Pat Tillman - unwitting PR flack for the misguided War in Iraq

From the Tillman family through TruthDig.com

The 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?

Bush Flip Flops: Where was this in '04, Kerry?

How does Bush Flip Flop? The best example is the decision to invade Iraq:

-First, it was WMD - he was a threat, an imminent threat, and we needed to take care of him. On, what the hell - let's roll some tape...



I hesitate to post this one, because I so despise people's use of Nazi Germany to prove their points. It's the most trite way to get a point across. However, in this case, it's a pretty poignant quote. The best part about this clip is how these morons can't hide from the video tapes and the lies, specifically Dick, Condi & Bush. Sounds like a law firm from the yellow pages.

Anyway, you get the idea - Bush is no better, in fact worse, than just about everyone that Karl Rove paints as being a "flip flopper." I can only pray that the chickens come home to roost this November 7, because our country is headed in one wrong direction. We'll soon see.

Rick Santorum, distort? Noo! Really?

I found this on one of my new favorite Web sites the other day, YouTube. It's Keith Olberman (one of my new TV favorites), uncovering a Rick Santorum lie. I really loved Olberman when he used to team with Dan Patrick for "The Big Show," the 11 p.m. SportsCenter. But I love him more now. His show is quickly reaching "can't miss" status on my TiVo, right along with The Daily Show.

Olberman is unapologetic, dogged, honest and real. And he doesn't have on softball guests to ask dickhead questions. No host of any show is totally without an agenda or bias, but Olberman just seems interested in exposing hypocrisy, most notably that of Bill O'Lielly. And what could be better than that?

It's pretty entertaining to watch an increasingly desperate Santorum resort to lies and innuendo to try to get reelected. He's sided with Bush well over 90% of the time on just about every issue. He thorough embarrassed himself during the Terry Schiavo fiasco. He was on Hannity & Pussy a few weeks ago, insisting that WMDs have been found in Iraq.
,
So, it's obvious Santorum will do or say just about anything - moves right out of Karl Rove's playbook. As I've said, it's entertaining, but a bit frightening, too, because some people will actually believe his bullshit, and Santorum's got a pretty big war chest.

Go Casey, and thanks, Keith O., for all that you report on. Keep up the good work, and if you haven't checked out his show, do it - he's on MSNBC weeknights at 8. Oh, and check out Tucker, too, a conservative I can actually listen to.

More Coulter: I just had to

Boy, someone shut up in a hurry? Where did Ann Coulter go? Unfortuately, not to hell, yet. But, her cake hole has been notably silent since her book was exposed as a plagiarized steaming turd. I love how Hannity and Coulter trip over each other trying to attack the Democratic strategist. I gotta give credit here to a man who deserves so little - Alan Colmes. He actually takes Ann to task here on some stuff, and notice how she doesn't answer his question about her comment on John Murtha?

For those of you who don't know, Ann said that Murtha is "The reason soldiers invented fragging."

A bit on Murtha, courtesy Wikipedia:

In 1959, Murtha, then a captain, took command of the 34th Special Infantry Company, Marine Corps Reserves, in Johnstown. He remained in the Reserves after his discharge from active duty until he volunteered for service in the Vietnam War, serving from 1966 to 1967, serving as a battalion staff officer (S-2 Intelligence Section), receiving the Bronze Star with Valor device, two Purple Hearts and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. He retired from the Reserves as a colonel in 1990, receiving the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

What's the message here? If you are a war hero, don't run for public office. Just like Max Cleland and John Kerry before him, Murtha is latest victim in the long line of Swiftboat Attacks.

And the part in the beginning of the above video about liberals apologizing about WMDs is a riot.

Scott McClellan resigns

So, we're getting a new PR hack to parrot Bush's lies and deception. Yipee! I guess I'm being a bit unfair, though. Honestly, I won't like just about anyone the president could pick, because a White House press secretary only divulges and says what the president wants him or her to say, and I don't agree with just about all of the president's policies. But, on the other hand, I liked and admired Marlin Fitzwater, Bush 41's press man. Neither of Bush's PR guys could hold Marlin's pen though.

In light of McClellan's resignation, Bush was hardly overwhelming in his praise, saying McClellan had a "tough assignment. I thought he handled his assignment with class, integrity," the president continued. "It's going to be hard to replace Scott, but nevertheless he made the decision and I accepted it. One of these days, he and I are going to be rocking in chairs in Texas and talking about the good old days."

The "good old days"? I guess the case of lost WMDs, 9-11, tax cuts for the rich, escalating gas prices, marginalizing Cindy Sheehan, impuging the war record of John Kerry and covering up the Valerie Plame mess, the inability to find Osama bin Laden and the unjust and immoral war in Iraq qualify as the "good old days." Oh, and have I mentioned his environmental record? I hesitate to call it a record, because that implies that he has one.

So long, Scott. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. I'm going to miss you about as much as I miss Ari Fleischer.

1,007 Days to go.