Facts quickly gave way to fictional public relations in the wake of the death of Pat Tillman and the rescue of Jessica Lynch, as members of Congress heardthis week. What’s shocking is how lying about both episodes seemingly came so easily to military officials and went so far — Tillman posthumously received a Silver Star based on a fabricated story of his death in Afghanistan, actually by friendly fire, and Lynch’s rescue in Iraq was turned into a quickie TV movie. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have produced plenty of real examples of valor and sacrifice. When it inflated and rewrote the facts in a grab at public glory, the military did a disservice to all its warriors.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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53 Comments
The Bush administration lies about EVERYTHING!
One of the only things I can commend the bush admin on is their marketing ability.To use a line from my brother, “they could sell a pump shotgun to a one-armed man.”Anything that happens in the world is fair game for them to spin.
Before I get spammed about how liberals do the same thing, yes liberals, and All other politicians, do this. However, the bushies are the masters.
All lies. All the time.
Hell, they could have their own “lie channel” just like ESPN has sports.
BTW, I know women in Austin with a business plan trying to raise money for a women’s sports channel.
I guess I am a litte lost here. What does the Lynch case being tuned into a TV movie (for which she was paid, I assume) have to do with the false official reports in the Tillman case?
I do agree that a story should never have been fabricated. A silver Star should never have been awarded. I do not necessarily agree that the family “deserves’ to know it was a case of friendly fire. I am not excusing the friendly fire, but I wonder how that gives any comfort to the family. There were thousands of cases during WW2, according to many vets. How they died was of no consequence. That they dies while serving was. The fact that pat Tillman died in combat should have been all that wa said, at least inmy opinion.
lj – there was also a lot of lying about the Jessica Lynch case.
I guess i just don’t remember. Not arguing, just sad :(
We keep hearing about how well things are going in Iraq by the commander-in-chief. Then we hear about the lies and deceit by upper level commanders, who by thew way answer directly to our so-called commander-in-chief.
Makes one wonder what exactly one can really believe from this bunch of incompetents.
I dont think anyone cared about any movies. I think it was the lies in the OFFICIAL statements and news releases regarding Lynch.
Now we know why she downplayed stuff all along. Not only was she probably naturally shy and modest, but imagine the hue and cry NOW if she had gone along with the official version?
Folks would be saying it was self promotion. Damned shame that good soldiers like Lynch have to shield themselves from the consequenses of bushco lies.
Could someone please enlighten me as to the “official lies” told in the Lynch case? I really would like to know
The thing is, we were sold this war with all the guile of a used car salesman. They needed heros to sell it, and instead of going out and finding them, they took the easy way out and simply invented them.If this war were so necessary to our national security as our Fearless Leader would have us think, Why was it pitched to the people with disinformation? And why are we “staying the course” on a path that is so obviously failing? What is the real agenda here? Inquiring minds want to know!
Here ya go!
“Source: Newsweek
—
What was the greatest misinformation about you?
The whole Rambo story, that I went down fighting. It just wasn’t the truth.
So what really happened?
I didn’t even get a shot off. My weapon had jammed. And I didn’t even get to fire. A rocket-propelled grenade hit the back of our (Humvee), which made Lori (Piestewa), my friend, lose control of the vehicle, and we slammed into the back of another truck in our unit.
Who is to blame for spreading the misinformation?
Well, I think really the military and the media. The military, for not setting the record straight and the media for spreading it, and not seeking the true facts. They just ran with it instead of waiting until the facts were straightened out.
What do you hope Congress achieves with today’s hearing?
I hope it (helps) the Tillman family get the accurate information that they deserve. They need to know what happened to their son and why they were lied to.
Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18297391/site/newsweek /
One off the top of my head: “she emtied her gun in a heroic firefight and suffered gunshot wounds” when in fact she did not fire a shot nor was she shot.
I think there was also a bit of ‘embellishment’ about her rescue – she was pretty much unguarded in a hospital that the Iraqi army had long since abandoned. The medical staff was caring for her appropriately. (I think she had been injured in the crash)
thank you
“How they died was of no consequence.”
