Disgraceful

As if there were not enough reasons to despise the military engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan the Army just gave us another.

Following the events of September 11th former Arizona Cardinals defensive back Pat Tillman turned down a multi-million dollar contract extension and enlisted in the Army. His performance in basic training qualified him for Ranger school. After surviving the physically and mentally agonizing Ranger training Tillman and his unit were sent to Iraq and eventually to Afghanistan.

Ranger missions are shrouded in secrecy. They work on clandestine operations, most often laying the groundwork for larger general military actions. As such the exact circumstances of the mission Tillman's platoon was performing when he was killed are unknown.

What we had been led to believe by the Pentagon was that Tillman was heroically slain by enemy fire while, "storming a hill," and "barking orders to his fellow Rangers." President Bush himself related this story in the most public of forums, in a recorded statement broadcast at halftime of "Pat Tillman Day" at a Cardinals home game soon after the incident. Now, months after his death it seems that story is a propaganda fairy tale, told not only to the press and the public but also to his grieving family.

The truth, and I use that word loosely because it is becoming apparent that in the eyes of the Pentagon the truth is a passe principle deemed inconveiently ineffective in "wartime", is that Tillman was killed by friendly fire after a series of miscommunications and an ill advised order to divide his platoon on a desolate hill near the Pakistan border. According to reports the offending soldiers knew almost immediately what they had done, but were kept quiet by officals on the ground in Afghanistan. After his death Tillman's uniform and body armor were burned by his platoon mates.

The Army's public statement made no mention of friendly fire despite the fact that they had sworn testimony from 14 of his fellow Rangers, clearly indicating the true cause of his death.

The reason for these lies is obvious and the indicative consequences of such untruths strip me of the last shreds of faith I had in the integrity of our military leaders. To use the death of a true American hero to generate patriotic spirit and to boost military recruiting nationwide is one of the great injustices and grossest manipulations of a tragedy I have ever encountered. The "Sin of Spin" is one aspect of political life, I understand this, but to unabashedly lie to a grieving family because their son happens to be the highest profile foot soldier in history to avoid the windfall of criticism that would come from such a public mistake is a travesty and a crime. No parent deserves to be put through what the Tillmans have endured. The death of their son is loss enough, they need not be placed at the eye of a storm by calculating manipulative polticians. How can a family be expected to cope with such a heartbreaking loss when they are denied the truth and then forced to deal with the event all over again when the facts are finally revealed? For the family it must feel as though he died twice.

By entering the Army Pat Tillman allowed himself to be used to their ends in life, but he never signed up to be used and manipulated in death. The fact that he was killed by the very soldiers for and with whom he was fighting enough has afflicted more than enough tragedy upon him, to then use him as the poster boy of a factless propaganda campaign robs him of well earned dignity even in death. The Pentagon's actions and lies have debased and spoiled one of the great stories of selflessness in American history, and while Pat Tillman will always be a hero for his sacrifices his story will always be accompanied by an asterix and a black mark that should stain the integrity of our military forever.

Calls for retribution from the Pentagon have come in from far and wide. A net search yeilds hundreds of thousands of commentaries on this issue and mine is but one, but someone needs to stand responsible for this travesty and while nothing will bring Tillman back to life, accountability will help to ensure that this doesn't happen to the family of another American sacrifical lamb. Unfortunately we will receive no satisfaction on this issue. No one will stand accountable for the lies and the manipulations and no doubt they will continue, maybe with lower profile victims to avoid the scrutiny that surrounded the Tillman slaying, but the stories will remain the same. There will be another poster boy for American patriotism, a young man killed in noble service of his country, but will we know the truth or will his life be nothing more than fodder for a recruiting package? The fact that I even have to ask that question is problem enough.

This story makes me sick and scares the living daylights out of me. Where does it stop?