 |
|||
|
|
|
 Playing the Atheism Card Against Pat Tillman’s FamilyPosted on Jul 28, 2006
By Stan Goff Editors note: The author of this essay, Stan Goff, is a retired veteran of the U.S. Army Special Forces. During an active-duty career that spanned 1970 to 1996, he served with the elite Delta Force and Rangers, and in Vietnam, Guatemala, Grenada, El Salvador, Colombia, Peru, Somalia and Haiti. He is a veteran of the Jungle Operations Training Center in Panama and also taught military science at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Goff is the author of the books Hideous Dream—A Soldiers Memoir of the U.S. Invasion of Haiti, Full Spectrum Disorder—The Military in the New American Century and Sex & War. In this article Goff writes on the events surrounding the fratricidal death of Army Ranger and former NFL player Pat Tillman, and the possible military coverup that ensued. Goff argues that Tillmans commanding officer, in a recent ESPN magazine interview, made a series of shockingly callous statements about the Tillman familys search for the truth because the officer was trying to divert attention from the role he may have played in the alleged coverup. Advertisement His research for those articles included a detailed review of more than 2,500 pages of official briefings and documents from three investigations, in addition to extensive interviews with Tillman family members and some of the soldiers in Tillmans unit. Editor’s note #2 Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Kauzlarich, was originally described as the Cross-Commander at Forward Operating Base Salerno on Khowst, Afghanistan. That was incorrect. The Cross Functional Team Commander (“Cross-Commander”) under which Pat Tillman’s unit was working at the time of his death was a Major Hodney. Kauzlarich was one step above Major Hodney, as his Regimental Executive Officer. The Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan was under the operational control (OPCON) to a highly secretive joint command, which accounts for much of the difficulty in clarifying both the circumstances of Pat Tillman’s death and the subsequent actions taken at several levels of command to conceal and spin the circumstances surrounding his death. Lt. Col. Ralph Kauzlarich has taken Christ into his heart, or so he says. Like my old colleague, Lt. Gen. William G. (Jerry) Boykin, he has also carried the organically entrapped messiah onto the heathen-infested battlegrounds of Southwest Asia. Kauzlarich is the subject of my exposition today, but Boykin is his context. You all remember Jerry Boykin—the general who, as part of the Bush 2003 civil relations effort in Iraq, called Muslims idol worshippers. Back in the Reagan days, Boykin and I were simultaneously assigned to the allegedly super-secret Delta Force. He was a major then, and he would organize prayer breakfasts for the unit, driving many of us out of the building to purchase sausage-biscuits. His evangelical lunacy was already under siege then. Special Operations is a motley fraternity, in which operators are as likely to worship Odin or an oak tree as they are to attend Sunday services.
Boykins recent rise is symptomatic of War Secretary Donald Rumsfelds fascination with Special Operations—in spite of its generally dismal record. Kauzlarich was on the same career fast track when he was the 75th Ranger Regiments executive officer* (see editor’s note #2 above) at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Khoust, Afghanistan, in 2004. Bishop Boykin, shooting from the lip, asserted in 2003 that the U.S. military adventures in Afghanistan and Iraq involved an Army of God squaring off against Satan. Beelzebub himself! Cant say Jerry lacks ambition. Of course, the Satanists in this case were the very Muslims that the administration was trying to recruit as political puppets in the oil patch. For this subtle bit of international relations, Boykin was punished by promotion to the position of deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence. Yes, the pun is nearly unbearable. And so Boykin ascended. As the Haitian proverb says: The higher the monkey climbs, the more you see his ass. Lt. Col. Ralph Kauzlarich, on the other hand, is not exactly being placed center-stage at the Pentagon. More than any other single person below the rank of general, he is probably most responsible for the Pentagons embarrassment when NFL-player-turned-Army-Ranger Pat Tillman was killed on April 22, 2004, by his own comrades. Kauzlarich has been energetically avoiding responsibility for the fratricidal incident ever since. It appears from reading the documents in the incident that he and others in the military may have violated multiple laws—including obstruction of justice, evidence tampering and conspiracy. Kauzlarich may have