Oh come on now. Sometimes soldiers get murdered by their fellow soldiers so I do think how someone dies in war is VERY important. For the military to lie and cover these things up means that high ranking officers are commiting felonies and are criminals.
a case in point
During WW2, some American flyer flew a pattern resembling a zero doing a Kamikaze move. The anti-aircraft guns of my relatives ship blew the guy out of the sky. How would any of that information have been any help, or comfort, to his family?
The Jessica Lynch Rescue was a joke designed for TV. I remember when I saw it the first time. I was asking myself what kind of special ops mission takes a camera crew along. Maybe they were “embedded”. Deep.
The Rescue was a setup. First few days of the war;I think they went in fully expecting heavy resistance. It would have made great footage if they’d walked into a full firefight and rescued the damsel in distress.
My memory is a little fuzzy on this part, but weren’t there some early reports that Iraqi soldiers tortured and molested Lynch?
The Military has never been above fudging the facts. There was that Tonkin Gulf thing and the casualty counts.
I don’t have a problem with that. It’s a war.
XXX – I recall that as well. Similar suppositions were made about the female British sailor captured by Iran.
“WASHINGTON – An Army Ranger who was with Pat Tillman when the former football star was cut down by friendly fire in Afghanistan said Tuesday a commanding officer had ordered him to keep quiet about what happened.
The military at first portrayed Tillman’s death as the result of heroic combat with the enemy. Army Spc. Bryan O’Neal told a congressional hearing that when he got the chance to talk to Tillman’s brother, who had been in a nearby convoy on the fateful day, “I was ordered not to tell him what happened.”
“You were ordered not to tell him?” repeated Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
“Roger that, sir,” replied O’Neal, dressed in his Army uniform.”
http://www.kansas.com/519/story/52710.html
No ex-military person should be surprised at the cover-up – you are taught from day one in basic training to look good. As my DI said as he taught us to lay our our stuff for our first inspection: Remember, from now on you are in show business.
Lots of lies were told about the Lynch situation.
1. That she fought tooth & nail to survive in a vicious firefight. The truth is that she never fired a shot and was captured unharmed other than the injuries she sustained in the vehicle crash.
2. The spec ops “rescue” was a farce. She was in a hospital where Iraqi doctors and nurses had been providing medical treatment. At the time of the “raid” by US soldiers in full combat mode, there was no military presence at the hospital and the only “resistance” was a few doctors and nurses. The US military was aware of this but staged the event anyway.
3. She was being held against her will and tortured by evil Iraqi doctors. The truth is that she received top notch medical care and was treated nicely by the hospital staff. At one point, nurses put her in a vehicle and attempted to return her to US soldiers at a checkpoint. The US soldiers opened fire on the ambulance and they were forced to turn back. A few days later, she was “rescued” from her “captors”.
Bushco and the rest of the lying neocons needed heroic stories to sell the war. Making up some stories about soldiers that didn’t fit the facts was not difficult for the group that claimed to have slam dunk evidence of Iraq’s WMDs. Remember, Rumsnamara claiming that he knew exactly where they were – North, South, East and West of Baghdad and Tikrit. The whole war was built on nothing more than a pile of jingoistic BS and outright lies.
I wonder if the soldiers who killed Tillman got medals? And if Lynch’s “rescuers” got medals?
“All lies. All the time.
Hell, they could have their own “lie channel” just like ESPN has sports.”
They DO have their own lie channel, and from what I’ve been told it’s the only source of news for our troops in Iraq. It’s called “The Pentagon Channel.”
Not to mention FAUX ‘NEWS’
When I first heard about Pat Tillman’s death I was suddenly reminded of the movie “Starship troopers”. Tillman’s enlistment was the stuff that Hollywood is made of. Young, strong, handsome, had everything seem to be gong for him and he put it all on the line to defend his country. His death in valiant combat was the stuff of enlistment posters.In a real sense I actually felt for the Bush Administration when the truth came out, it was almost on a divine level of justice as to how wrong they were. Considering that Bush&Co. considered Iraq and not Afghanistan their real war.
