Tangled Web: Author Accuses Gen. McChrystal Of Lying About Tillman Death

by Glynnis MacNicol | 10:29 am, November 2nd, 2009

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Talk about inconvenient timing. Pat Tillman is a spectre that continues to haunt both the Bush administration and the U.S. military. Short recap: Tillman, a former professional football player, famously left a promising career in the NFL shortly after 9/11 to join the army, and was killed while on tour in Afghanistan in 2004. There has been much controversy surrounding his death in the intervening years; initially the military announced Tillman had been killed whilst under attack and he was subsequently awarded a Purple Heart, and the Silver Star and the Bush administration a great PR coup. Later it was divulged that Tillman had actually died in a friendly fire incident and that the army knew this at the time but chose to award Tillman the Purple Heart anyway (cue multiple propaganda accusations). Just days after his death General Stanley McChrystal (yes that same McChrystal) approved a Silver Star citation, which included an account of Tillman’s death including the phrase “in the line of devastating enemy fire,” the very next day he reportedly sent a memo to senior government members warning that Tillman might actually have been killed by friendly fire. Which brings us to now.

Author Jon Krakauer has penned a new book about Tillman and was on Meet the Press over the weekend discussing McChrystal’s role in the initial cover up. Krakauer says that McChrystal knew Tillman’s death was from friendly fire almost immediately and to claim that he didn’t is “preposterous” and “unbelievable.” McChrystal of course is the general who has recently been put in charge of the U.S. military in Afghanistan and subsequently called for an increase in troops or a complete withdrawal, a controversial assessment President Obama is still contemplating. This is not probably not going to help matters.

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Bush Administration, Jon Krakaer, Meet the Press, Pat Tillman, Stanley McChrystal, War in Iraq

4 comments

ImNotBlue says:

November 2, 2009 at 11:26 am

Well, if you ask me (you didn’t, but I don’t really care)… this is a sign of things to come in the Obama Administration. They’ve made their decision about Afghanistan, and the only way to promote that decision (which is evidently not to follow McCrystal’s recommendations) is to first discredit him. If the WH wants to give McCrystal the boot, this is a good way to begin the process.

Sad.

And one more word about the claim… if McCrystal said that Tillman’s death came “in the line of devastating enemy fire,” it’s not necessarily wrong. He didn’t say that it was the enemy fire that killed him, rather that it came while the troop was under siege. That makes sense, no? Otherwise, why would there be bullets flying in the first place?

Tacoma Chuck says:

November 2, 2009 at 12:36 pm

So is this moron stating that Pat Tillman is any less a hero because he was killed by the wrong guy in a fire fight? What access has this guy had to General McChrystal’s mind and heart that he is able to state as fact that which the General knew?
I am not buying the story and am more disturbed by Krakauer’s efforts to profit and score political points from a hero’s death.

Nachi says:

November 2, 2009 at 3:12 pm

As usual, the know-nothings and never-serveds are vomiting forth their bile. Tillman got wrongly killed. by his own people. He does not, in any event deserve a Silver Star. The “system” has never worked that way – nor should it. Were that the case, I’ve seen thundreds of guys who should have been awarded highly-rated medals of valor.
McCrystal’s behavior is just another example of corruption in high places within today’s military. A man with a 1950’s mind calling the shots in a 2009 world. Trying to justify/retain his “position” in life. No doubt he’ll bring us even more “surges,” “heroic outposts” and “successes” in…Pakistan. Amazing.

ImNotBlue says:

November 2, 2009 at 6:00 pm

Nachi says:
November 2, 2009 at 3:12 pm

Were that the case, I’ve seen thundreds of guys who should have been awarded highly-rated medals of valor.

You know, playing “Gears of War” at your mom’s house, and seeing “thundreds” [sic] of “guys” killed isn’t actually the same as REAL combat, Nachi.

A man with a 1950’s mind calling the shots in a 2009 world.

I’m not sure McCrystal has a “1950’s mind,” that is… unless he enlisted somewhere between his -4th and 6th birthday. Kinda tough to have a 50’s military mindset when, you know, you were barely in elementary school at the time.

No doubt he’ll bring us even more “surges,” “heroic outposts” and “successes” in…Pakistan.

Isn’t that the President’s decision to make? Wasn’t McCrystal President Obama’s choice for the job? Shouldn’t you spread some of those sour grapes you’re perpetually munching on his way?

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