AP/Yahoo News Tillman’s Brother Blasts Military
Pat Tillman's brother accused the military Tuesday of "intentional falsehoods" and "deliberate and careful misrepresentations" in portraying the football star's death in Afghanistan as the result of heroic engagement with the enemy instead of friendly fire.
"We believe this narrative was intended to deceive the family but more importantly the American public," Kevin Tillman told a House Government Reform and Oversight Committee hearing. "Pat's death was clearly the result of fratricide," he said, contending that the military's misstatements amounted to "fraud."
CNN - Soldier Told to Lie about Tillman’s DeathThe last soldier to see Army Ranger Pat Tillman alive, Spc. Bryan O'Neal, told lawmakers that he was warned by superiors not to divulge -- especially to the Tillman family -- that a fellow soldier killed Tillman.
Eschaton – Worm DirtIn a transcript of his interview with Brig. Gen. Gary Jones during a November 2004 investigation, Kauzlarich said he'd learned Kevin Tillman, Pat's brother and fellow Army Ranger who was a part of the battle the night Pat Tillman died, objected to the presence of a chaplain and the saying of prayers during a repatriation ceremony in Germany before his brother's body was returned to the United States.
Kauzlarich, now a battalion commanding officer at Fort Riley in Kansas, further suggested the Tillman family's unhappiness with the findings of past investigations might be because of the absence of a Christian faith in their lives.
When the last merry gun had stilled
And the cannons no more their glee
The friendly hillside fully tipped
And poured forth a failing moan.
It was observed that the mad rally
Of murder had slung back its odd grief
Upon the valiant influence of dissent
And lifted away our Superman;
Breath snuffed, keen upon the plot.
Kindness stepped out with the news
Treading the living shores of home.
Soon the prayers had eaten enough foul lies
And their blind wrath monstrously grew
Into hell’s rumbling cavern of vengeance.
In this cave there are no friendlies,
No shape, but that of fear and fury;
Our Superman when all else fails to stop
The torrent of reasonless cries and endless
Lies and hopeless wars and gathering storms.
Momentarily calming is the knowledge that
Death has visited yet another blameless child.
Blameless! O! Let this thirst be driven out of our
Hunger! Stop this; our firing into the shadows of
Rage! O! I wander through these blackened ruins!
I’m a friendly! Cease fire! I’m Pat F'n Tillman...
When the last merry gun had stilled
And the cannons no more their glee
The friendly hillside fully tipped
And poured forth a failing moan.
© 2007 mrp/thepoetryman
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