conspired with others to award an inappropriate Silver Star, complete with a phony account of the events surrounding Tillmans death. Members of Tillmans chain of command attended Tillmans memorial service without breathing a word to the family about what really happened, and it appears, again from the documents, that Kauzlarich deep-sixed the original investigation, which he then had redone under his personal supervision. The Armys criminal investigation division and the Pentagons Inspector General are currently investigating Tillmans death and the events that ensued. Kauzlarich now looks to Nov. 7, 2006, with a gnawing disquiet. Only a thin congressional majority that stand between a nemesis like Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and the chairmanship of the House Judiciary Committee. Subpoena authority might transform a mere gavel into a mighty political weapon. But in the meantime, a recent ESPN.com exposé by Mike Fish aired an interview with Kauzlarich, who was the cross commander of the Rangers in Khoust, Afghanistan, in April 2004. Kauzlarich, in a stunning display of Christian empathy, blamed the family for continuing to ask questions about the circumstances of Pats death, and suggested that the reason theyd found no closure was that infidels such as themselves (the Tillmans did not belong to a church), when they die, are only worm dirt. A choice of words worthy of Bishop Boykin, who is surely beaming with pride at this officers devout diction. His parents continue to ask for it to be looked at, Kauzlarich told Fish petulantly. And that is really their prerogative. And if they have the right backing, the right powerful people in our government to continue to let it happen, then that is the case. Playing the victim. A broadly effective tactic in the case of international military aggression, domestic battery (she made me do it) and politically motivated coverups. In fact, powerful people in government have had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the case by the dogged persistence of Pats family. So far the governments efforts have been to assign aides to do enough to get the family off its back, and submit queries to the military that are answered with the same contradictions and equivocations that provoked the familys suspicion in the first place. But there [have] been numerous unfortunate cases of fratricide, Kauzlarich told ESPN, and the parents have basically said, OK, it was an unfortunate accident. And they let it go. So this is—I dont know, these people have a hard time letting it go. It may be because of their religious beliefs. Nothing to do with the fact that the Department of Defense lied to them until the impending redeployment of in-the-know Ranger batallion back to the U.S. made the revelation of fratricide inevitable oh no. The office of Defense Department public relations official Lawrence Di Rita should have purchased high-quality shredders for all commanders. The documents pertaining to the first three of six investigations contain generous and often gratuitous redactions. They were given to the Tillman family, and through them to CNN, to ESPN—oh yes, and to me. They show that it was the impending redeployment of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, Pat Tillmans unit, in which the real story of his death was general knowledge, that compelled the Department of Defense to come clean, sort of. When you die, the Reverend Kauzlarich explained to ESPNs Fish, I mean, there is supposedly a better life, right? Well, if you are an atheist and you dont believe in anything, if you die, what is there to go to? Nothing. You are worm dirt. A theological term perhaps.
1
2
NEXT PAGE >>>
 TAGS:
|
Say ‘Hi-Ho!’ as They Strip-Search You
Email
Print
Share
Digg
Facebook
TwitThis
StumbleUpon
Reddit
YahooBuzz
Email
BlinkList
del.icio.us
Fark
Furl
Google
LinkedIn
Mixx
MyShare
NewsVine
Propeller
SphereIt
Technorati
YahooMyWeb
Newsletter 
Become a Fan
Follow Us
Subscribe
Tags|Bazaar|Podcast|About Us|Contact Us|User Agreement|Privacy Policy|FAQ: Comments and Moderation
Copyright © 2012 Truthdig, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
By John, July 30, 2006 at 4:49 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
It is clear that all of us must get out the democratic vote this November. The Democrats may be imperfect, but Bush and others must be put on trial for their organized coup of this country and its values.
Report thisBy bob, July 30, 2006 at 12:15 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Excellent article! It seems that Pat and his family are real heroes. They are standing for the actual principles Pat put himself in harms way to protect. The first casualty of war is the truth, something religious zealots regularly massacre and governments pummel at every turn.
