AP: Tillman memo contradicted citation (Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal)

[lebkuchen]

This is the first I've heard of a Lt. Gen. McChrystal involved in the Tillman case. He needs to be a big part of the current investigation. Something doesn't square. This article is full of info from his prior testimony. The army overruled the Pentagon's decision to punish him for his involvement, because he's Special Ops (highly secret)? What does Special Ops have to do w/Cpl Tillman? Did some egotistical member of this secret organization shoot Tillman when he stood up and yelled, "I'm Pat Tillman, stop firing!"?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070803/ap_on_re_us/tillman_friendly_fire

Just a day after approving a medal claiming former NFL player Pat Tillman had been cut down by "devastating enemy fire" in Afghanistan, a high-ranking general tried to warn President Bush that the story might not be true, according to testimony obtained by The Associated Press.

Despite this apparent contradiction, Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal was spared punishment in the latest review of Tillman's shooting. On Tuesday, the Army overruled a Pentagon recommendation that he be held accountable for his "misleading" actions.

...

In the Silver Star citation, McChrystal had praised Tillman for placing himself "in the line of devastating enemy fire."

...

McChrystal was then and remains commander of the covert Joint Special Operations Command, the military's clandestine "black ops" corps, which fights in the shadows of battles in Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond.

Among those who work with him, McChrystal is respected and admired for his leadership and integrity. He also has the trust of Bush, who — despite the secrecy of McChrystal's operation — publicly praised him last year when Al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in a U.S. airstrike.

Attempts to reach McChrystal this week by telephone and e-mail were unsuccessful.

Here's a June 2006 Newsweek expose about McChrystal and his secret ops--it doesn't even mention Tillman:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13392189/site/newsweek/print/1/displaymode/1098/

Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, West Point '76, is not someone the Army likes to talk about. He isn't even listed in the directory at Fort Bragg, N.C., his home base. That's not because McChrystal has done anything wrong—quite the contrary, he's one of the Army's rising stars—but because he runs the most secretive force in the U.S. military. That is the Joint Special Operations Command, the snake-eating, slit-their-throats "black ops" guys who captured Saddam Hussein and targeted Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi.

JSOC is part of what Vice President Dick Cheney was referring to when he said America would have to "work the dark side" after 9/11.

...

...the secrecy surrounding McChrystal's role worries some who note that Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld have given clandestine operations the lead in the war on terror—with little public accountability, including in the interrogation room.

[AndyTiedye]

1. Does Someone Smell a SMOKING GUN Around Here?

[lebkuchen]

2. My theory

The special ops group was in the area for some reason (sent there by Rummy? on a specific mission?), started firing at Tillman's unit. Tillman, incredulous that his unit hasn't been recognized as friendlies, stands up and ID's himself. Someone in black ops shoots him 3 times (because the black ops guy is an egotistical ass? or because he was on a Rummy mission to shoot Tillman?). Since it's a super secret organization, they're allowed to "skate," no questions asked.

The commander of the Special Ops McChrystal is seen as the good guy because he had tried to warn Bush that maybe friendlies had killed Tillman (actually, McChrystal's his own men), rather than the enemy. Bush uses Tillman as poster boy anyway. Rummy doesn't want to expose the secret ops group to Congressional/media scrutiny, which would then open up a pandora's box of tortures, events at Abu Ghraib, assasinations, and who knows what.

This, from the second URL, is interesing:

Experts like former Deputy Defense secretary John Hamre are also concerned that Special Ops now has generic authority to deploy where it wants without case-by-case orders. Without proper civilian oversight, a Zarqawi-style success can easily become a "Black Hawk Down."

[BuyingThyme]

4. As I understand it, the only gunfire in the area came from the guy(s) shooting Tillman.

[lebkuchen]

5. Then why was the head of Black Ops, McChrystal, involved?

He approved the medal but then supposedly tried to warn Bush that events might not have happened according to the citation. Doesn't McChrystal have better things to do? Why is he involved at all w/Tillman when he runs the most secret operation in Iraq in the midst of war?

With McChrystal now entering the mix, along with "secret" and "black ops," then considering the three tightly grouped bullet holes (highly trained) and the fact that there are so many unanswered questions, I can't help but wonder if Joint Special Operations Command had something to do with this.

[SpiralHawk]

8. Black Ops!??! WTF? I mean, Accursed HOMELANDER occult crapola !!!

Freaking anti-American republicon Homelanders committed Treason by gunning down an authentic American NFL and military hero...

How low can the republicon Homelanders go? Wait, forget I asked...

"Smirk, smirk, smirk." - Commander AWOL, republicon deserter and member of an Occult Darkside Cabal

[Vincardog]

10. He has the trust of Bush, who upon hearing that Tillman was going to come out against the war

ordered his death.

