Cpl Tillman

Tillman was a NFL star playing with the Arizona Cardinals. He became an Army Ranger. He was killed in action in Afghanistan. It appears to all intents and purposes that he was killed by friendly fire. This was not disclosed to our media by Rumsfeld or anyone else, until much later -- and not to Tillman's family, either.

So why are we making a big deal of this? When you are an Army Ranger, you will be in dangerous places, doing dangerous things. It is likely even, that you run a very good risk of getting killed. Specialized troops lose a disturbingly high number of personnel in training exercises. It is the nature of the beast.

So killed by friendly fire -- it happens. Friendly fire incidents are and should be investigated so as to try and prevent it happening again. Sometimes, the supporting artillery was just too close, Sometimes suppressing fire drops onto the friendlies. Sometimes ordnance misfires and drops too early. Shit does happen, and in war more often that we would like.

But it looks as though the press are trying to make a Valerie Plame case here about a cover-up. The victims being more Tillman's family than Tillman himself. Ultimately, Tillman is dead. No amount of who discloses what when will change that. The Army was doing its investigation when they passed news that it might have been a friendly fire incident -- after Boosh awarded or announced an intention to award Tillman a posthumous medal. How he died does not matter with regards to the medal. He was a hero, as are all those in his calling doing what he did. Does his family feel better now that they know that an American killed Tillman? Is it going to change something to "blame" someone? You can be sure that whoever dropped Tillman feels worse about it than you and I can understand.

So what it this about? Simple: Democratic news media are trying to discredit the military and administration by developing some grand conspiracy. Just like Plame. Plame didn't die, and was never put at risk. She was "outed" driving a desk at Langley. Big deal. Tillman's case was far worse -- an American killed him. By accident -- not "outed." But a cover-up because he was some NFL star? Who cares either way -- except for his family who might have preferred that some rag-head killed him. It is a tragedy either way and the politicization of this is disgusting.

Bravo, Boston Globe, NY Times ... once again you guys (and the rest of the media) have managed to create a festival over an American tragedy.

My prayers go to the Tillman family.