Report thisBy Melissa, July 30, 2006 at 9:58 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Pat’s realization of how illegal the war is , was echoed by a young Israeli refusnik I saw on television last week. The moderator asked him how it was that he realized the immorality of the occupation of Palistine while he was so young, and he answered that he didn’t know what took him so long. He questioned why , as a boy, he wanted to be an heroic soldier. Says a lot about the culture we live in.
Report thisBy Anon, July 30, 2006 at 9:43 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Anyone who willingly volunteers to join the armned forces; especially in a time of war, be it out of patriotic fervor or religious zeal, is putting himself in harms way. I repeat, putting HIMSELF in harms way. It is a very risky and very hazardous profession. Pat made a choice to serve. The military did not draft him.
Tragically, Pat’s choice cost him his life. It’s heartbreaking. Such a god-awful loss to his parents, loved ones, teammates, fans and friends made all the worse by the US Army lying about the circumstances of Pat’s death, covering it up, distorting the facts and then blatently using it to inspire more patriotic fervor.
But again, anyone who willingly joins the armned forces is putting himself in harms way. He or she is volunteering to be used by the military as it sees fit and as it deems necessary. Used, that is, alive or dead. As far as I am concerned, it is this reality which makes Pat’s voluntary sacrifice so tragic. And, unbearable.
Report thisBy cheryl, July 30, 2006 at 5:00 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
This story is the way in which Karl Rove uses people to help the Bushies. They don’t care about the person-only the persons situation so they can politically exploit it-Jessica Lynch, Terri Schiavo, 9-11 victims, etc. It is absolutely inexcusable how they use tragedies like Mr. Tillman’s for political gain!!!!!
Report thisBy James Alsip, July 30, 2006 at 4:42 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
I hope and pray—to all of the gods—that the gavel of chairperson of the House Judiciary Committee does pass to Mr. Conyers come 2007.
And that he and his colleagues can lead this nation to the standards of liberty,justice, and mutual respect for the rights of others that our founding fathers envisioned.
Report thisBy Caradoc, July 29, 2006 at 10:58 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Will we ever know where the lies stop? Mr. Conspiracy wants to know whether Tillman was shot deliberately and, if so, why?
Report thisBy tribalecho, July 29, 2006 at 10:29 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Oops. Sorry. I see you know about all that video stuff. Just got here from a dkos link to Stan’s story. Hadn’t seen the rest of the site. Nice.
Report thisBy tribalecho, July 29, 2006 at 10:18 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Thank you very much for this article. I think it’s very important to know that this happened. I never heard that Tillman was going to vote for Kerry. I did hear that he was a leader among his team-mates and he got them to talk about serious matters that they usually wouldn’t talk about. I heard he was, uh, intellectually strenuous, as well as physically. And I thought, uh-ohh. One of those Limbaugh listening, Boykin Army of God guys would really hate this guy. I was very sad when I later heard about the “friendly fire”.
Is there any way to get this segment on YouTube or at crooksandliars.com ? The guys at C & L might be able to help. I don’t know them or anything but they seem to know how to get access and permission and stuff.
I think it’s important that this get as much chatter, a la The Today Show, that Ann Coulter got, a la The Today Show, for her remark that the 9/11 wives were enjoying their husbands’ deaths. It defines the people who turned liberal into a dirty word. (like I wanna do to neo-liberals, after they win)
We should hire this guy a great publicist…get him exposure. Let him flog himself as Coulter did on Today Show.
This video NEEDS to be on the internet!
Report thisBy goob, July 29, 2006 at 5:52 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
The guy who wrote this piece would have been comfortable sitting down with Jefferson and Franklin.
Report thisBy Dr. Trudy Bond, July 29, 2006 at 3:52 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Stan: interesting article until your very last line, in which you yourself slap the faces of tillman’s parents.
Report thisthere ain’t no pat tillman any more. if you don’t understand atheism, don’t write about it.
