NationStates Jolt Archive

As the Senate continues to hear testimony about the death of Army Ranger Pat Tillman, and the circumstances immediatly following his death, Spc. Bryan O'Neal testified that he was ordered not to reveal the truth behind the former Football player's death. That he had been killed by American soldiers.

The last soldier to see Army Ranger Pat Tillman alive, Spc. Bryan O'Neal, told lawmakers that he was warned by superiors not to divulge -- especially to the Tillman family -- that a fellow soldier killed Tillman.

O'Neal particularly wanted to tell fellow soldier Kevin Tillman, who was in the convoy traveling behind his brother at the time of the 2004 incident in Afghanistan.

"I wanted right off the bat to let the family know what had happened, especially Kevin, because I worked with him in a platoon and I knew that he and the family all needed to know what had happened," O'Neal testified. "I was quite appalled that when I was actually able to speak with Kevin, I was ordered not to tell him."

Source (http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/24/tillman.hearing/index.html)

To make matters worth, rather than coming clean that TIllman's death was a result of friendly fire, in dubious circumstances, the army spun a story that he was killed in a daring and heroic mission deep in the Afghani mountains. Some have accused the military of intentionally covering up the circumstances of Tillman's death to instead glorify his activities, and increase recruitment.

Thoughts?

Hmmm, kind of puts a dent in Corny's immediate acceptance of 'whatever the Army decides happened, happened'.

Hmmm, kind of puts a dent in Corny's immediate acceptance of 'whatever the Army decides happened, happened'.

What!? The army isn't perfect? Its not made up of honourable heros? Lies!

At least the truth is coming out. That's that matters now. The deed was done; there is no turning back the clock.

It seems that the stories which were fabricated were intended to boost support for the war efforts. The fact that this is even necessary should make a person uneasy.

Would it be nicer for a person to be remembered as a hero, rather than as a victim of friendly fire? Perhaps...but covering something like this up is ridiculously damaging. I wonder how many military families out there are now questioning how their loved ones ACTUALLY died.

As the Senate continues to hear testimony about the death of Army Ranger Pat Tillman, and the circumstances immediatly following his death, Spc. Bryan O'Neal testified that he was ordered not to reveal the truth behind the former Football player's death. That he had been killed by American soldiers.



Source (http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/24/tillman.hearing/index.html)

To make matters worth, rather than coming clean that TIllman's death was a result of friendly fire, in dubious circumstances, the army spun a story that he was killed in a daring and heroic mission deep in the Afghani mountains. Some have accused the military of intentionally covering up the circumstances of Tillman's death to instead glorify his activities, and increase recruitment.

Thoughts?

Pathetic of the military to do that. Then again, it is the Army *shrugs*

No surprise.

The military isn't interested in the truth. Truth hurts morale, and it hurts recruitment. Better to paint the dead as heroes, that way everybody wins. Except the dead and those who wants the truth, of course...

And as a side note, consider this:

The Marine Corps chain of command in Iraq ignored "obvious" signs of "serious misconduct" in the 2005 slayings of two dozen civilians in Haditha, and commanders fostered a climate that devalued the life of innocent Iraqis to the point that their deaths were considered an insignificant part of the war, according to an Army general's investigation.

Maj. Gen. Eldon A. Bargewell's 104-page report on Haditha is scathing in its criticism of the Marines' actions, from the enlisted men who were involved in the shootings on Nov. 19, 2005, to the two-star general who commanded the 2nd Marine Division in Iraq at the time. Bargewell's previously undisclosed report, obtained by The Washington Post, found that officers may have willfully ignored reports of the civilian deaths to protect themselves and their units from blame. Though Bargewell found no specific coverup, he concluded that there also was no interest at any level in investigating allegations of a massacre.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/20/AR2007042002308.html

Interested in the truth? Not so much. That attitude can be found everywhere.

Would it be nicer for a person to be remembered as a hero, rather than as a victim of friendly fire? Perhaps...

That's the thing for me. Yes, I'm sure it is. And some I am SURE will argue "oh, the army just wanted to protect the family, nothing bad was meant of it". Which, of course, is bullshit. But really...I don't care.

