Unspeakable Evil

...are the only words that I can think of to describe the breaking news in the Pat Tillman Case.

My words are limited right now; however I think Firedoglake said it best:

“This war is so fucking illegal.” (Patrick Tillman)

From the AP:

SAN FRANCISCO -

Army medical examiners were suspicious about the close proximity of the three bullet holes in Pat Tillman’s forehead and tried without success to get authorities to investigate whether the former NFL player’s death amounted to a crime, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

“The medical evidence did not match up with the, with the scenario as described,” a doctor who examined Tillman’s body after he was killed on the battlefield in Afghanistan in 2004 told investigators.

The doctors - whose names were blacked out - said that the bullet holes were so close together that it appeared the Army Ranger was cut down by an M-16 fired from a mere 10 yards or so away.

In other words, Pat Tillman was most likely murdered in the field. In cold blood. By other US soldiers.

This must be what the Bush Administration was trying so desperately to hide behind their all purpose “Executive Privilege” shield.

Also from the AP article:

Among other information contained in the documents:

_ In his last words moments before he was killed, Tillman snapped at a panicky comrade under fire to shut up and stop “sniveling.”

_ Army attorneys sent each other congratulatory e-mails for keeping criminal investigators at bay as the Army conducted an internal friendly-fire investigation that resulted in administrative, or non-criminal, punishments.

_ The three-star general who kept the truth about Tillman’s death from his family and the public told investigators some 70 times that he had a bad memory and couldn’t recall details of his actions.

_ No evidence at all of enemy fire was found at the scene - no one was hit by enemy fire, nor was any government equipment struck.

The Pentagon and the Bush administration have been criticized in recent months for lying about the circumstances of Tillman’s death. The military initially told the public and the Tillman family that he had been killed by enemy fire. Only weeks later did the Pentagon acknowledge he was gunned down by fellow Rangers.

I wonder how long it will take the John Derbyshires and Michelle Malkins of the Rabid Right to insist that Tillman was to blame for his own murder. Start the countdown. Let’s synchronize our watches…

Because remember, kids, nobody supports the troops like the Republicans. Until they do something that’s bad for PR like get hurt or killed or dare to actually tell the truth about the GOP’s Great War on Civilians. Then it’s off to the trash heap of history with them.

Tillman’s mother, Mary Tillman, who has long suggested that her son was deliberately killed by his comrades, said she is still looking for answers and looks forward to the congressional hearings next week.

“Nothing is going to bring Pat back. It’s about justice for Pat and justice for other soldiers. The nation has been deceived,” she said.

Of all the disgraceful, sickening things our country has done in the name of “spreading liberty” in the Great War on Terrah, this one is a real prize-winner. I only hope that his family can find some kind of peace in the days ahead. In the wake of such a devastating loss followed by a breathtaking series of insults and brush-offs from the US government and the leadership of the armed forces, if I were in their shoes, I think I would simply have lost my mind by now.

It is remarkable that our government thinks they will get away with this.


They are sorely mistaken.

Which brings me to today...

...and the sad state that our nation is in as a whole:

Our quagmire in the Middle East has taken our military through unnecessary turmoil and death. The brave individuals that volunteered to help defend our country deserve better than what our government has decided for them. It was never our "job" to go into Iraq. In fact, Bush opposed the very thing that he stated during the 2000 race against Al Gore which was that "I'm worried about an opponent who uses nation building and the military in the same sentence".

This is a remarkable statement now, coming from the same person who now is doing just that; using the military for the rebuilding of Iraq's government, infrastructure and armed forces. According to a range of sources 1 2 3 , the United States has spent anywhere between $380 ~ 460 billion. And according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), this number is expected to reach 629 billion dollars! Also, the Bloomberg article I just cited as "1" says that the total terrorism spending is expected "to reach $758 billion after the House and Senate complete work on their respective bills and negotiators agree on a final version later this year".

So, with these skyrocketing fiscal costs and unacceptable casualties, how can we not realize that this is not something we need for our country?

Not to mention, the reasons for our "intervention" have been debunked by our own officials, and our reasons for being there now are ever poorer. Department of Homeland Security Advisor, Fran Townsend, has even gone so far as to say that she knows better than our generals on the ground. General Odierno said specifically that Al-Qaeda in Iraq "does not have the capability to export violence outside of Iraq".

But most important of all are our fellow Americans who have fought for our country willingly and diligently. They have been treated like pawns by our government. According to a report done by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), far too many veterans are going without medical care and benefits when it is the government's job to take care of our veterans. Let us not forget the Walter Reed conditions that were nothing short of "disgraceful". We cannot let them go without proper medical care when they so desperately need it, not to mention that they deserve it!

Let us end this war, start bringing troops home, and start taking care of our own country and its people.

Media Today

....is in shambles, and must be improved. It is with great concern that I say that we are losing the battle against truth, fairness, and honesty in our modern/popular media. With that said, I understand that these are not absolutes. It is however, something that needs to be improved before true coverage and discourse can even be possible. I just know that what I our nation needs voices that are not backed by dollars and cents, but by sense and honesty. I don't want to know the watered-down news, I want the real news.

It only hurts our nation when the 24 hour news stations broadcast mind-numbing "news", commentary with no regards for facts or basis, and of course the fear-mongering nonsense that is supposed to "sell" news. Its nauseating just to think about. To be perfectly honest, it is not the stations' job to filter news based on its "bleed" factor. It should be our own initiative to understand and discern our own conclusions about these story. Leave the stories about celebrities, gossip and hearsay for the already copious amount of "entertainment" shows.

Please for the love of all that is sacred, lets bring news and discourse back!

A Place to Start

I am proud that I've finally gotten the initiative to create a blog and really get all of these thoughts on our world that I believe must be said. I have come the conclusion that since the issues and topics are so dynamic because of the current pace of news and information, I will only give to you glimpse into my manifesto; rather than give something drawn out and will not necessarily be specific to the "news" of the here and now.

This is something I wrote this winter (2007), about the state of our nation but of course because of our current standing; the world...

"...If you are not aware, our country has been overtaken; by those with the most wealth, and those who are in high positions in our government and around the world. They are using our fear from the heinous attacks of 9/11 against our fellow countrymen and women. Our government was most certainly complicit in these attacks and allowed our friends, neighbors, and relatives get killed so that they can trap us into fearful and silent obedience. Our media timidly approaches the credibility of this obvious truth, but most have found it easy to make it so hard to figure out; hard to have a stance. In that so far, the government and corporations have succeeded.

But only so far, we have fought back with alternative press and with scholars of great distinction who have done immense research on the physics, politics, and foresight into 9/11. Since these attacks, we have waged wars in the middle east against an invisible enemy. And our friends, brother, sisters, cousins, and neighbors are being used as cannon fodder for this war that will never end if we continue to sit and watch this madness continue.

Our liberties are being stripped away by those in power. The constitution is being ripped up in our faces, and the bill of rights is in flames. How can we let all of those people control the masses, when it is all of us that has the power. This is no time to be bored. This is the greatest time we could have ever imagined to be alive. We are on the brink of something that will determine our fates almost irreversibly; if we don't stand up we will become silently obedient slaves to our controlling empire.

But if we rise up now, there is only one way it can end; in freedom and liberty, and with our constitution intact. We must rebuild the free society that once was and take back our freedom and our liberties before it is too late! Give a good hard look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself; Are you going to be at the front lines when the revolution begins, or will you just roll over and die to let the controlling powers tell you what to think? The choice is here, and the time is now! Free your mind and take time to free others! "


Thanks for reading and I'll be posting regularly from now on.