But when the rest of the story came out, how he was stripped and his uniform was burnt.Being awarded the Silver star even though by then from the top down already knew he had been killed by friendly fire. It went from a sense of divine justice against Bush to a real sense of injustice for Tillman and his family. If the truth had been able to be hidden I am sure that they would still be using Pat Tillman as a recruiting poster for the Iraq war.According to his mother, Pat Tillman thought the invasion was wrong and morally against the American way. Another injustice to him and his heroism so it is good that the truth could not be hidden.
But in the end, Pat Tillman is just one in a long line of heroes that honor this country in their service. The point has been made, we have heroes everyday in this battle their stories are worth having songs written about. Remember them all in your prays and we are bless to have them. Not just Pat Tillman…..
Need a prayer?
“O God, our Heavenly Father, we remember before Thee this day,those who laid down their lives in the service of their country.We remember their courage and devotion to the Sovereign and the country they served.We pray that their labours be not in vain but that their spirit may live on in us and the generations to come.We pray that liberty, truth and love may spread over all the world ’til war shall cease to be.We remember our brethren who are in sickness or distress.We remember the widows and other dependants.We dedicate ourselves to Thy service in the name of those whose memory we revere.We ask this in the name of our Lord.” “Amen”
“The first casualty when war comes is truth.”
Hiram Johnson, U.S. Senator from California, 1917
“The US military was aware of this but staged the event anyway.”
And this is why soldiers don’t get respect when they return home. They are no longer men…just patsies that allow themselves to be manipulated, lied to, and brainwashed into pointing their guns and killing. The only hero in times of war are those who remain true to Christ and their convictions refusing to kill on command.
Jessica Lynch has been a class act througout. In the early going after her rescue, she made it a point to downplay the claims made in the “official” version of her story.
As usual, the Bush Administration tries to rodent-bugger everything they get their hands on. I’ve yet to see something they weren’t totally OK with lying about.
It’s pathetic what our country has turned into.
“We can not wait for the final proof, the smoking gun, to come in the form of a mushroom cloud.”
It fits the pattern you find with Bush and the people who serve him.
To hell with reality–reality is whatever we say it is.
And if you don’t believe it, you’re a cheese-eating, America-hating, Al Qaeda-loving surrender monkey.
lj are you out of your mind. So from here on out we should just tell families of murdered victims that their child died of a heart attack instead?
Since how they died is of no consequence.
Why is it with this ‘you can’t handle the truth’ attitude? I don’t feel friendly fire is something that should be punished, it happens, accidents happen. Anyone who calls those people killers need their heads examined.
This whole accountability society is ridiculous. ACCIDENTS happen. It’s scary as hell all the people who think that we should be shielded from truth, as that’s how dictators feel.
What happened to “we the people”?I’m tired of this Anti-american sentiment.
P-Mom, agreed. LJ, the issue isn’t that you need to tell the family that their child died by friendly fire so much as NOT to tell the public that they died in a Rambo-like blaze of glory . . .
When the Soviets lied about their “heroic comrade soldiers,” we called it government propoganda.
What can’t you call what BushCo does by its name?
Government propoganda.
I always doubted the story of our local hero (didn’t he get the silver star too) that couldn’t make sharp shooter in basic training, but during the same attack that Lynch was in, became a steely eyed sniper with a rifle that jammed at every round! I rated as an expert in basic training, and I seriously doubt I could have pulled that off under those conditions. In a situation like that, it is your training that kicks in and carries you, if you couldn’t do it under stress free conditions, you sure as hell won’t do it while under attack.
The Bush administration lied and the media reported it without question, as they always do. Has it been reported in the conservative media, like the Wichita Eagle, that Pat Tillman was an Atheist who disliked the Bush regime?
