Pat Tillman's parents angry at Army brass

[Accord]

WASHINGTON -- The family of former NFL player Pat Tillman says the Army disrespected his memory by lying in its investigation of his death in Afghanistan last year.

 

In interviews with The Washington Post, the Army Ranger's mother and father said they believe the military and the government created a heroic tale about how their son died to foster a patriotic response across the country.

 

?They purposely interfered with the investigation, they covered it up. I think they thought they could control it, and they realized that their recruiting efforts were going to go to hell in a handbasket if the truth about his death got out. They blew up their poster boy? said Patrick Tillman Sr.

 

"Pat had high ideals about the country; that's why he did what he did," Mary Tillman told the Post. "The military let him down. The administration let him down. It was a sign of disrespect. The fact that he was the ultimate team player and he watched his own men kill him is absolutely heartbreaking and tragic. The fact that they lied about it afterward is disgusting."

 

Tillman, a player for the Arizona Cardinals, left the NFL after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to join the Rangers with his brother. After a tour in Iraq, they were sent to Afghanistan in 2004 to help hunt for the Taliban and Osama bin Laden.

 

Shortly after arriving in the mountains to fight, Tillman was killed in a barrage of gunfire from his own men, mistaken for the enemy as he got into position to defend them.

 

After a public memorial service, at which Tillman received the Silver Star, the Army told Tillman's family what had really happened.

 

The separate interviews with Tillman's parents, who are divorced, appeared on the Post's Internet site for Monday's editions.

 

Patrick Tillman Sr., a lawyer, told the Post he is furious about a "botched homicide investigation" and blames high-ranking Army officers for presenting "outright lies" to the family and to the public.

 

"After it happened, all the people in positions of authority went out of their way to script this," the father said. "They purposely interfered with the investigation, they covered it up. I think they thought they could control it, and they realized that their recruiting efforts were going to go to hell in a handbasket if the truth about his death got out. They blew up their poster boy."

 

"In the case of the death of Corporal Patrick Tillman, the Army made mistakes in reporting the circumstances of his death to the family," Brig. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks told the Post. "For these, we apologize. We cannot undo those early mistakes."

I realize that they're angry about what happened and how the Army initially did not initially tell them he died in a friendly fire incident, but from what they're saying it's as if they don't want their son to be recognized as a national hero. He's still a hero regardless of if it was a friendly fire incident or not.

[Marlins]

I don't understand why the miltary and the goverment had to lie about it. He's a special guy and will always be remembered no matter how he died.

[FutureGM]

I don't blame them at all for being angry, the Army did a pathetic job of handling this situation.

[Flying_Mollusk]

funny how the conservative sound machine doesnt care when the military lies but when Newsweek screws up a story, well lets get crazy...

 

 

Where, in the week after the Great Newsweek Error, is the comparable outrage in the press, in the blogosphere, and at the White House over the military's outright lying in the coverup of the death of former NFL star Pat Tillman? Where are the calls for apologies to the public and the firing of those responsible? Who is demanding that the Pentagon's word should never be trusted unless backed up by numerous named and credible sources?

 

Where is a Scott McClellan lecture on ethics and credibility?

 

The Tillman scandal is back in the news thanks not to the military coming clean but because of a newspaper account. Ironically, the newspaper in question, The Washington Post,which has taken the lead on this story since last December, is big brother to Newsweek.

 

The Post's Josh White reported this week that Tillman's parents are 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 are speaking out now because they have 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 have gained wide publicity in the past two days, hardly anyone has 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.

 

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/co...t_id=1000930844

 

 

Quick...say how Pat Tillman's parents dont support the troops!!!

[Accord]

FM, this has nothing to do with if you're a conservative or liberal. News flash: it's been happening for the past 200+ years. Not saying it's good, it's not, and any time the government covers things up is problematic. But everyone jumping on the Bush administration for this, as if it's unprecedented in the history of the United States, needs to go back to History 101.

[legacyofCangelosi]

I dont condone the military coverup, IMO they should have kept quiet about details of the incident all together. Regardless, Tillman is still a national hero, still brave, and still died for his country ina noble way. Friendly fire incidents happen in wartime. To me the memory of tillmans bravery and heroics, of putting down the helmet for the camou, sitll makes him a great hero for this nation. God bless him. Now everyone should let him R.I.P.

[MarlinsContinueTo ShowDomi]

I agree once more with the corpulent gentleman, Legacy of Cangelosi. None of these details changes the fact Tillman not only gave up a lucrative career in order to serve America and defend our freedom, but he gave up his life in the process. He is still a hero who in his selfless act represents everything good about our country.