An Un-American Tragedy

[Midnight Rambler]

Early in the evening of April 22, 2004, a heavily armored vehicle in the trailing half of a split platoon came under attack from enemy fire in the rugged mountainous terrain of southeastern Afghanistan. Soldiers in a Humvee opened fire in retaliation but instead shot at fellow Rangers positioned ahead, killing Pat Tillman and an Afghan soldier standing 10 feet off Tillman's left shoulder. The former NFL safety — the Army's most celebrated volunteer — took three bullets to the forehead.

-snip-

Two years after Tillman's death, the perspectives on the circumstances are still very much at odds and the story is still very much alive. As the Defense Department Inspector General's Office nears the completion of yet another investigation into Tillman's death, many very important questions remain unanswered.

• Are the Rangers who fired at Tillman and their other fellow soldiers guilty of criminal wrongdoing?

• Why did the Army glorify Tillman's actions on the battlefield during the firefight in which he was killed?

• Did the Army purposely conceal that Tillman had been killed by friendly fire? If so, why?

• And did the Army consciously puff up the Tillman story by awarding the dead soldier a Silver Star, its third-highest distinction for combat valor, to go along with his Purple Heart and a posthumous promotion from specialist to corporal?

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This is a three-part article from ESPN.com about the shady circumstances surrounding the death of Pat Tillman. From his friednly-fire death to the cover-up and the shameless propaganda. It's a lot to read, but it's an excellent piece. Just another example of the lies and deciet that prevade this entire administration.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=tillmanpart1
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=tillmanpart2
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=tillmanpart3