I don't care because a soldier was ordered by a superior officer to lie. Someone used his authority as an officer in the military to withold the truth. No matter the reason, no matter the rationale, no matter the justification, there is only one way to call such a thing.

A coverup.

No surprise.

The military isn't interested in the truth. Truth hurts morale, and it hurts recruitment. Better to paint the dead as heroes, that way everybody wins. Except the dead and those who wants the truth, of course...

Almost sounds like something for a NS Issue option.

And as a side note, consider this:


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/20/AR2007042002308.html

Interested in the truth? Not so much. That attitude can be found everywhere.

Regretably :(

Hah, well, you're either not corneliu or you're really dedicated at not revealing that you are. Corny would be calling this soldier a traitor for daring to sully the good name of his commanding officer, all while jerking off and humming the star spangled banner.

I don't care because a soldier was ordered by a superior officer to lie. Someone used his authority as an officer in the military to withold the truth. No matter the reason, no matter the rationale, no matter the justification, there is only one way to call such a thing.

A coverup.
Oh don't worry, I'm sure this was an isolated incident, that will be dealt with appropriately and never, ever repeated.

Hah, well, you're either not corneliu or you're really dedicated at not revealing that you are. Corny would be calling this soldier a traitor for daring to sully the good name of his commanding officer, all while jerking off and humming the star spangled banner.

That's a very disturbing picture that I can now not erase. I think I'm going to need to sue you for the intentional infliction of mental suffering.

Hah, well, you're either not corneliu or you're really dedicated at not revealing that you are. Corny would be calling this soldier a traitor for daring to sully the good name of his commanding officer, all while jerking off and humming the star spangled banner.

Actually, I do love that poem. I have been trying to memorize all four stanzas to it. But no. I have been trying to tell you that I was nor corneliu.

I concur. Maybe we could turn this into a class action lawsuit?

You have to actually HAVE class honey.

:p

Thank you, thank you, that's all for the night...

That's a very disturbing picture that I can now not erase. I think I'm going to need to sue you for the intentional infliction of mental suffering.

I concur. Maybe we could turn this into a class action lawsuit?

As the Senate continues to hear testimony about the death of Army Ranger Pat Tillman, and the circumstances immediatly following his death, Spc. Bryan O'Neal testified that he was ordered not to reveal the truth behind the former Football player's death. That he had been killed by American soldiers.



Source (http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/24/tillman.hearing/index.html)

To make matters worth, rather than coming clean that TIllman's death was a result of friendly fire, in dubious circumstances, the army spun a story that he was killed in a daring and heroic mission deep in the Afghani mountains. Some have accused the military of intentionally covering up the circumstances of Tillman's death to instead glorify his activities, and increase recruitment.

Thoughts?

Every day the world gets more and more screwed up.

What!? The army isn't perfect? Its not made up of honourable heros? Lies!

'Army Of One' Campaign Attracting Troubled Loners To Military
WASHINGTON, DC–The Army's new "Army Of One" campaign is attracting millions of troubled loners, recruitment officials said Monday. "Historically, Army enlistees are creepy, antisocial drifters," said Sgt. Glenn Decinces of the Army's Recruitment Office. "After years of trying to attract stable, achievement-oriented young patriots with the slogan 'Be All You Can Be,' we finally gave up and decided to consciously go after the freakos we've always drawn."

And, given the falling recruitment rates, that slogan will be accurate eventually.

Edit: Whoops, forgot the link:
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/31873

You have to actually HAVE class honey.

:p

Thank you, thank you, that's all for the night...

Don't quit the day job/law school, dear :D.

Some have accused the military of intentionally covering up the circumstances of Tillman's death to instead glorify his activities, and increase recruitment.

Thoughts?

That the military intentionally covered up the circumstances of Tillman's death in order to glorify his activities, and increase recruitment.

That happens a lot, supposedly. I'm not surprised at all.

Hold on...

Do you seriously expect me to believe that the military lied to the public, engaged in a cover-up, and ordered soldiers not to talk about it?