It was one thing when it appeared the Bush Administration was trying to cover up a “friendly fire” death by claiming Pat Tillman was killed by enemy fire. I remember similar episodes from the Vietnam War. I dimly remember a made for television movie about a “friendly fire” coverup, in fact.
But today Martha Mendoza of the Associated Press reports that there is evidence Tillman was killed [deliberately] by another Ranger. Forensic evidence suggests he was shot in the head — three times — by an M16 from only about ten yards away.
I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but this definitely requires more investigation. There will be more congressional hearings next week.
Update: You’ll enjoy this.
He wasn’t so much a patriot as he was apparently an antiwar lefist [sic] who enjoyed chomping on Noam Chomsky.
Not the first, won’t be the last leftist in the ranks. Fact is so is his brother, Kevin. Shame. We used to sniff them out in basic training and help them “outâ€.
Update 2: See Jesse Lee at the Gavel.
Dear Maha…
The made-for-TeeVee movie you refer to is (IIRC) “Friendly Fire” and it starred Carol Burnett and Ned Beaty as an Iowa farm couple who refuse to accept the bullshit story they are fed about the death of their son in Vietnam…(I’ve never watched it)…
Supposedly*…The story was based on events surrounding the KIA of a young Marine (from Iowa)during “Operation Starlight” – the first large-scale offensive against the VC on the Batagnan peninsula just south of Chu Lai, in late 1965 -…The incident led to some very hard feelings among the “Grunts” against their South Vietnamese “Allies”…
By the time I got there, no one would trust one of the ARVN’s: “In the shithouse with a muzzle on” (as the saying went)…
* Not being a “Sea Story”, I won’t begin with: “This Ain’t No Shit”…
Were his Ranger buddies afraid that Tillman was going to report something that they wanted to keep covered up?
Rangers should be well trained enough and experienced enough to not ‘snivel’ and not panic in a tight and threatening situation. Navy SEALs don’t panic.
Now I understand why his parents have been so upset.
So sorry, Chief…
But anyone can panic the first time they’re shot at…And most do…
By the second time, you’re a Vet…
D. R.,
I know the diff between a Sea Story (Now this no shit, . . . ) and a fairy tale (Once upon a time . . .).
And definitely YES I have been scared, very scared. But never did I panic.
Unrelated to Tillman, DKos diary Wingnut Thugs Personally Attack Soldier Serving In Iraq is about a soldier, who has been pseudonymously reporting “the way it is” in Iraq to The New Republic, and who gets singled out by the wingnutosphere.
This DKos diary is about far right hate, so far, only expressed through printed words, not through direct, personal violence. The Tillman story, if true, takes this dynamic to a whole ‘nother level.
Dont jump to conclusions. No murder has been proven and allegations like these should face a reasonable bar before being considered as such.
ITs just depressing that this whole Administration seems to see lying as a first-resport option.
Well the word “snivel” makes my ears stand up. To me it fits in nicely to the macho war-dog larger than life narrative that was scripted for Tillman, but reality say when you’re taking fire, whether friend or foe, the concept of sniveling goes out the window. Was Tillman so cool and fearless that he didn’t respect firepower?
That’s the kind of thing that really scares me. If you’re an anti-war lef(t)ist, you aren’t a patriot, even if you are willing to turn your life and much of your moral authority over to the government in the hopes of putting your own life at risk to protect your home.
I don’t *get* that. You know? It’s a non sequitur, literally. It does not follow. It’s like, Socrates should come out of his grave, and smack that person upside the head before the geas of correcting such stupidity let him return to his rest.
(Socrates, because he pissed people off pointing out the gaps in people’s thoughts. Really, any competent philosopher should be able to do so, meaning there should be undead hordes attacking, and… oh, wait, blog like it’s the end of the world was last month, IIRC.)
Swami:
When you’re taking fire in the military, being afraid is okay, but acting afraid is not, and angry responses are common.You need to break through the shell, right now, and get them moving again. (And remember, in training, talk about weakness is used to motivate folks to work harder.)
If his bunkmate was homesick and scared, late at night, it would be wrong for him to talk about sniveling, but when under fire, I’m not surprised if he used a term like that to try to get the guy moving again. Yeah, it’s nasty… so is war. And a person who’s gotten locked up in fear is in serious danger (and can be dangerous to everyone around him). So the idea is to snap him out of the funk, and getting him to respond according to his training again.
If you’re an anti-war lef(t)ist, you aren’t a patriot, even if you are willing to turn your life and much of your moral authority over to the government in the hopes of putting your own life at risk to protect your home.
Right; that’s why there’s no amount of proof that will persuade these people that liberals love America or that some liberals are sincerely religious. Here’s a guy who gave up a lucrative career to serve in the military and paid the ultimate price, and he’s still not a “patriot.” Why? He doesn’t have the correct political beliefs. Sick.