someone of being criminal, you should have at least one fact to back your version up.

Your brother was a hero, and died for his country.  What if someone else’s brother dies because you’ve emboldened the enemy.  I’m sure you must be very angry about what happened.  But don’t become a stooge because of that.  Take your fight to the officials you claim are criminals.  Go get the people elected that you think can make a difference.  Don’t sit in the back and snipe - that’s what a terrorist does - not a soldier.

Kevin, My deepest and heartfelt sympathy to you and your family.  My deceased Father’s (a WWII veteran) birthday is election day.  My family and I will cast our votes in honor of him and Pat on that day and hope they are somewhere where the can closely guard the crooked voting machines to make sure an honest election takes place.

I’m from the UK, for some reason this entire story captured me from the outset.

I could not be less like Pat, intellectually, politically and historically speaking.

I felt that he only had half the story and would learn.

In a strange way I felt he might be another General Smedley Butler, he certainly had the potential.

I utterly disagreed with the reasoning behind his joining up nevertheless I could not help but feel that it exemplified the very best of what Humanity can be.

To have his example of selflessness traduced in such a tawdry manner by those whose cowardice is matched only by their perfidy is horror indeed.

Kevin, I would like to thank you for your direct eloquence, your family has given much, these truths included.

Respect.

When Pat Tillman died, I was travelling the country interviewing people at baseball stadiums about the war and the ‘04 election. People seemed callous or worse when discussing his death…“that’s what happens when you decide to trade a big NFL contract to go play patriot!”... Or words to that effect. I hope those people read what Kevin wrote. I hope our leaders read what he wrote. They probably will and draw the wrong conclusions and seek to villify this brave kid who went off to do what’s right and learned that what he was told was right IS WRONG. It was when we started and it still is today. When will we learn our lessons? Thank you for writing this!

Kevin~I just wrote a comment to you on your very heart touching article. I forgot to put in that Cindy Sheehan needs you out there with her. Your voice, with hers, with ring strong.

The 58,000 dead from Vietnam should be rolling in their graves.  They lied us into Vietnam via the Gulf of Tonkin fabrication and then did it again with WMDs in Iraq.

Ask yourself this; Would we even be in Iraq had 9/11 never happened?  HELL NO!  9/11 was a gift horse in the mouth to the Neocons. 

What gets me, it’s the Vietnam generation who’s sending their sons and daughters into another no-win unjust fiasco. 

Will we ever learn?

Well said

These villains use fear and God to prey upon good people’s emotions.  Their only god is money and power.  They will lie using the name of God and patriotism to further their selfish enrichment.  They will lie and send good men to die to satisfy their arogance and corruption.

I write this in part for my father (89yrs.young); who was a battalion commander at D-day, through the hedgerows of France, Battle of the Bulge, Silver star recipient for saving his own men from a burning building that contained artillery ammo that was exploding, and was twice almost courtmarshalled for disobeying a direct order to put his men in harms way for no good reason (he was vindicated both times) for he cries and gets quite upset every time a soldier dies in Iraq, for no good reason. He cried for the men he lost in combat and he carries that with him.  But he rails at the unjustified loss of these patiots who do as they are told without hesitation and qualm!!

Being from Canada I have always thought of the US as my best friend.
Today though, my best friend has changed, and I fear the results of these changes.
I pray for thoses who are in the middle of this horrible mess and their families whos nerves must be shattered.
Let’s hope this somehow ends soon and we can once again wake up to some resemblance of normality.
God help us all

Unbelievable and moving commentary.  You and your brother are heroes of a flawed system and I am so sorry that your family has to deal with this hypocrisy on a daily basis.

You have sunk to the depths of the far left wackos.  I feel sorry for you.

The power of words when they are heartfelt!  Along with many others, I cried, Kevin.  For the loss in your family and so many other families—ours and theirs.  For my weakness and laziness, because even though I vocally opposed the war before and during, I still did not do enough.  And for America that, despite its failings, once stood for something beautiful.  I along with at least one other poster, will be sharing this with my Composition (critical thinking) class next week.  May the support of all of us help bring you and your family some measure of peace.

