Posted on 03/30/2007 3:38:03 PM PDT by chet_in_ny
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Just seven days after Pat Tillman's death, a top general warned there were strong indications that it was friendly fire and President Bush might embarrass himself if he said the NFL star-turned-soldier died in an ambush, according to a memo obtained by The Associated Press. ADVERTISEMENT
It was not until a month afterward that the Pentagon told the public and grieving family members the truth — that Tillman was mistakenly killed in Afghanistan by his comrades.
The memo reinforces suspicions that the Pentagon was more concerned with sparing officials from embarrassment than with leveling with Tillman's family.
In a memo sent to a four-star general a week after Tillman's April 22, 2004, death, then-Maj. Gen. Stanley McChrystal warned that it was "highly possible" the Army Ranger was killed by friendly fire. McChrystal made it clear his warning should be conveyed to the president.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
they sure are scraping for black eye material
Tillman was not in uniform when he was hit, to the best of my knowledge. He was one of those wild Rangers we saw in some pictures from the zone, while riding camels and dressed in Arab garb toting AK's. He was doing a superb job! A Out F'n Standing job!
My personal take is that they were victims of battle in a way that is quite common and a risk that is assumed by the Rangers.
I think all this in complicated by one or more grieving family members who are more and more anti-Admin and military, and the left is not yet done using them for their spiteful and hate filled purposes against the country and the Administration.
I must admit, that I have developed a hatred myself, and these disgusting left wing people are on the top of my #### list where they will remain in perpetuity until I die.
The military wanted to do this right without any chance of error and that takes time when it involves classified OPS. There was no cover up. Certainly no delays were intended and the family's interferences caused what delays there may have been by their own actions and that of their enablers.
Yeah. Of course the govt wouldn't run with a false story for hype. Oh wait..
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3251731.stm
I also know the importance of evaluating battlefield errors and accidents so that tactics and training can evolve to prevent further accidents.
The fact remains though Pat Tillman died during an ambush, in a fire fight.
Pat Tillman gave his life for this country, for all of us, the origin of the bullet can't tarnish him in my eyes.
God Speed Pat Tillma, we owe you more than we can ever repay.
Women do not belong in combat, under any circumstances.
The lefties don't care a whit about Pat Tillman, his sacrifice for America, or his family. All they see in his death is an opportunity to bash Bush, and that's just plain morally disgusting, in fact it's pure evil. I'm no fan of Bush, but the degree the Left goes to paint him as incompetent and deceitful is mind boggling. They don't stop, they never take a moment's rest from attacking him. It's like they actually get energy from their own hate. I really didn't know that human beings could be as hateful as the American Left are.
White House spokesman Blain Rethmeier said Friday that a review of records turned up no indication that the president had received McChrystal's warning. ...Bush made no reference to the way Tillman died in a speech delivered two days after the memo was written.
This is ANOTHER NON STORY by the media! They are going beyond obvious with their bias.
Exactly. The MSM is just ugly and relentless in its pursuit to hurt the current war effort. Plain and simple.
And what the hell do they mean a "Gen tried to warn the President on Tillman"??
What was there to warn about? He lost his life taking the fight to our enemies. Plain and simple. He was leading from the front when he fell......That it happened to be from a Fracticide incident does not change any of the facts above.
Any guess as to when the Hearings on this will start?
might I say DITTOS
Patrick is still a hero.....and so are all those who were with him
I'd like to meet the moron that came up with the term "friendly fire" and put a bullet with a smiley face on it between his eyes. WAR IS WAR! EVERY bullet in a combat zone has "To Whom It May Concern" written on it. No bullet or artillery round is "friendly." These things happen in war! It's sad but people need to get over it!!!!!! That is unless you're one of those perverted, liberal morons looking for a reason to "impeach" President Bush or maybe just want to demolish the current administration while simultaneously poking a stick in the eye of the U.S military because you were too big of a coward to join yourself.
So, he sent a memo to someone else telling him to tell Bush?
And it's Bush's fault??
This is...
B.S.!!
One of the worstthings I hate to do is get a haircut. Sitting there for what seems hours waiting my turn.
Anyway, this was quite some time ago, picked up an issue of sports illustrated that had about a 7 page read on Tillman.
Seems that Tillman was somewhat eclectic, stating to other Rangers or his brother that the war was illegal etc.
The SI story went on to detail how he died. Seems he heard the ambush, then ran straight into the crossfire.
This may sound harsh, but I say kick the media out or at least return censorship as it was during WWII. No stories or pics got released until they were approved that is the way it should be. Friendly fire is unfortunate and will happen we do not need the likes of AP and Reuters making it worse e then it already is.
SI also ran a cover of Dontrelle Willis standing in water up to his @$$ in the middle of a baseball stadium all because of al-Gore's "global warming." It's nothing but a leftist rag.
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