Who Killed Pat Tillman?

The Humanist ^ | January/February 2006 | Michael I. Niman

[RIGHT IN LAS VEGAS]

Michael I. Niman is a professor of journalism at Buffalo State College in New York

Buffalo, NY. says it all

[Thumper1960]

A professor of "journalism" who charges first degree murder of an American citizen, by the US government; who demonizes a respected political commentator with the tag of "whore"; and who relegates the 5 w's to the trash can......and he's still getting paid cash money to teach at an institution of higher learning?

He must be a Demoncrat/Socialist.

[Apple Blossom]

The proof may have been in his journal that "disappeared". Produce the journal, and I'm sure we can clear up a lot of things. Still, it doesn't explain why his body armor and uniform were burned days after his death.

[connectthedots]

While I greatly admired Tillman's decision to join the Army and the unfortunate events that led to his death by friendly fire; I sometimes wonder if a Tillman screw-up led to his own death. He was an overly aggressive football player, but being overly aggressive in a fire fight can get you killed.

I can't think of any other reason the Army would have tried to conceal the truth about his death, other than to protect his family from learning that he died because of his own actions.

[Hatteras]

"Produce the journal, and I'm sure we can clear up a lot of things. Still, it doesn't explain why his body armor and uniform were burned days after his death."

You are presuming alot here. First off, you are presuming that there is some truth to any this. Here's a clue... Pat Tillman wouldn't start yelling to cease fire because he is Pat F*%@ing Tillman, dammit.

Second, the author has an obvious bias and a liberal agenda, most obviously noted in his slam of Ann Coulter, a popular target of liberals. If there's is any truth anywhere in this article, it is automatically dismissed due to questionable sources. That's the reality.

[MC Miker G]

Just curious, but how many of the so-called "facts" in this opinion piece are incorrect?

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

I can't say for sure. I just posted it because it was controversial. No sense in everything on this forum toeing the warm and fuzzy Republican party line...

[disgustedvet]

Not the brightest bulbs? Please clarify that statement. This first process of gaining a Ranger contract for a young man joinging the military is a higher GT score than his average peers. The Regiment does not need, nor accept the unintelligent. Not to mention that the other Special Ops units in the Army are largely staffed by men who started their military careers in the Regiment. Young? Absolutely. Dim? No sir.

However, you are 100% correct that there is no possible way that he was fragged by his fellow Platoon members. Nor was he off for a meeting with Chomsky. Tillman and the rest of the Rangers in his Platoon were concered with two things: when would their next hot meal be, and where could they find Hadji and kill him.

Anyone who believes this entire situation was ANYTHING other than a tragic, undesirable side effect of war needs to step away from the cool-aid.

[spunkets]

Most of what is said in this article about what Tillman thought comes from his bro. that joined up with Pat. Apparently Tillman joined simply as a reaction to 911 and was irritated by the US entry into Iraq. He was very opinionated and was pursuing a meeting with Chomsky to speak out against Bush's Iraq policy. His bro, Chomsky and the journalists involved have confirmed that. That is what Pat's bro has been doing since Pat died. His writings and known thoughts from college and after, before 911 are on par with his bros story. Apparently the rest of the family confirms the kids' thoughts in the matter, but think the bro ought to STFU.

His bro has published some articles himself. I haven't seen any written by his commrades.

[spunkets]

Here's the letter Tillman's bro published. Some LA outfit run by a rat agit prop paid him for it.

---

"It is Pat's birthday on November 6, and elections are the day after. It gets me thinking about a conversation I had with Pat before we joined the military. He spoke about the risks with signing the papers. How once we committed, we were at the mercy of the American leadership and the American people. How we could be thrown in a direction not of our volition. How fighting as a soldier would leave us without a voice until we get out.

Much has happened since we handed over our voice:

Somehow we were sent to invade a nation because it was a direct threat to the American people,
or to the world,
or harbored terrorists,
or was involved in the September 11 attacks,
or received weapons-grade uranium from Niger,
or had mobile weapons labs,
or WMD,
or had a need to be liberated,
or we needed to establish a democracy,
or stop an insurgency,
or stop a civil war we created that can't be called a civil war even though it is.