Political Mom and CapnAmerica
Please get off your high horse. I never defended the BUsh administration. I never said to tell families of murdered children they died of a heart attack. Gmafb.I said they should have never made a big deal out of it. I said they should hav never awarded the silver star. I said that a story should have never been fabricated.I don’t give a Damn about the “hiding the truth because they can;t handle it” Bullshit. I care more about the We the People stuff than a good deal here wouild ever know, care, or support. My point was NONE OF THAT BULLSHIT!. The point was that telling the family they were killed by accident provides no comfort for family, period. My concern was FOR THE FAMILY. I said that the family should just have been told they were killed in a combat zone. I don’t know the details, but if there was an action, that they were killed in action. Period. No embellishments, no lies. Nothing.Get over your BULLSHIT that just because I don;t agree that I am trying to cover up for “BUSHCO”Once again, so you understand clearly. MY CONCERN WAS FOR THE FAMILY, NOT THE ADMINISTRATION OR THE MILITARY> GOT IT?
Here’s maybe a better example,closer to home, that you can understand. One of the things i do is provide volunteer Emergency service to my community. We cover a large area, some of which is more than 15-20 minutes away. I have responded to several heart attack victims that possibly could have been saved by cpr, though the chances are never really that good. Would it have done any good for me to tell the widow or widower “Well, you know you live so far from a medical response, you should have learned cpr. He might have stood a fighting chance then. As it was, he stood no chance at all.” ALl that is true, WOULD IT HAVE DONE ANY GOOD TO TELL THEM THAT!?
lj – in a sense YES. If telling her that might get her to learn CPR in might save the life of her brother later when HE has a heart attack.
okay. In a sense. project guilt onto the widow. Ever look into the eyes of a 75 year old woman who has just lost the love of her life and soulmate for over 50 years? You can;t tell me that telling her she might have saved hime if she had bothered to take cpr would be anything but harmful. Oh by the way, I am a cpr instructor, give public classes, and encourage everyone to take cpr.
If it would be for the best, I guess you are just a better man than me. I could and would and will not ever do it.
You’re comparing apples to oranges now LJ. I’m also in EMS, and the difference we’re comparing is telling a truth vs a lie. Saying “he was killed because he took on friendly fire” is NOT the same thing as putting your judgement onto the widow. She’ll already know that the response time would have had consequence.
My response really came from another board I post on, and I brought some of that over here, because a military man over there said he wouldn’t want his family told the truth and doesnt’ care that they would want to know, and that he felt that all military families should be lied to basically.
Respectfully, I must still disagree. In my mind, Telling a family their soldier died because of a mistake does no good, cannot be changed, and can only possibly cause more grief. The fact they died in combat, thousands of miles from home and their loved ones, is pain enough. It should end at “he died in combat” It has nothing to do with politics, as was put forth.
Is it good enough for family members to be told ‘they died in an auto accident’.
Because from my experience, they want to know more information than that.
Why is it wrong to tell a family that their loved one died because of a mistake or because of a murder or because of whatever…just because they’re fighting a war?
That isnt’ fair. They died serving their country. They know mistakes happen. They can handle it.
Regarding a murder. apples and oranges, again. an auto accident?Okay, so you (or more appropriately the doctor) tells them they died of head trauma. They want to know more, but my expeience says certain details don;t need to be shared. We can disagree on this, that’s fine. What I objected to was you doing the first “apples and oranges’ connection with the familes of murdered children tell their familes that theydied of a heart attack” BS that I objected to, and then the rest of your political tirade. and the “tired of the this Anti-American Sentiment”I AGREED that the military should not have made up a story. I agreed that the silver star should never have been awarded. I agreed a lie should not have been told. I believe telling them their loved one died from friendly fire is irrevelant and only adds more sorrow. Just my opinion, you are free to have yours. Just leave the political bs out when you assign motive to me.
Where did I assign motive? I don’t know your motive.
Is there a difference between accidental friendly fire and fragging?
