Now it Pat Tillman...anyone notice...

[Atman]

...how we here at DU seem to know about these "new developments" a year before the reach Cable News? Too bad those damn internets are just a fad.

[formerrepuke]

1. What exactly is the 'new' development..? That it was friendly fire?

[H2O Man]

6. Some media sources

are saying the military knew from the giddy-up that it was "friendly fire," but still exploited the incident for propaganda purposes, including misrepresenting what occured. The OP is 100% correct, and it simply reinforces the belief that DU is often far more accurate a news source that anything one finds in the corporate media.

[Atman]

7. Oh, yes...the friendly fire incident is now a lead story

In fact, THE lead story this morning on CNN. Heavens! The Army waited three weeks to tell Tillman's parents it was a friendly fire incident! GASP!

Maybe if anyone at CNN would read DU, they could have broken this story several months ago.

BTW, anyone know how that Jessica Lynch hero girl turned out? Poor dear took quite a hit from those insurgents during that big fire-fight! Maybe CNN has some late breaking details on that, too.

Please VOTE for this design!

[Clark2008]

16. CNN does read DU - but only selectively

They never quote the good, solid, factual information that dominates this board, though.
They only lift "looney left" quotes from DUers who are either on frustrated rants or from people who might not be regular contributers.

[babylonsister]

12. From what I heard this a.m., the 'new' development

is that, while the powers that be knew about the friendly fire, they failed to inform Tillman's family immediately. His mom is now questioning their judgement.

[benburch]

2. Are they doing the Tillman "friendly fire" story? nt

[mopaul]

3. i noticed

and maybe i'm trippin' but i seem to remember it was in the mainstream media too.

i remember tillman's funeral made it to t.v., and parts of it were later deleted because tillman's brother got a little too drunk and started saying nasty shit about the media and the hyper patriotism and using his brother like a prop, etc.

[hatrack]

4. What I remember most from that was Tillman's avowed atheism

I'm paraphrasing, but his brother expressed his appreciation for prayers and support and then said, "Pat's not in Heaven, he's fucking dead."

You could have knocked me over with a feather.

[paineinthearse]

5. Yes, see the WP article. Friendly fire, known immediately.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3594985

Tillman's death was propagandized. This is low. Disgusting. I hate these people.

[rodeodance]

8. Msnbc just saying the Wa Post broke the story-to follow after the brake

[mopaul]

10. like the jessica lynch heroine story

she was the poster girl for the war, the human face of america's military. the whole thing was fabricated, processed for t.v. and forgotten.

[stanwyck]

20. The Jessica Lynch mythology

symbolizes the Rovian hold on the susceptible. She was completely a pawn in carefully orchestrated theatre designed to enthrall the naive. They want to believe in a glorious cause. A cute young white girl in the grip of the evil dark-skinned heathens was Rove's Hollywood fantasy for inflaming passions. There were the ugly whispers of how she had been repeatedly sexually violated. And how the valiant young American went down emptying her weapon at the murdering terrorists.
All lies. Just like the endless data on WMD in Iraq. Lies.
We're now a nation of professional liars. From the hate-radio and Faux News blatant liars to the well-financed Swiftboat Liars, we're inundated with continual lying.
That's why our nation is increasingly apathetic. No one expects the truth.
So, just zone out. Listen to your IPod. And watch something from your TiVo queue.

[Al-CIAda]

21. That's why our nation is increasingly apathetic. No one expects the truth.

But you used to be able to say at least SOME reporters wanted to find out the truth. Now, they are enablers and co-conspirators.

[oly]

9. When I was in the army, classes were held via closed ciruit TV,

describing the various medals one could earn. I remember that a real enemy had to be involved in the heroism -- to get one. I think the army has to revisit this and ultimately retract it. Anybody know for sure? (TV learning was high tech at the time.)

[Chipper Chat]

11. Bill Kristol is on FOX now criticizing the release of the truth!!

This is unbelievable! He is saying the army was right to lie & withhold the truth about this. He says "Let the people think he was a hero - what;s wrong with a little lie whan it's better for patriotism to let him be remembered as a hero. In other words - let's all lie! The truth doesnt matter. The Fox host is ageeing. Holy crap - what kind of country do we live in? I am puking!!!

[Al-CIAda]

13. Well, at least they are now admitting they DON'T want the truth.

Amazing that a proported 'news' outlet would openly and actively condone deception and LIES, but that where they are...and the sickest part is that their cool-aid drinker audience WANT TO BE LIED TO...and simultaniously ridicule and condemn those who simply want the truth.

Sick shit this Christo-fascism is.

BTW- Kristol(PNAC) may be the REAL president.

[thebigidea]

14. talk about Straussian! Classic elitist neocon manipulation of the public.

[Clark2008]

17. What else do you expect from the man who gave birth to

the "new" Pearl Harbor idea?

He's vile and there is a special place in hell for him. He's the very reason I believe in God vs. the Devil - there HAS to be punishment for this kind of evil somewhere.

[LynnTheDem]

15. USSR and Hitler would have been in awe of bushCartel Propaganda Inc.

Pat Tillman died leading a heroic charge up the hill!

Jessica Lynch went down shooting until her clip was empty!

Thousands of jubilant Iraqis toppled Saddam's statue!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Turkey served by the turkee!

Spidey-hole!

Iraqi woman hero; rape & murder and all sortsa mean things by Saddam!

We've turned the corner we've turned the corner we've turned the corner we've turned the corner we've turned the corner we've turned the corner we've turned the corner

[ChickMagic]

18. They are desperate to create a hero

What happened to Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman was terrible. They are heroic figures to me because they signed up to fight for their country. They didn't know their government lied to them.

A hero myth was created about Lynch, then shown to be fraudulent by her own words. That was heroic as well. Then they concocted a hero myth about Tillman. Now the general public knows what we knew a long time ago. This hero myth machine is doing a horrible disservice to these individuals.

Had we been told at the time that Tillman had been killed by friendly fire, I still would have admired him for giving up a highly profitable career for the service of his country. I still admire him for that, but I'll bet a lot of people now have bad feelings about him because he wasn't killed by the enemy. Bad feelings that probably wouldn't have been there if the truth were known off the bat.

[Al-CIAda]

22. Lynch coming out and calling BS to the gov't propaganda was heroic. n/t

[ChickMagic]

23. It certainly was

My respect for her was multiplied by that.

[tyedyeto]

19. I am reminded of this...

A young man from the small community where I was living at the time who was killed in the Gulf War. I knew his parents (mom was a school bus driver at the elem. school my kids attended. Many months (or was a year or longer?) the community learned he, too, died in 'friendly' fire.

On edit to add: The article in the magazine suggests FF but it didn't come out for a long time after that it actually was. The small community opened a VFW post named in his honor several months later.