Bush and his political mafia lied and lied and keeps lying
It started with 911 OBL denied any involvment which was a bit strange why would he deny such a spectacular opreration?
Bush junta mastermind 911 and killed thousands of their citizens and blamed arabs with box cutters…....box cutters…...USA must be in a different galaxy to believe this box cutters story…..this is idiocy beyond forgiveness.
Then the gullible wanted revenge, OBL must be caught “dead or alive” I guess this was forgotten, it came out of Bush speaking toilet.
WMD mushroom cloud, 45 min readiness to fire a nuKLAR weapon by Saddam all this crap is forgotten
This thread is about two brother posted to Iraq.

Today only 115 iraqi were slaughtered and the day isn’t over yet.

I have no sympathy whatsoever to any American who volunteered to go to Iraq
No American cares about the 700 000 iraqis killed so far and countless leaves in fear and misery
The Iraqis are tatooing their names and addresses in their body just in case, if they had their head cut off or blown up or killed in anyway so they could be burried by their relatives .......and these two american brother had generated a 24 hrs reading for their slavery to the Bush_it mafia

you need to rise against these criminals occupying the whore house in washington

otherwise you could be reading and answering this thread for a generation.

Well Put. I am US History teacher and I see the apathy amongst our students day in and day out. Unfortunately the problem of “ignorance is bliss” will continue unless we can break the cycle. I reallly encourage you to get your message out to as many people as possible. Maybe through a college speaking tour.

Thank You for all you and your family has done for our counrty.

We have been blatently lied to by the very people we entrusted to govern us and protect our freedoms. And yet we do nothing.
American soldiers that enlisted and have sacrificed to protect THIS COUNTRY are dying every day because we have been lied to. We are doing nothing.
It is the responsibility of the people of this country to stand up and raise their voice when we disagree with what is going on. It is our duty, it is what they have died for and what makes this country what it is. Don’t let them say you are a traitor or unpatriotic for speaking your mind. It is a cop out! You can be against the war and not against our soldiers. It is a far greater disloyalty to them to let them keep dying while we keep our mouths shut. End the war and bring them home! Now!

Kevin,

Sorry for your loss, and thank you for your service to the country.

Compelling outine, but unless your intent is to simply stoke readers whose minds hew to a certain “narrative” of history, you need to back up your assertions with some argumentation.

May I respectively sugggest that the course of recent history has largely been the opposite: the American people have become more demanding in their scrutiny and criticisms of their government and leaders, not less, even since 9-11.

The NSA has been listening to calls forever, and the Clinton era Eschelon program pre-dated any serious counter-terrorism response by his administration with nary a peep. Rendition was a Clinton administration invention. That the US is now less popular because of Gitmo in countries that won’t even take back their own citizens held there is pure hypocrisy on their part.

Similarly, the Clinton administration’s preoccupation with Iraq’s WMDs and their collaboration with al-Qaida led him to unilaterally strike a civilian target in a neutral country, Sudan, without congressional authorization.  According to Dick Clarke, this campaign along with Yugo and Sudan forestalled Clinton from stiking Bin Laden in Afghanistan, lest he become known as the “Mad Bomber” the world over, at least until the negatives for doing so were overshadowed by his impeachment.

Just watch “Saving Private Ryan” and count the “war crimes” committed by US troops that Hollywood presented as acceptable, if not heroic, behavior less than a decade ago.

I bring this up to note the level of scrutiny and self reflection has increased from earlier times.

Your service to your country expressed in this essay is at least as important as your military service.  I thank you for your profound words, and your service to this country.

i would like to just say thank you to your brother and you for protecting this country and putting you life on the line. thank you

I, like the other people who have posted comments on the Kevan Tillman article am deeply saddened by it’s words. I would like to add my thank you to all the other people who have written comments. I wish I could eloquently put in writing what my heart is feelig right now, but I can’t. The only ray of hope is November 7th. VOTE

Kevin Tillman,

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts.  I am so upset about what happened to your brother.  He was my downstairs neighbor the year they went to the Rose Bowl with ASU.  I am a huge fan and always commented on how your brother was such a “nice guy” even when they all kept me awake late at night (ha ha).  The Pat Tillman run is on our annual run events and I’m sharing his story with my two sons so he can be a role model.  Again, thank you and my family shares your feelings about this administration.  Thank you for publicly standing up and letting your voice be heard.

