The Pat Tillman Case Reaches a Climax: 'They Blew Up Their Poster Boy'

[babylonsister]

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/pressingissues_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003562674

The Pat Tillman Case Reaches a Climax: 'They Blew Up Their Poster Boy'
On Monday, the official report on the 2004 killing in Afghanistan, and coverup, involving former NFL star Pat Tillman will finally be released. Here's why it all matters.

By Greg Mitchell

(March 25, 2007) -- By all accounts, the belated official military probe of the Pat Tillman killing and cover-up on Monday will call on the carpet nine officers, including up to four generals, for badly mishandling information. This is what The Associated Press reported yesterday, adding that the investigation found there was no "orchestrated cover-up."

But even if Tillman's outspoken family affirms that justice has finally been done -- don't count on it -- it is vital to look back two years at why the case stirs such anger and reveals so much about military deceit and (too often) media acceptance of it.

It was The Washington Post that really broke the case wide open in May 2005. Simply stated: the Pentagon lied about the friendly fire incident, even to Tillman's family. Still, there were few calls for apologies to the public and the firing of those responsible. Not many suggested that the Pentagon's word should never be trusted unless backed up by numerous credible sources.

The Post's Josh White that month reported that Tillman's parents were now ripping the Army, saying that the military's investigations into their son's 2004 "friendly fire" death in Afghanistan was a sham based on "lies" and that the Army cover-up made it harder for them to deal with their loss. They were speaking out because they had finally had a chance to look at the full records of the military probe.

"Tillman's mother and father said in interviews that they believe the military and the government created a heroic tale about how their son died to foster a patriotic response across the country," White reported.

While military officials' lying to the parents drew wide coverage, hardly anyone mentioned that they also lied to the public and to the press, which dutifully carried one report after another based on the Pentagon's spin. It had happened many times before, as in the faux Jessica Lynch incident in Iraq.

more...

[maggiegault]

1. As An Arizonan and As An American...

...I read this story with tears in my eyes.

The Tillman family are beloved here in Arizona, genuine class acts all the way. They should never let the story of their son, his heroic choices, and his criminal death go away. We here in Arizona certainly won't. It's the one thing that GOP and Democrats here can agree on.

[napi21]

2. EVERY Pub candidate should be asked point blank what they believe should

be done to the perps of this atrocity! I want to see them all publicly state they denounce thelying and secrecy of this administration. Any who won't do that should fall by the wayside as dismal failures!

[Monkeyman]

3. Stay On it

[babylonsister]

4. He's a soldier, and beloved to all of us. The tragedy is we've

all been lied to. How many other times has this happened?

[Monkeyman]

5. Sis more then anyone knows

[babylonsister]

6. Sadly, yes. Here's another one:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=502745&mesg_id=502745

[Hissyspit]

7. k&r