Tillman's Mother Says General Lied Again About His Death

[babylonsister]

Tillman's Mother Says General Lied Again About His Death


WASHINGTON - The latest explanation for why Pat Tillman's Silver Star citation failed to mention that friendly fire killed the former NFL star in Afghanistan is another lie by the U.S. military, Tillman's mother said Tuesday.


Pat Tillman died in Afghanistan in 2004 after giving up a lucrative NFL career to serve in the Army.

Mary Tillman was responding to remarks made Tuesday by the general nominated to lead Allied forces in Afghanistan, who apologized before a Senate committee for his role in the matter.

Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he helped expedite the Silver Star award for Tillman before confirming that the Army corporal was killed by friendly fire in 2004.

Tillman's family has long complained that the memorial service, which included the Silver Star presentation, deliberately avoided mention of fratricide.

McChrystal acknowledged the problem Tuesday, calling it a mistake. He said the Silver Star citation was "not well-written" but denied any intent to mislead.

"I didn't see any activity by anyone to deceive," he said.

Mary Tillman said McChrystal knew at the memorial service that her son died from friendly fire.

"McChrystal was lying," she said of his comments Tuesday. "He said he didn't know for certain Pat was killed by fratricide. That isn't true in and of itself, but the fact is, it doesn't matter whether he knew it for certain."

Army protocol at the time required families to be told of possible fratricide, whether or not it had been confirmed, she said.

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http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/06/03

[SpiralHawk]

1. Freaking republicons abusing our US troops

...using their suffering and death, in combo with Republicon propaganda & bombast, to glorify their needless, chickenhawk-led, lie-based war -- aka The Republicon Oil Profits Crusade.

May the honorable Pat Tillman rest in peace, even after what the Republicon Homelanders did to his name upon his death.

xCommander AWOL Bus, xVP, Dickie 'Five-Military-Deferments' Cheney, and all the Chickenhawk Republicon Propagandists like Rush, O'Reilly, Hannity and Beck -- are not fit to polish a real American soldiers's shoes.