Julie Frazier, ASU grad ‘04.

I’m truly sorry for the loss of your brother.  I can see that it has greatly affected your judgement, your views, and your writing.  Thank God we have people like your brother and yourself who fight to defend this country so that people like yourself are able to speak freely regardless of whether there is truth in it or not!  Sometimes we let our emotions get the most of us . . . and after reading your article, I’m sure that is what has happened here.

Thank you for your service and sacrifice!  You’ve proven once again that we live in a great country!

Kevin, thank you for posting this honest, and very powerful document. God Bless you, your brother, your family and our troops.
 
So true are your words sir. As true as they are, I may not fully support the war in Iraq (I did for Afghanistan), but I will always support my son-in-law “over there” now and our troops ALWAYS. Nothing will ever change that. They are doing their job and as best they can. I pray he and ALL our troops will come home safe and soon. But how without loosing our integrity, or our promise to Iraq, or without making the situation worse than it already is?

And the recent rediculous suggestion from the “Baker Panel” of handing over Iraq to IRAN & SYRIA is the worst “band-aide” solution I’ve ever heard just to get us out of Iraq. If that takes place, we will face more danger than what we are facing now. Guaranteed.

Kevin, some of what you wrote, reminded me of a show that aired March 2006 from Boston Legal, called “Stick It” found here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xhr1b_boston-legal-stick-it

So here we are ...in the situation of : “We are d@mned if we stay, and d@mned if we leave”

Kevin, I know you and your family have sacrificed so very much. There is nothing we could ever do,  say, or give, to repay you enough for that.

Thank you Kevin

To Pat:

I have never had the opprtunity or the pleasure to have known you. I really never heard about you, eventhough, you were a football star. I have read about you, and your character, unfortunately after your tragic death.

All I can do Pat, at this moment, to honor you and get closer to you, is vote the day after your birthday. I, and many Americans will celebrate your birthday by making November 7, 2006, The day after your Birthday, our Independence day !

May God bless you, and perhaps, one day, I will have the honor to shake your hand up above, and rightfully thank you for your sacrifice and your devotion.

Luckily this country is still a democracy.

It is the fact that we are a democracy that is a large part of the problem. Democracy generally ends up being BS. Read some history. As Plato observed in the Republic, Oligarchic man is replaced by Democratic man, who is INEVITABLY replaced by Tyrannical man. Self government by the people requires that the people be willing and be able to govern themselves. We are neither. We aren’t willing because we expect the government to hand out money and take care of every problem for us. We aren’t able because quite frankly, we are too stupid to govern ourselves.

Universal suffrage and a dumbed-down education system, coupled by a willingness to allow unfettered illegal immigration, will destroy the United States in a few generations. Increased centralized power will become a tyranny de facto. 

The American people don’t care however. They are too worried about who is going to get kicked off American Idol next week and whether or not the government is going to pay for their medical bills. No personal responsibility. No accountibility. No willingness to preserve the ideals laid out by the founding fathers.

Write America off. It’s done.

Kevin,

I cried for your family’s loss the day that it happened. It is beyond understanding how a family can be destroyed by the ruthless intentions of those who didn’t have the courage to send themselves. I felt sick for his wife and family. Hopefully, Pat and all the others have not died in vain and justice will be served. 
I wish you and your family peace of heart and mind, and love always. Pat will always be remembered.

Kevin:

It’s a shame you lose your brother to friendly fire and all of a sudden the reasons you felt compelled to fight have escaped you.

Instead of simply criticizing, why didn’t you offer any solutions to the situation the world finds itself in.  No so easy - eh?

You sound like every democrat out there.  I don’t like this but, I don’t have any better approach to making a difference in the world.

Yeah, let’s just stay at home, protect our borders and forget the rest of the world.  They should be able to work it out without our influence right?  Our piece of dirt will survive if the rest of the planet implodes and the weak continue to be exploited and abused.