[lebkuchen]

11. a distinct possibility

This Tillman investigation needs to cut a wider swath. We need to learn more about the Black Ops folks and get the Sec. of the Army under oath as well. Hell, he's only had the job for 18 days. What's his stake in this issue that he can suddenly come on board and dismiss a Pentagon recommendation on TUESDAY that McChrystal not be punished?

Someone higher up handed that order down to Sec. of the Army Geren.

[BuyingThyme]

3. Anybody else notice how all the Tillman news comes out on Fridays?

Take a hint, Dems!

[malaise]

6. Holy Sh$t!

No wonder they're invoking executive privilege

[lebkuchen]

9. I'd love to see those Black Ops troops under oath

I'd also like to hear more from Thomas Gimble, then the Pentagon's top investigator, who had advised the Sec. of Army to punish McChrystal for making no attempt to change the citation. I think that was in March. Then it says the Army tossed out that recommendation to punish last Tuesday.

That's timely, during the investigation and all. Why last Tuesday? So attention wouldn't be drawn to McChrystal to avoid having to testify?

Pete Geren is the Sec. of the Army. Those Sec. jobs are usually rather figurehead. How can Geren trump a Pentagon recommendation? He only just got the job July 16, 2007. Somebody from on high had to tell him to dismiss the recommendation. The Tillman investigation needs to hear from Geren as well, under oath.

[SpiralHawk]

7. I hope every American soldier and veteran will see this. Keep it K & R

And I sincerely hope our sons and daughters in uniform will finally realize that they are being systematically lied to, used, and abused by Commander AWOL and the phalanx of Chickenhawk republicon Homelanders.

The republicon Homelander chickenhawks merit no respect, for they have no honor -- and they treat our sons and daughters in uniform worse than cannon fodder -- as propaganda projectiles to be catapulted in the service of fat cat republicon Homelander crony War Profits.

[lebkuchen]

12. I think Rummy changed his mind on testifying to act as decoy to McChrystal

(Yahoo has already removed the initial URL from its front page--must have gotten a lot of hits, or else Karl Rove gave Yahoo a call)

On Tues. the Sec. of the Army Geren dismissed the Pentagon's March recommendation that McChrystal be punished for contradicting his own Silver Star citation to be awarded to Tillman. All accountability for the silver star citation was removed from McChrystal despite the fact that McChrystal had acknowledged under oath "that he had known prior to approving the Silver Star that fratricide was a strong possibility."

W/the attention off McChrystal, he was able to decline an invite on Wednesday, the day after the Army had pardoned him, to testify before the congressional committee with little fanfare. (Had he shown up, I wonder if any congressperson would have inquired about the pardon.)

Little fanfare because movie star Rummy had suddenly changed his mind about testifying, on Wednesday. Perhaps Rummy had delayed his decision in order to get Army ducks in a row for the pardon and build media anticipation for his *star power* testimony.

Rummy did his cutesy song and dance for the media and made the headlines, resulting in few folks having any idea who McChrystal is. He gets to keep his cover, and his secrets, thanks to Rummy.

My theory.

[lebkuchen]

15. How did this story get out, anyway?

Probably leaked by the person who had recommended punishment for McChrystal. That would be Thomas Gimble, "then the Pentagon's top investigator." I wonder why he's no longer the Pentagon's top investigator. Somebody on the congressional committee should ask him.

[RainDog]

13. Kaularich

those of you who have been closely following this subject are surely aware of this, but I just learned about the following after watching YouTube footage -

via Stan Goff
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 Pat’s death, and suggested that the reason they’d found no closure was that infidels such as themselves (the Tillmans did not belong to a church), when they die, are only “worm dirt.”

I really think the talibornagains are disgusting.

[lebkuchen]

14. The prerequisite for being in Bush's Black Ops is probably, Be White

Be Christian
Have Arian Good Looks

[SpiralHawk]

16. The republicon Homelanders are treating the Tillman family like shit

Shame on them for abusing a family of true American patriots for the low, low, low purposes of the republicon Homelander anti-American agenda of hate.

Morning kick for every one of our honorable soldiers and veterans. They all should know.

[lebkuchen]

17. McChrystal is the one the Bushies don't want to have testify

He needs to be subpoena'd, as does Sec. of the Army Pete Geren, and former top Pentagon investigator Thomas Gimble, who perhaps was the one who told the media that McChrystal was being let off the hook, the day before he was to testify. Now nobody can find him.

I never find anything Rummy has to say very interesting. In fact, I can't stand to look at him or listen to him. He's sociopathic.

But McChrystal just may have a conscience.

[SpiralHawk]

18. k & r -- for all our sons and daughters in uniform

To help them see the truth of how the republicon Homelander chickenhawk administration thinks of them, and uses them, and then discards them.