Posted on 09/26/2005 9:59:59 AM PDT by Perlstein
God knows what is accurate, what is paraphrased, reinterpreted, blatantly changed and more. This is an article based on hearsay! Remember what unit he was in - The RGR BAT if I remember right? Most of them are happy when they get the "opportunity" (As they see it) to shoot someone. These guys want to play the game. They want the challenge to themselves, their equipment and prove "their balls are bigger". And frankly, their right to think that way. Smarter, stronger, faster, meaner. More aggressive and more disciplined they are “the” world’s elite infantry units.
After death of a soldier the media likes to “provoke” the family to make statements. They are sad, mad, deny, rationalize and go through the grieving process. The MSM likes to exploit this. There is some degree of uncertainty in any death of a soldier. It’s handled professionally (It’s an elaborate investigation) and in typical Army fashion there is a process. However, the evidence gathered is still what someone saw or heard. It’s not all 100% air tight in most cases. He saw this, the other guy saw that. A full 15-6 is done no matter what. These issues are not handled sloppily or as an easy issue. The process usually takes a long time and this becomes a issue exploited by the media as well. “Why is it taking so long!” is always asked? Well, an officer from OUTside the chain of command needs appointed, he has to interview people who might be in different places in a combat area and difficult to access, he has to follow procedure, issues a recommendation and so on. This does not go fast but in reality it delivers an “accurate” answer. The most accurate you’ll get. You can have it fast or right.
The big green machine keeps rolling even after someone dies. It has to, it’s designed to. Unfortunately for the family, the Army can’t shut down and stop all operations to keep answering one more question that may arise. Truth is, most of the time you answer a question a new question arises. Answers create more questions. This can also be easily exploited. This again can be twisted to show the heartless command that is indifferent of the death of their soldiers. Reality is, there is some truth to this. If a BDE commander shuts shop to harp on the past, he’s not doing what he needs to prevent more from dying. The Army moved on after Custer died. It moved on after Patton’s death as well. It must be this way if it’s to do its job.
In war, people die. Fratricide is a reality and while the rates have dropped significantly because of modern communications, digitization, Combat Identification systems etc. It is still something that happens at a rate of around 2% today (Which is much lower than in the past). Historically and battle dependent we had fratricide rates as high as 12% and 17%. In factories people loose their lives every day, in war it’s no different. Heads get crushed in tanks, fingers cut off by hatches on vehicles and sometimes bombs fall on the wrong target since the GPS receiver showed the last known location on the screen. The key difference today is that the journalist is out there with a video camera reporting on this with a satellite feed as it happens in real time. Every soldier out there has AIM, internet and a cell phone today. Some in the MSM will exploit this. They will act as antagonists since the in your face scandal sells well on the cover page. So while unfortunate that he lost his life due to fratricide, it is a reality of warfare that will also continue.
Risk is mitigated where possible. It is not feasible to eliminate all risk of fratricide. Expect more of the same stories. The MSM and especially these marginal papers will egg conflict on with the families of the deceased. Conflict is their bread and butter and in today’s no holds bared media this is just another target of opportunity for them.
Red6
I said it "could be". You really think the Democrats are incapable of this kind of thing? They were capable of Lindauer, remember Lindauer?
There is zero chance.
There is a very high probability that sfgate is distorting the story in favor of the left. I have served in 2/75 and there is zero doubt in my mind the Rangers thought they were engaged with the enemy. 65m is very close in that terrain. The events show the confusion of combat. Immediate Action Drills vary .... but things can get very wild very quickly. All parties needed to be hammered, and it appears that they were .... from the Company CO to the machine gunner. The story has all the elements of a Greek Tragedy. Until the brother speaks, everyone should respect his silence.
I'm very suspicious as to why we are hearing this business about Chomsky and Tillman's supposed hard-left sympathies because even if it were true it would seem to be irrelevant to the issue but it is obviously very relevant to those who are saying these things. The question is why is it relevant from their perspective?
The most successful propaganda device of the leftist/Islamic alliance is the death of our troops. Tillman was the highest profile soldier. That doesn't mean it was a planned hit but it would be crazy to dismiss such an action as impossible.
The left conspired with Saddam ( oil for food ), they conspired with al qaeda ( War on the Serbs ), they have worked with the insurgents through their MSM to ambush US troops. The MSM had an amazing run of having a camera at the scene of these roadside bombs for awhile, until we caught on.
Then they go and nominate John Kerry of all people whose claim to fame was that he was the most successful enemy conspirator during America's only lost war.
Hence my statement about distorting the story in favor of the left. Except for during Ranger School, most Rangers aren't Zombies. I remember some interesting debates, it wouldn't surprise me if he was interested in Chomsky, but that sure doesn't mean he had any hard left sympathies.
Why would there be mention made about his politics around an investigation of the incident that ended his life? There are those who believe, or want to make, his politics relevant to the matter of his death.
This is for one purpose or the other purpose or both: For patriots to see Tillman as something other than a hero or for Democrats to see Tillman as one of their own...all for some reason only known to those who are trying to promulgate these perceptions.
Dead people dont tell us how they voted,or what books they read.
I doubt that the author has a good source for these comments, but lets suppose they are true ....
Why dont you claim Tillman as a hero of the left? He is a Bush hater (according to this)..that is enough right there, and he reads Chomsky,something that is damn near impossible for anyone but a leftist....
and to top it all off Bush killed him and lied about it ....heck he could be another Casey Sheehan....start to work now before the body cools anymore.
I doubt Tillman was a liberal. He took an oath to "protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America". Why would a Constitution-hating liberal take an oath to defend it?
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