E&P: AP Gets Memo - Bush Alerted To Truth About Tillman

[Hissyspit]

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003565882

AP Gets Memo: Bush Alerted To Truth About Tillman
Published: March 30, 2007 10:15 PM ET

WASHINGTON 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.

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.

- snip -

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. But Rethmeier emphasized that the president often pays tribute to fallen soldiers without mentioning the exact circumstances of their deaths.

MORE

[rodeodance]

1. AP: Gen. tried to warn Bush on Tillman

Forum Name Latest Breaking News
Topic subject AP: Gen. tried to warn Bush on Tillman
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2788223#2788223
2788223,

AP: Gen. tried to warn Bush on Tillman
Posted by rodeodance on Fri Mar-30-07 08:49 PM

Source: AP

AP: Gen. tried to warn Bush on Tillman

By SCOTT LINDLAW, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 6 minutes ago

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.


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.
......
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.

"I felt that it was essential that you received this information as soon as we detected it in order to preclude any unknowing statements by our country's leaders which might cause public embarrassment if the circumstances of Cpl. Tillman's death become public," McChrystal wrote on April 29, 2004, to Gen. John Abizaid, head of Central Command.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070331/ap_on_re_us/tillman_friendly_fire ;_ylt=AvzBQ7qo1DtGnRJujRdV6Zes0NUE


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this is your Friday night news dump

[Erika]

2. No wonder the Tillman family is so angry

This administration prostituted the death of Tillman for their own deceitful political purpose.

[frogcycle]

3. and we just SOOOO believe they looked REAL hard for that memo