Your grandfather’s generation did lay it on the line for world peace and they would be ashamed at your summation of America’s efforts to help foster freedom and liberty for those that are suffering under cruel dictatorships.

I applaud the human sacrificies made in Afganistan and Iraq and would never tarnish those heroes efforts with this kind of statement.

What an embarrasment!

Scott Davis
Atlanta, GA

Kevin,

This article made a difference.  Please press your message with vigor.  It is time to DO SOMETHING. 

Why is it that President Clinton was pasted all over every paper in the world with his lie “I did have sexual relations with that woman”, yet absolutely nothing is noted about our now President Bush lying about why we went to WAR???  Is it not a bigger deal to lie about something that kills many thousands rather than getting a blow-job? 

Its mind bogling.

Dear Kevin
You had the courage to put into words what we all feel, think and know to be true. Your brother lives on today, and everyday from this day forth in the words that you wrote, he is forever memorialized by this piece. Thank you for writting this for our country, for Pat, for your families healing. You have given our country hope. I pray that because you have spoken out we can have peace. My deeepest sympathies to you and your family.

I got chills reading this. What you say is all the TRUTH!!!

Thank you for this article Kevin; it is rare that I comment on anything I may read on-line but this is such a great article I had to.  I love this country and I’m a huge football fan but till this writing I honestly thought of your brother’s death as another terrible tragedy to one more person - any person - American or non-American, soldier, man, woman, child.  After this writing I see that your family is blessed with people that will stand, say, and do what they truly believe is right.  I hope you will continue to speak your mind because there are few of us in a position to do so and be taken serious by so many.

Kevin, I too am greatful for your service and the service of your brother to this country.  You and your brother will always be American Hero’s…I only ask one question in response to your piece.  Would your brother have written the same words?  From what we have been told and led to believe, he BELEIVED in what he was fighting for.  It seems as if through your great loss you have forgotten what you were fighting for…In the countries you were in, you could lose your life for writing and expressing your feelings.  You were fighting to defend this right for this GREAT country…Again I am truly sorry for your loss and am very greatful for your service.

God Bless,

wow….thats how alot of people feel here in the states….i will pass this on to friends…the way to facilitate change is to let our leaders know what we think and feel….Prayers to the Tillman family and all families who have lost loved ones….

This is the best piece of writing I have read about the mess our country finds itself in at home and in Iraq. It should be reprinted in every newspaper in the nation.

Pat gave his life for what he believed in. The very least the rest of us can do is to vote on Nov. 7, 2006.

you have honored your brother in the highest and most courageous way. I thank you, this country should thank you, the world will thank you. working for peace, annie katz new york

I wonder who conned you into writing this piece—especially at this time before the election?
It appears to be another “October surprise!”

Whether you agree with our leaders or not is your privilege, but what you have written is seditious, if not outright traitorous.

Dear Kevin,

Please accept my deepest sympathy for the tragedy your family has suffered.  Your obviously entitled to your opinion, as no one has earned the right to voice it.  I don’t agree with many of the things this administration does or has done in the past, but I believe some of the scathing venom you threw out there in this piece cheapens what you and your brother did. 

This country has always been a republic, yet many refer to it as a democracy.  It’s not a democracy, it’s a republic, if you don’t know the difference please look it up.

I totally agree with Mr. Tillman.
Dont get me wrong, I would not want to live in any other country but the USofA and would not ever leave.
But, we are headed for a major “payback” from the “laws of the world”.
Sort of a balancing out thing.
Bush is satan in my eyes and will lead our (undemocrated) country by his administrational rule to our countries demise.
Just look back through out the history of the world, its so plain to see.
We are have no say in anything, Bush does what he wants, and he is fueled by what destroys the best, greed and wanting control.
Unfortunately though, he is blind to whats really going on and we are faced to pay the price.
The greatest all fall and we will too oneday,
its the laws of the universe.
Unfortunately though its starts with the Bush.
He needs to be with the imprisoned Iraqi leader, he is no different in my eyes.
All about self at the expense of many others.
Many innocent deaths have come at there hands.