Pat Tillman - unwitting PR flack for the misguided War in Iraq
From the Tillman family through TruthDig.comThe disgusting PR effort to win an election by this administration knows no bounds. It's been revealed that the verdict of Saddam Hussein was timed to happen right before the election (surprise!), but that Hussein doesn't know WHY he was found guilty, because the full verdict isn't ready yet - it won't be ready until Thursday. I don't know whether to get angry at that news, laugh at it, or ignore it. One thing's for sure - I'll never ignore stuff like this.
But, I've got some more evidence of some mind-blowingly wretched, gutter PR tactics by our federal government to keep enthusiasm going in the War on Terror.
Over the weekend, I read a pretty powerful essay on TruthDig by Kevin Tillman (above, right) brother of Pat Tillman (above, left), the latter by now a household name for having given up a multi-million dollar NFL contract from the Arizona Cardinals to serve his country. Pat, an Army Ranger, was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004. When Tillman died, there were numerous reports in the media that he was killed while leading his troops and giving orders under fire.
However, on May 28, 2004, the Pentagon told Tillman's family that he was killed by friendly fire. Critics allege that the Tillman family wasn't told right away about the cause of Pat's death because the military wanted to maintain a good image of the armed forces. Considering the track record of this administration, I find it extremely difficult to believe a good story wasn't cooked up to keep public opinion going the right way for the War on Terror; at the time, things in Iraq were worsening, but since this administration ties the war in Iraq & Afghanistan together, Tillman suited their purposes, for a time.
Anyway, Pat's brother Kevin, also an Army Ranger, had this to say on TruthDig (Get the whole story Here.), and it's pretty poignant. It reads, in part:
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.
###
Pat's birthday was yesterday. Kevin Tillman's essay is a moving one, and a pretty stinging indictment of this administration and how it's conducting the War on Terror in Iraq (& Afghanistan).
I wonder if Kevin will get Swiftboated like every other prominent critic of President Bush? I suspect not, but really, nothing would surprise me any longer. Considering this administration's handy work of slander, libel, slash and burn against its opponents, anything is possible.
There are sooo many examples of the American people being lied to by this administration - the Hussein trial is simply the latest case, joining the death of Pat Tillman, Jessica Lynch, WMDs, and on and on.
The B.S. & P.R. could all prove to be for naught if you get out and vote - vote for change, give the Democrats a chance. Could they possibly do any worse than the Republicans at this point?
But, I've got some more evidence of some mind-blowingly wretched, gutter PR tactics by our federal government to keep enthusiasm going in the War on Terror.
Over the weekend, I read a pretty powerful essay on TruthDig by Kevin Tillman (above, right) brother of Pat Tillman (above, left), the latter by now a household name for having given up a multi-million dollar NFL contract from the Arizona Cardinals to serve his country. Pat, an Army Ranger, was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004. When Tillman died, there were numerous reports in the media that he was killed while leading his troops and giving orders under fire.
However, on May 28, 2004, the Pentagon told Tillman's family that he was killed by friendly fire. Critics allege that the Tillman family wasn't told right away about the cause of Pat's death because the military wanted to maintain a good image of the armed forces. Considering the track record of this administration, I find it extremely difficult to believe a good story wasn't cooked up to keep public opinion going the right way for the War on Terror; at the time, things in Iraq were worsening, but since this administration ties the war in Iraq & Afghanistan together, Tillman suited their purposes, for a time.
Anyway, Pat's brother Kevin, also an Army Ranger, had this to say on TruthDig (Get the whole story Here.), and it's pretty poignant. It reads, in part:
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.
###
Pat's birthday was yesterday. Kevin Tillman's essay is a moving one, and a pretty stinging indictment of this administration and how it's conducting the War on Terror in Iraq (& Afghanistan).
I wonder if Kevin will get Swiftboated like every other prominent critic of President Bush? I suspect not, but really, nothing would surprise me any longer. Considering this administration's handy work of slander, libel, slash and burn against its opponents, anything is possible.
There are sooo many examples of the American people being lied to by this administration - the Hussein trial is simply the latest case, joining the death of Pat Tillman, Jessica Lynch, WMDs, and on and on.
The B.S. & P.R. could all prove to be for naught if you get out and vote - vote for change, give the Democrats a chance. Could they possibly do any worse than the Republicans at this point?
Labels: Hussein Verdict, Jessica Lynch, Kevin Tillman, Pat Tillman, President Bush, War in Afghanistan, War in Iraq, War on Terror, WMDs
posted by RJ at 12:30 AM
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