You may want to read this Washington Post article. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35717-2004Dec4_5.htmlI'm not sure the money trail is the culprit here. I posted this yesterday so please excuse and "today's" or extraneous information.
Kevin Tillman, Pat's brother in the hearing today was a part of Pat's platoon. He arrived on scene 9 minutes after his brother was killed. He was in "serial-2" behind them coming up the mountain. Yet according to Henry Waxman and other Democrats the Pentagon is responsible. Does that sound logical to you or anyone?
Could the Pentagon or more importantly Karl Rove and President Bush actually conceive of and initiate a story in 9 minutes of his death. There were dozens of witnesses, both American and Afghani, guys very friendly with Pat Tillman and other grunts in this unit. Do you really suppose Kevin didn't figure it out on his own sitting high in the mountains of Afghanistan while others whispered around him?
I have all the pathos on the planet for Kevin Tillman and his family, but I'm beginning to think that Kevin's moral indignation is false. In short, he knew how his brother died. Saw a hero story develop in the press and simply went with it. Five weeks later the DOD burst the bubble with the results of their investigation. He now has to face his mother and father. By mid 2004 the tin foil being wrapped by Howard Dean, John Kerry, Michael Moore, George Soros and the remainder of the Move-On crowd, probably seemed an appropriate way out for the guy.
The above 3rd paragraph is simply theoretical mind you, but the first two are simply facts.
Another interesting thing to do is a LexisNexis or probably even a Google news search on Pat Tillman starting on April 23, 2004 the day he was killed. All articles quote a military spokesman who basically says Pat Tillman was killed during a firefight. All of that is true and it is published in hundreds of articles printed in papers all across the country. The next day that same quote appears in Sports Illustrated along with a bit more embellishment. Two days later ESPN is talking hero and interviewing Pro-ball players like Jake Plummer who all say what a great guy and hero Tillman was. Three days later everyone is into the mix. Yet funny enough, still 3 days into the story the Pentagon still hasn't said a word except for the initial blurb that P. Tillman was killed. In fact on MSNBC on 4/26/04 3 days later they printed a Spokesmen at the Defense Department and the Army would not comment Friday, in keeping with a policy that no U.S. casualties of war be identified for at least 24 hours. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4815441
Yeah, something doesn't ring true here, but clearly 3 days after his death the DOD isn't talking yet every football coach, player, congressman and senator including John McCain and Jon Kyle have given glorious statements of PT. And you're right, some pencil pusher somewhere started going Hollywood on us, but we call them journalists, not Mr. Secretary or Mr. President.
Please don't misunderstand me. Pat Tillman is truly a hero regardless of how he died. Hell, in my opinion he deserves the CMH and a Silver Star just for giving up a lucrative salary in a very unforgiving business ruled by youth and physical fitness. A sport that I'm sure he knew he would never return.