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AP: General Tried to Warn Bush on Tillman

Posted: Friday, March 30, 2007 6:25 PM by Countdown

BREAKING NEWS



Memo shows suspicions on soldier's death weeks before family was told.


SAN JOSE, Calif. - Just seven days after Pat Tillman's death, a top general warned there were strong indications that he died as a result of "friendly fire" and President Bush might embarrass himself if he said the NFL star-turned-soldier died in an ambush, according to a memo obtained by The Associated Press.

It was not until a month afterward that the Pentagon told the public and grieving family members the truth - that Tillman was mistakenly killed in Afghanistan by his comrades.

The memo reinforces suspicions that the Pentagon was more concerned with sparing officials from embarrassment than with leveling with Tillman's family.
In a memo sent to a four-star general a week after Tillman's April 22, 2004, death, then-Maj. Gen. Stanley McChrystal warned that it was "highly possible" the Army Ranger was killed by friendly fire.

"I felt that it was essential that you received this information as soon as we detected it in order to preclude any unknowing statements by our country's leaders which might cause public embarrassment if the circumstances of Cpl. Tillman's death become public," McChrystal wrote.

Blain Rethmeier, a White House spokesman, said Friday that a review of records turned up no indication that the president had received McChrystal's warning. Bush made no reference to the way Tillman died in a speech delivered two days after the memo was written. But Rethmeier emphasized that Bush often pays tribute to fallen soldiers without mentioning the exact circumstances of their deaths.

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Comments

Shocking. And next week we'll get the memo that proves that Bush got THIS memo. These guys are something else.
Keith, thank you so much for continuing your mission to bring us the truth about Pat Tillman. This story is so sad, and as I sit here typing, I have goose bumps. This poor family and what they have had to endure is too much for me to imagine. What Bush and his Administration have done to the Tillman family is a travesty. I won't go on and on about Bush here, as I feel the Tillman family should know my prayers are with them. I wish them the best of luck in uncovering the truth of how their son died, and may God Bless them. Thank you again Keith.
So the truth comes out! Thank you, Keith. Sad, sad, sad...and of course, the White House "can't remember" and "doesn't recall" whether the President was ever told how Tillman died...sure.
My only comment is that this is a travesty. Someone needs to be held accountable to the Tillman family.
I want to be sick! Perhaps we are all naive to the malevolent intentions of our nation's military establishment. Pat Tillman was a hero, regardless of the circumstances of his death. The fact that his own family was blatantly lied to regarding Cpl Tillman's death is deplorable and unamerican. It is, however, clearly consistent with this administration's (and Fox news) propagandism regarding this war. I hope that all of us realize the brevity of these actions taken at the expense of the best and most patriotic amoung us. Thank you Keith, for remaining committed to uncovering the truth about Pat Tillman and this war.
Hello CA...how long were you in Vietnam? I can only imagine the horrors you saw. Were you drafted or did you enlist? My dad was killed in Vietnam back in 1965. I have talked with many marines over the years, and I have amazing respect for the marines and all military people...I am glad you have come out the other side and have found a new sense of peace...many Vietnam Vets, just like Iraqi vets, did not and will not...It is not surprising that more Bushworld lies about the death of Pat Tillman have come out...Bushworld needed some publicity and Bushworld decided Tillman's death would help its cause...sad...truly...CA, I agree with your comments about God/religion...Many religions have killed in the name of its God/Gods...Some religious people have replaced God with themselves...most religious people are not fanatics or zealots or extremists...always reminds me did God create people in God's image or did people create God in their image...all the best CA...
The Tillman story is absolutely sickening, appalling frightening and to be expected. Once again look at history. How many soldiers were lied to during the A-Bomb tests in the 1950's? Remember they would explode an A-Bomb in the desert with some soldiers a relatively short distance away and then march them all over to ground zero? Nothing to be afraid of they were told. Atomic fallout is not harmful. In the 1960's the Army used unwitting soldiers in experiments involving LSD; to study the effects of the drug. The Army tired to cover up the truth about My Lai during the Viet Nam war. The press was largely controlled and docile during Gulf War One and until recently have been cheerleaders for this current war. Sadly the Tillman tragedy is but the tip of one very large, putrid iceberg. Where is the outrage over Gulf War Syndrome? Why isn't the MSM all over the use of D.U. in armaments, and its deleterious effects on humans and other living things, like white in rice? They have been silent on this war crime. Therefore they are complicit in it. Go get 'em Keith
Arlington is hiring gravediggers. If anyone in history deserved to be impeached it's these two lying, murdering, oil-thieving son-of-a-bitches, Bush the Junior Oil Boy and the Big Oil Dick from Casper. Send them to The Hague for bombing two hospitals and a first-aid station in Fallujah with white phosphorous, 500 pounders and Daisy-Cutters in December of 2004 just before Christmas. Occupying them to control the civilian body count never released to the Iraqi nationals or the world is another war crime. I am an Air Force veteran and I know right from wrong and murdering more than 100,000 people to control their oil with the New Oil Law is a war crime, a real, big one.
Keith, Keep pushing for a Congressional hearing regarding the death of Pat Tillman.
I think Maher's right. You can't really throw this one at the Bush administration. Some Army types decided all on their own that they would withhold the fact that Tillman was killed by friendly fire because no one, least of all the family, wants to hear that their loved one was killed by his own people.
I have to agree with you R. NC. Apparently President Bush may have been "warned" a week after Cpl Tillman's death that their "may" have been misinformation regarding the the events surrounding his death. I believe that there was an investigation in progress at that time, and the report to the Tillman Family would have been made following the findings of that investigation. I have found NO anouncements or speeches given by the President that he ever mentioned a cause of death, and that would actually be the right thing to do until the final findings of the investigation. I very much sympathize with Cpl Tillman's Family; to have such a thing happen in the wake of their courageous son's death has got to be devastating to them all!
Lyndia. The 'Right' thing to do would have been to not bring it up, as an investigation was supposedly under way. The White House refuses to discuss ongoing Legal Issues, don't they? Same thing here. The fact that Bush mentioned Tillman, a high profile individual, was purely Political. The actual cause would come much later, as in the Mike Mullins Coverup of the Vietnam Era. Or, maybe, not at all. The Tillman family will have to settle for the truth, just as Peg Mullins had to. The War Machine is above punishment.
George Hammonton - New Jersey: Thanks for the kind remarks George. I served three tours in Nam as a marine. Well, once on the ground we were just known as grunts along with a few other choice names we gave to ourselves . All my tours were via enlistment and voluntary. Regarding man's or God's image I suppose it is really irrelevant. Always found it interesting that the Bible states man was created in God's image and wondered why anyone would need to write that in there. I mean, someone's "image" seems so unimportant when speaking of a being in the presence of a God whose sprituality is so great we could never hope to imagaine. I don't even think that a person's image will be a thought or state of mind in God's world. Image denotes physical appearance which to me would be totally irrelevant to God. Unless one were speaking of a spirtual image and a God does not need to see you to know that. Anyway, you are right. Man has really messed up the true nature of spirituality by attempting to impose their thoughts about God and religion on to others. Can you imagine how surprised those who do this will be if they do make it to the kingdom of their God. They will think to themselves in stunned silence, hell, I had it wrong all along. At least through all this travesty with Pat Tillman we can assume that he now knows, and is much more at peace and happier because he has moved on to his God's world.
C A. God is a DieHard Battery. Sears has Everything.
Steve: Got ya.
I am so tired of the Pat Tillman story. Just because this guy is an ex foot player dosent make him any better than the 1000's of poeple serving our country. It was His choice to serve, he chose to join at war time, so get over it.


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