George's Tillman Problem
This might seem like the ultimate in cynicism, but after six and a half years of the Bush Mob, I have earned the right to be cynical, thank you very much: The tragedy in Minnesota last night was a real lucky break for this disgusting administration. Until around 7:20 yesterday evening, the only thing the media was talking about were the unsettling revelations regarding the government's exploitation of the fratricidal killing of former football star, Pat Tillman. When the bridge that connected the twin cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis collapsed over the Mississippi River on Wednesday night, the Tillman story went the way of the Passenger Pigeon and the 45 RPM.
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Pat who?
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When his death was first announced to the public in April of 2004, the Pentagon and the White House exploited the event for all it was worth, "catapulting the propaganda" that Corporal Tillman lost his life in a heroic battle with the Taliban. This was a dynamite story that was too good to be true! A real national hero - a freakin' martyr! The guy was perfect for the role - movie star good looks; an all American boy-next-door image; a real true blue "patriot" in the best sense of that word! This was a publicity coup! Every kid in the United States was going to want to grow up to be Pat Tillman! Can I get a witness???
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It was all a lie - and your leaders knew it. Tillman, it turns out, wasn't killed by any crazed Afghan, he was killed by his fellow soldiers - Friendly Fire - OOPS! But wait! It gets better! (or worse - depending on your sense of irony) The coroner who examined his body believes might very well have been a homicide. Whatever the case may be, the fact remains that they lied about the events that led his death - with a total disregard for the sensibilities of the Tillman family, all of whom are (as you can well imagine) in a blind rage about the entire debacle. Once again, the truth has been revealed. Once again, the Bush White House is exposed for the corrupt and incompetent fools that they are. Once again, they have a lot of explaining to do - a whole helluva lot! Did these assholes not learn a thing from the Jessica Lynch affair? Of course they didn't. The fact of the matter is, these people are incapable of learning anything.
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Did they really believe they could keep the "Pat-as-action-hero-figure" story going forever? Do they actually believe they'll be able to white wash posterity? Are they that delusional that they think they'll be able to re-write history in order to revision themselves as people who had a clue as to what the hell they were doing? What are they thinking? What's the matter with them?
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Tillman, you'll remember, was a professional football player who, in a surge of patriotic fervor after the hideous attacks of September 11, 2001, decided to give it all up to join the military. According to everyone who knew him, he was a highly perceptive and intelligent guy. To no one's surprise, when the administration invaded the sovereign nation of Iraq in March of 2003, Tillman saw it for what is was: the stupidest military blunder in American history. He apparently wrote to family and friends that he was disheartened and disappointed he with his civilian leaders. According to some reports, his plan was to come out publicly against the war. He was even trying to work out a meeting with noted anti-war commentator Noam Chomsky when he returned stateside. All of these revelations are only adding to the questions surrounding the mysterious circumstances of his killing.
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The testimony yesterday of former Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (Remember him?) didn't help matters any. When confronted with pointed questions during a congressional hearing, Rummy took the tried and true Alberto Gonzalez route: he either didn't remember or he wasn't aware. Of course he wasn't.
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Maybe I'm preaching to the choir here - maybe not - but the question is just screaming to be posed: Do you realize what a drastic, horrible, monumental mistake it was to send these people to the White House? Just thought I'd ask.
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Now Congress wants to find out exactly what the First Fool knew about this whole sordid mess and when he knew it. Bush - incredibly but to no ones surprise - is claiming executive privilege. I know what you're thinking and you're absolutely correct: No, it doesn't get any stupider than this. It really doesn't.
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Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
tomdegan@frontiernet.net
posted by Tom Degan @ 7:27 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Hello Tom,
I'm glad you chose to talk about this. The Pat Tillman story just gets sadder and sadder. I give much credit to his grieving relatives for pursuing the truth about his death.
Pat had this going against him, that he was a "highly intelligent and perceptive" guy and a true patriot. People like him are a definite liability to the Bush cabal.
I have this awful vision of how his demise came about: he may have been ordered to do something completely suicidal and stepped right into a deadly trap, never thinking of his own safety. Maybe he had confided in a buddy about his observations on the invasion and thus marked himself for elimination. It's sad and scary and creepy to think about.
God bless his family and may they succeed in exposing his death for what it is.
I cannot believe (okay, I can) that they were/are STILL claiming he was killed by an Afgany. I found out a long time ago (Democracy Now) about the friendly fire thing. I agree thst this is pretty stupid, but they always seem to out-do themselves shortly after something like this. *sigh*
Tom
Thanks for writing about this shamefull very likely cover-up
More to come if they really dig
Rick Lippin
Hi Tom, interesting take on this tragedy for sure.. Friendly fire is more common than many know, in any war.
I wasn't aware of Tillman's objection to the invasion or the re-election of Bush... I would disagree with your assertion that he might have been the victim of foul play were it not for the fact that he was shot 3 times in the head - by 3 different soldiers.
It never made any sense to cover up a friendly fire tragedy... but this does bring into focus a probably reason for it!
Don
Bush and his flunkies in and out of the military are so comfortable with lying that they have no idea about how to tell the truth. If it cant be classified as a secret, spun out of recognition, or presented as a bald-face lie, then they attempt a distraction from it, like another terror alert. Truth is an alien concept to this bunch. They avoid it like poison ivy. They are in love with smoke and mirrors. Why anyone would believe anything they say, is beyond my comprehension. They misuse tragedy without a second thought. I feel great sympathy for the Tillman family. His death was difficult enough for them. Then, they have had to bear the disingenuous schemes of the Bush machine. Some guy has already taken the fall for it. Rummy has denied any knowledge of it. And so it goes. The same old, same old.The pattern remains intact. The Liars Club continues to meet on a daily basis in the White House. This bunch of scumbags can't even let a good man rest in peace.
The REAL reason that Bush and Comany are doing the stall thing is quite simple! Bush has a nice tidy off-shore hidey hole right out in the South American Country of Paraguay!
Word is he's got a little surprise for the country, too! When he leaves office, all investigations are imediatly CEASED! "President Pork Pie and his Merry Band of Pricksters" took care to slam that door long ago! He's got a nice little "Executive Order" that's already got all the rubber stamps it needs! All neatly stashed away in a nice snug spot that the press knows all about but seems to have lost their ability to discuss it at any lengths!
Truth be told, I've not even Kieth Olbermann has seen to drag this nasty little shit-stain of chicanery out into the open!
Bush is a fucking experiment! He's out there to see how much shit The American Public will eat! And still "The Sheople" line up at the trough for whatever "King George the Dim" deems not threatening to his rule! Now we have a man who's either a hero, and a murder victim, or just a hero, sold like a slab of meat by the media, while Bush was setting up the wherewithall to spend his ill-gotten gains in foreign lands, and out of reach by US officials!! He does this by a declaration of his own pronouncement to the Justice Department, that he is indeed, above the law, AND THEY SIGNED OFF ON IT!!!!!!
This country's apetite for feces utterly astounds me!!! Political satire is now officially redundant!! You can't make shit like this up!! We have nothing to work with!!!
The Jeffery Dahmer School of Cullinary Arts! Nnnnope! Compared to what The Bush Administation did last week? Not even close! How ya gonna top that!
(sigh*) Might as well go smoke a joint! I've got nothing to work with!
Hello Tom,
I thought there was no provision in the constitution for the First Asshole to claim Executive Privilege for himself? Did he forget this after getting his latest "swerve" on? This piece of shit needs to be in jail.
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