The Pentagon has directed the Army to open a criminal investigation into the death of former NFL star Pat Tillman, CNN learned on Saturday.
An inspector general ordered the Army Criminal Investigative Division to determine if Tillman’s death resulted from negligent homicide, sources said.
Initial reports after his death said Tillman, 27, was shot and killed by Taliban forces during an ambush on April 22, 2004. An investigation later revealed that fellow soldiers shot Tillman, thinking he was part of an enemy force firing at them.
Tillman’s family demanded to know why his uniform and body armor were burned a day after he was killed and why they were not immediately told he might have been killed by fellow soldiers.
No comment.
The list of public examples that are willing to lay aside creature comforts to fight for something they believe is a dieing breed. I am reminded of
Pat Tillman was a very public example of a man with courage. His death lead me to weep inside. I have every believe that the truth of his death needs to be exposed but I also believe that his death should not have been in vain and that we need to take a look at the example he set forth.
You cannot ask to serve in a better unit that the 75th Ranger Regt.
There were others that have died as well that aren’t famous. CPL William Amundson is one of those that won’t be forgotten even though he wasn’t famous. He joined for the same reasons Tillman did and he died as well in combat.
It should be examined and *thoroughly*. If someone effed up…they need to answer for it. Mistakes happen in a war, but if someone willfully violated protocol and training and it resulted in Pat’s death, then that person or persons needs to pay the price.
Damn he is hott!
There are as many reasons for enlisting in the Armed Forces as there are people in the Armed Forces – always have been, always will be.
I just objected to Mr. Tillman being made a “poster boy” for patriotism, which guaranteed “patriots” would play-up his death in combat – while mentioning all the others in passing, if at all.
Just as bad was the “countdown” to 2000 American combat deaths – after previous 100, 500, 1000, & 1500-death “mile posts” – glossing-over the deaths of hundreds of people on the lead-up to those nice, round numbers. i.e. “… raising the death toll to 1,968 – and at this rate the total number of US combat-related deaths will reach 2,000, by early next week” 🙁
Personally, I think Tillman was foolish, albeit brave in is own way.
Knowing for a fact that 9/11 was an inside job with the only culpable figure, in my opinion, being the government, It wouldn’t be cynical to propose that our government had him killed to instill a sense of pubic loyalty toward the armed forces and increase enlistment to a dwindling armed forces.
But, the truth is now coming out. He was NOT a hero. He was a casualty of war–literally killed by his own men (accident or no accident). A sick irony of the sick mentality of an adminstration that toys with our emotions and kills their own citizens to further their agenda of world domination.
Dennis, I don’t believe this guy was not liked which leaves your other scenerio eeringly hard to swallow.
God dammit, can’t you fucking see the TRUTH, guys. Bush is NOT on our side. He’s a murderer, a liar, a motherfucker. Pat Tillman died in vain UNLESS you stop believing the bullshit that media panders via the White House. When a President says “you’re either with us, or against us,” those words are words of a terrorist.
I shake my head and bang my head against the wall. SEE the lies. 9/11, man… 9/11
IT’S SO FUCKING OBVIOUS. why can’t you see the truth? please, if our government can set up 9/11 to happen and kill 3000 Americans to fuck with your minds and emotions to get their wars started, do something to avenge the innocent 3000 people who perished… set your beliefs to the side (and your emotions) and google “9/11 truth”.
Pat Tillman, on behalf of people who know the truth about 9/11 and the wars that ensued, I”M SORRY. I’m sorry, Pat. The American flag has been flying at half-mast in my heart for a long, long time. I’ll die just like you…defending TRUTH.
David,
This type of paranoid, conspiracy theory bullshit is what is making the Democratic party irrelevant. This administration makes enough mistakes without having to make things up. I checked the “911 Truth” site and these people are definitely the tinfoil hat crowd.
Just because you don’t like Bush does not mean he orchestrated 9-11. Stop drinking the far-left Kool aid and think for yourself.
And no, before you reply, I did not vote for Bush.