By lbbp, July 29, 2006 at 3:32 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Of course, I can almost see the point of the question, “If he didnt believe in god why did he join the military?” Because religious wars are really the only wars left. Iraq is a crusade to impose <strike>Christianity</strike> democracy on it’s people. The Arab world’s fight against the west is all about wiping out the “infidels”. Israel in Lebanon, religion. Etc., Etc..
Religion is not the answer to the world’s problems, it is the problem.
Report thisBy Billie Stone, July 29, 2006 at 9:30 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Mrs. Tillman has suffered a tragic loss, and has dealt with grief that has threatened to wrestle her to the ground. I believe God’s Holy Spirit has given her a backbone of steele to fight this battle that she did not ask for and did not covet. My tears are real as I consider her pain. Pat Tillman would be proud that his little Mother has garnered her strength to fight the military Goliath.
Report thisBy bob reynolds, July 29, 2006 at 9:16 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
What a great story for the military and the Bush administration. Sports hero gives up millions to join the military. But an even greater propaganda coup would be for the hero to give his life for his country. And that’s what happened.
Report thisBy LonestarJR, July 29, 2006 at 8:09 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Spinoza: Are you seriously alleging that belief in god is the motivating force behind enlistments in military service? Would that be just our military or would it include, say, the Cuban military? If belief in god is driving enlistments, does the precipitous decline in enlistments signal a rise in disbelief? And aren’t we just pissing away the money we spend on providing incentives for military service, say the G. I. Bill? I mean…if they’re going to join anyway, why do we need any additional incentives?
Report thisBy ETSpoon, July 29, 2006 at 8:08 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
When Pat Tillman the football player enlisted, to much hoopla and patriotic hyperbole by the Fox Sports NFL Sunday broadcast team, I held him in contempt.
When Pat Tillman the football player was killed in Afghanistan, again the Fox NFL Sunday broadcast team, piled on the hyperbolic hero-worship, and I was disgusted at the way the sports industry chauvinistically exploited his death.
Then the truth about Pat Tillman the man began seeping out, and I was ashamed that I had ever thought ill of him.
Report thisBy jon b, July 29, 2006 at 8:01 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Clearly Kauzlarich is a living dead who should end his own life for a better after life. After all, his present day life means nothing to this beautiful world.
Report thisBy Mythmenot, July 29, 2006 at 7:28 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Note to Spinoza750: You don’t have to believe in a deity to join the military. Although, believing when you die you will be accepted into a nicer place (with a bunch of virgins awaiting you? who knows?) surely makes it easier to face the gunfire.
Pat was an atheist. He knew death is permanent. There is no afterlife. There is no paradise. Heaven is a myth without basis in reality. Yet he joined the military believing it was the RIGHT THING TO DO. He knew he might die and, if that happened, he would indeed become worm food.
Surely this is strength. This is true heroism. To go into battle thinking death is only the beginning of an eternal existence in the presence of your lord and savior—where is the strength in this? But to go out to face death with the knowledge, certain and absolute, that nothing follows—that there is no magical escape clause—that was Pat Tillman.
Pat was betrayed. Not by his comrades, but by those so-called God-fearing Christians in power who are more concerned about their own fate than that of their fellow man. And if they could mold a dead atheist into a Christ-like legend while covering up the despicable truth, then all the better.
They already know the power of myth.
Now they need to be introduced to the power of justice.
Report thisBy Joy Mcclellan, July 29, 2006 at 7:12 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
We atheists are the last group to come out of the closet. I am not waiting for an afterlife—-this life is important to me because I know that some invisible being to which superstitious folks pledge allegiance does not exist. Wish he did for my grandchildren’s sake. I will just have to teach them to have a good life, follow the golden rule, and that’s enough for me
Report thisBy upperleftedge, July 29, 2006 at 6:41 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
“If he didnt believe in god why did he join the military? ” What does that mean? Is the military some kind of church? Are only Christians allowed? Is God on the side of our Army? I don’t know if you are kidding or not? When you join the military you swear to defend the Constitution not the Bible. I don’t understand your thinking.