Something like that.

Somehow our elected leaders were subverting international law and humanity by setting up secret prisons around the world, secretly kidnapping people, secretly holding them indefinitely,
secretly not charging them with anything,
secretly torturing them.

Somehow that overt policy of torture became the fault of a few 'bad apples' in the military.

Somehow back at home, support for the soldiers meant having a five-year-old kindergartener scribble a picture with crayons and send it overseas,
or slapping stickers on cars,
or lobbying Congress for an extra pad in a helmet. It's interesting that a soldier on his third
or fourth tour should care about a drawing from a five-year-old; or a faded sticker on a car as his friends die around him;
or an extra pad in a helmet,
as if it will protect him when an IED throws his vehicle 50 feet into the air as his body comes apart and his skin melts to the seat.

Somehow the more soldiers that die, the more legitimate the illegal invasion becomes.

Somehow American leadership, whose only credit is lying to its people and illegally invading a nation, has been allowed to steal the courage, virtue and honor of its soldiers on the ground.

Somehow those afraid to fight an illegal invasion decades ago are allowed to send soldiers to die for an illegal invasion they started.

Somehow faking character, virtue and strength is tolerated.

Somehow profiting from tragedy and horror is tolerated.

Somehow the death of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people is tolerated.

Somehow subversion of the Bill of Rights and The Constitution is tolerated.

Somehow suspension of Habeas Corpus is supposed to keep this country safe.

Somehow torture is tolerated.

Somehow lying is tolerated.

Somehow reason is being discarded for faith, dogma, and nonsense.

Somehow American leadership managed to create a more dangerous world.

Somehow a narrative is more important than reality.

Somehow America has become a country that projects everything that it is not and condemns everything that it is.

Somehow the most reasonable, trusted and respected country in the world has become one of the most irrational, belligerent, feared, and distrusted countries in the world.

Somehow being politically informed, diligent, and skeptical has been replaced by apathy through active ignorance.

Somehow the same incompetent, narcissistic, virtueless, vacuous, malicious criminals are still in charge of this country.

Somehow this is tolerated.

Somehow nobody is accountable for this.

In a democracy, the policy of the leaders is the policy of the people. So don't be shocked when our grandkids bury much of this generation as traitors to the nation, to the world and to humanity. Most likely, they will come to know that 'somehow' was nurtured by fear, insecurity and indifference, leaving the country vulnerable to unchecked, unchallenged parasites.

Luckily this country is still a democracy. People still have a voice. People still can take action. It can start after Pat's birthday."

Brother and Friend of Pat Tillman,
Kevin Tillman

[spunkets]

Zuade Kaufman's truthdig.com paid for and published Kevin Tillman's piece used by the rats as campaign propaganda.

[listenhillary]

Only now, as a flood of public opinion is forcing the media to report critically about the Bush administration,

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA

Oh MY!

[navygold1778]

Rangers aren’t the brightest?

Hey bubba, I did 5 years in the Navy — and the qualifications for the SEALs are just as hard (if not harder) than the Rangers.

My room mate was a SEAL and he was one sharp fellow (he was a computer science major too).

The Army Ranger guys that I have met over the years are:

* Physically fit beyond belief
* Strong math ability
* Natural leaders
* Extremely bright
* KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FRIENDLIES AND BAD GUYS!

[navygold1778]

This is SOOO MESSED UP!

If Tillman was indeed murdered, and there was a cover-up, then EVERYONE with knowledge of it should be tried.

This is a sad day.

[janiceuo]

Is it interesting that Sgt Sherwood Baker died in 2004 and Sgt. Greg N. Riewer died in 2007, both by bomb/explosion and if they were ordered to shoot Tillman, they can’t reveal this? Steve Elliott says he followed Baker. The description of Pat Tillman in the Rumsfeld letter as “special,” “world-class” and need to “keep an eye on him” might not mean he’s valued but that he posed a risk due to his fame and personal opinions on the Iraq war. This would mean the plan to prevent this began after this letter was written, in response to it.