I support an investigation to simply determine the facts and truth for the reason of trying to prevent future accidents if that is what happened but as for Tillman being a victim…I don’t see it. He volunteered knowing what Bush’s War was about so he simply decided that the cause was worth dying for and so he did. The possibility of death is very apparent so he took the chance and he unfortunately lost.
Moreover, I feel less sorry for him than I do for someone who was in the military pre-war and had no choice about being there and dying for a false cause.
Shane, I can think out of the Matrix. That’s all I can say. But, let me say this, if this is all a dream, then what’s the difference? I would say just make it a good dream, not a bad one. If that means people have to die, then the question I have for you is: are you willing to die?
Tough one. Generally I’m all for an investigation like this, but while serving in Iraq (Marine Corps), Tillman was such a hero to us, and a role model, that I’d hate to tarnish any part of his story.
Fratricide is not unusual, and burning uniforms and other gear that the person was wearing while killed is also not unusual. It’s also not unusual for the relatives to be simply told the person was simply killed in action, without going into great details.
David,
I served in the army. Like Pat Tillman, I joined voluntarily. I did not always like what I was told to do, where I was sent or the politicians that I was commanded by but I did my job. I did not hope to die but I understood that, with all of that training with rifles, bayonettes, light anti-tank weapons and other toys, that there might be some risk involved with the job. Like Pat Tillman, I was willing to accept that risk. I served my country not necessarily because I was a patriot but because the job interested me when I was 17 (you could join with your parents permission back then).
After the military, I was a police officer. I did that for over 10 years before finally leaving to go to law school. Once again, while, not eager to die, I understood the risks. I saw friends of mine killed in car accidents, shootings and even one bombing. I understood the risks and did my job anyway.
I understand that we all die. I can live my life on the bleeding edge doing what I want to, or I can be one of those people who live their entire lives in safely and comfortably but in fear. It doesn’t matter how careful you are though, you will die. Like the author of Fight Club said; given a long enough time line, everyone’s rate of survival drops to zero. Don’t be depressed though David, it’s not that life is so short, it’s that you’re dead for so long.
Seriously, to address your flawed conspiracy theory that started all of this, you can’t have it both ways. Either Bush is in way over his head and is not competent to be President OR he is an evil genius who masterminded 9-11 to start wars as a part of his long-term plan for global domination. You can’t have it both ways David. Is Bush merely incompetent, or is he an evil genius? I would suggest a third possibility: Perhaps, he is just a flawed man trying to a difficult job. Maybe we don’t like his choices and maybe he makes mistakes. That does not make everything he does good or bad. I disagree with him on many issues but I just can’t drink the Kool-aid. Life is not that black and white and the democratic party are not our saviors.
Personally, I think you need to stop banging your head against the wall. But, if you are right and if this is the matrix, then I choose to leave the practice of law, win the power ball and spend the rest of my days banging hot supermodels on my private island.
Shane,
It’s because of people like you that people like me are able to rant off with total safety. Your faith and belief in America has provided protection for the millions who don’t know, and frankly, don’t want to know the ugly side of protecting that liberty. Americans salute you in the best possible way they can: they immerse in liberty– the one you fought for.
Thank you.
And you are right Shane, I truly believe that what Bush is doing is done with the honesty that he believes is necessary for the ideas he believes in, which I believe is the survival of America. Though I still believe that that eventful day was orchestrated by high members of our government, I believe it was done in the name of protecting America. When President Bush spoke about the victims of 9/11 shortly after that day he referred to them as “those that sacrificed their lives in the name of freedom.” Sacrificied. He must see such horific events shaping in the Middle East that it warranted the sacrifice of 3,000 to save future lives, both in America and in the Middle East. It is a tormenting decision to make. But, if I were president and I SAW future deaths that I believed could be prevented by intervening in the leadership of sovereign nations by going in with war, then I probably would go in with war, that is, using physical force to change lower consciousness before they attained great power and forced higher consciousness down, thereby establishing an unstable world causing greater suffering. But how to get that war? Would I kill my own son to protect the lives of your family? First, I would have to go through ALL other options before I did that. However, if the final choice came out to be that either I killed my own son or the highest consciousness that exists would be extinguished–I would kill my son.
To me, God doesn’t save us. We, as Man, must save Him.