Report thisBy Jim Egolf, July 29, 2006 at 6:33 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Whether one agrees with Pat Tillman’s decision to quit a lucrative sports career to join the military, his motives were honorable. For anyone to attack Pat Tillman or his family because of alleged atheism shows lack of character and decency. Whether the Tillman’s were church attendees or born again atheists is not an issue. Pat Tillman did what he thought was right and showed courage which is more than the religious lunatics and flag waving war wimps have ever done. I offer encouragement and sympathy to the Tillman family, and I hope they prevail
Report thisBy Bill Wetzel, July 29, 2006 at 6:21 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Stan is always right on.
Report thisBy Jim Egolf, July 29, 2006 at 6:13 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Whether one agrees with Tillman’s motives for joining the military, his motives were honorable. For some nutcase to attack the Tillman’s for pushing for the truth is a disgrace. I do not care of the Tillmans were church attendees or born again atheists, these are honorable people deserving of better treatment. Pat Tillman quit a lucrative professional sports career to do what he thought was right. I do not see any of the flag wavers and religious nutcases and lunatics coming close to this sort of valor. They ought to be ashamed of themselves, and they owe the Tillman’s an apology.
Report thisBy Jason, July 29, 2006 at 6:12 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Boykin and Kauzlarich might want to consider conversion to Atheism; an endless black void would be far preferable to where they will spend eternity, given their current theology. I imagine it will be a lot like Iraq outside the greenzone.
Report thisBy alan poorman, July 29, 2006 at 6:00 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Great article and comments within it.
I set up a Google alert on the Tillman investigation after reading Steve Coll’s account of Pat’s death in the Washington Post.
Yours is the first article I’ve found with new information of such a personal nature and profoundly put.
You and Coll are the only writers that mention the argument between the platoon leader and the battalion commander, Kauzlarich, over spliting the platoon. To overide the combat commander takes a lot of ego. That order was given to save a Humvee which had to be towed by other vehicles - doesn’t seem worth it to me. I doubt it was reasonable to split the force.
Again, great article and keep it up.
Report thisBy Lance, July 29, 2006 at 3:42 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Poor Kaularich. He’s obviously struggling with his own religious beliefs. As a religious man he knows there is an afterlife and he won’t be “worm dirt.” However as a devout Christian he also knows that his career devoted to killing has earned him a place in everlasting hell.
Ronald Reagan once said that all of the solutions to the world’s problems could be found in the Bible. Perhaps. But most of the world’s most serious problems come from the manner in which true believers in the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Qoran have put their beliefs into practice.
Pull the “worm dirt” away from the trees of war and bigotry and you’ll generally find religious roots.
Report thisBy Alejandro Quinonez, July 28, 2006 at 10:15 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Thank you for this very revealing articale. I am a great fan of Pats. I even have his Cardnal’s jersey; but more than that, for our government to conspire in a cover-up is sickening. I want his parents to know that Pat will always be a hero to me. The fact that he chose his duty speakes volume’s to his character and dignity. Please keep up the fight for truth.
My Condolence’s and love
Report thisAlejandro Quinonez
USN/PBR (NSA/VINH LONG VIETNAM 1965,1968)
By William Belote, July 28, 2006 at 9:51 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Whew! How did the depraved and reprehensible people in charge of our government and military ascend to this rank? I still have faith that with individuals like Mr. Goff, the Tillmans, and Rep. Conyers, the long dark tales of greed and cowardice will be told, hopefully in the full light of a courtroom. If we as a country are to make the neccesary amends for the many wrongs we have committed, we had better be prepared for years of war crimes trials, from low rank service people to the President. As far as I’m concerned, we can begin now.
Report thisBy Spinoza750, July 28, 2006 at 9:49 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
If he didn’t believe in god why did he join the military? I assume patriotism. I just can’t understand that.
Report thisBy Michael Bott, July 28, 2006 at 7:12 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
The truth shall set you free.
Report thisPage 2 of 2 pages < 1 2