Because I think, given Tillman’s atheism, his opposition to the iraq war, and his talk about going home and becoming involved in politcs…
…some of us are a little suspicious that this wasnt just “friendly fire” but was, in fact, an execution a la fragging.
But when so many lies are told, so early and so often, it makes it hard to find the real truth.
Kinda a hallmark of bushco, no?
Since your post was directed to me and it include this statement
“What happened to “we the people”?I’m tired of this Anti-american sentiment. ”
and”It’s scary as hell all the people who think that we should be shielded from truth, as that’s how dictators feel”
I must have thought you were stating something political about my thoughts, such thinking the same as dictators, and having “anti-Ameican Sentiments.I take that as political, and personal
Ksfarmgirl-
Of course there is a difference. And of course you are just speculating. Accidental fire should mean internal investigation and appropriate actions, which may include a lessons learned and a change in tactics. Fragging should mean a hanging, or death squad.
So if this were the truth, how much should be told
Today, Pat Tillman was accidently killed by a member of his squad. Tillman was lying in a trench and seeing a large camel spider and a scorpion about to crawl up his leg, stood up and ran directly into the line of fire a 50 caliber automatic rifle. Approximately 25 rounds entered his body.
All true (in this example). In my mind, most of it irrevelant other than he died in combat. We can disagree and I can live with that
…so in your version of the story, why was he screaming for them to stop the fire?
I understand his last radio transmission, after begging them to stop firing was “I’m Pat F’ing Tillman!”
Care to post a link to your version of the facts? So we can check it for ourselves?
Still waiting on your link littlejohn, so while I am waiting, I thought I’d post a link for MY points. :)
“Serial One had just exited the canyon when the second serial came under enemy fire from the canyon rim above. Tillman and other soldiers in his unit climbed up the hill to get closer to the enemy. By now, Serial Two was coming out of the canyon.
An allied Afghan soldier in Tillman’s squad fired his weapon at the opposing ridgeline, across the canyon well above the Serial Two vehicles. Mistaking the Afghan for the enemy, a Ranger shot him dead and others in his vehicle also began shooting wildly.”Cease fire! Friendlies!” Pat Tillman and others shouted, several soldiers later testified, including several in Serial Two who said they had identified the friendlies.
Soldiers on the hill were waving their arms to signal cease fire, and Tillman set off a smoke grenade to signal they were friendlies.
A lull in the shooting led him to believe they had been recognized, and Tillman and another soldier stood up; the firing resumed, and Tillman was struck in the head by three bullets.http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/04/21/MNGE7PD64H1.DTL
And as for Tillman’s last words, likely NOT uttered when running INTO the fire.
“But files obtained by Tillman’s mother, from three Army investigations into the killing, document a different set of last words.
According to testimony issued by a fellow Ranger, who was at Tillman’s side when he was killed, the last words Tillman shouted before being shot were, “Cease fire, friendlies, I am Pat F****** Tillman, dammit!”http://www.thehumanist.org/humanist/articles/Niman.JanFeb06.html
So.. unless you can provide a link to YOUR sources, I think it is bunk. Or just pure speculation.
ksfarmgirl-
Sorry, I was in a meeting.
My scenario WAS just pure bunk. I made it up. I was having a discussion with Political Mom about how much to tell in a friendly fire incident, how much was relevant. I am sorry you took it as a presentation of fact in the Tillman case. I believe I have stated several times the incident shoulld have never been lied about, shouold never had been trumped up for “hero worship” or anyhting of the like. I also stated that if it was murder or fragging (same thing) An execution is in order. Sorry I was not clearer
A bit late on the game, been away on a work project. Anyway, wasn’t there a hometown boy from Newton area who was also involved in the ambush with Ms. Lynch? Someone by the name of Mr. Miller, perhaps. I can’t quite remember well. What about his story, I wonder. As for Ms. Lynch, I salute you to have the integrity, honor and courage to set things straight, and not let yourself swallowed in the fabrication of deception.