FLASHBACK: General issued warning on Tillman TO BUSH

[gatorboy]

How stupid does Bush think we are? This story isn't even a month old yet.

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660207697,00.html

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Just seven days after Pat Tillman's death, a top general warned there were strong indications that it was 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. McChrystal made it clear his warning should be conveyed to the president.
     
"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 on April 29, 2004, to Gen. John Abizaid, head of Central Command.

[babylonsister]

1. Nice find, especially in light of this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=753521

White House says Bush didn't know Tillman killed by friendly fire
Zachary Coile, Chronicle Washington Bureau

Wednesday, April 25, 2007


(04-25) 11:45 PDT Washington -- The White House said today President Bush was never told that former NFL star Pat Tillman was killed by his fellow Army Rangers at a time Army officials knew the truth, but told his family and the public that Tillman was shot by the enemy.

Lawmakers and Tillman's family raised questions at a House hearing Tuesday about whether former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and White House officials knew the death was by friendly fire, but allowed the Army to spin a false story about the way the San Jose native died.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said today that the details of Tillman's death never made it to the president.

"There's no indication that the president got any word that there was questions surrounding his death, other than what has been reported in the paper," Perino said.

Speculation about what Bush knew has been fueled by the release of a memo sent April 29, 2004, a week after Tillman's death in Afghanistan, in which Gen. John Abizaid, then chief of the U.S. Central Command, was urged by a top general to tell "POTUS" -- the president of the United States -- that friendly fire was suspected.

more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/0...

[WinkyDink]

2. Ha! They couldn't even make sure their equivocating "no indications" was plausible!

[gatorboy]

4. When I saw the thread on this I had to do a double take.

I mean, does he really believe we are that inept? Is he saying the general's lying? Geez Louise!

[DearAbby]

3. The neglegence angle isnt working, Dub

now what? This is pathetic, neglegence of the job (impeachable offense) Outright coverup (impeachable offense) this is what they are reduced to, in defending their actions?


Madame Speaker, how much evidence is required, seems Heller Keller could find it now. K&R