What does this say about the way America's military is today?

Question

The last soldier to see Army Ranger Pat Tillman alive told lawmakers he was warned not to divulge that a U.S. soldier killed the ex-professional football player. Tillman's family and former Pfc. Jessica Lynch earlier gave testimony into how the Pentagon spread false stories about him in Afghanistan and her in Iraq.

I should have said, the way it is run. This is in no way, shape, or form an attack on our soldiers, so don't even try to say it is!

Answer 1

Not so much the Navy or the Marine Corps there. Both those organizations are more or less decent in many respects; the Navy takes its job fairly seriously, the Marine Corps still believes in warfighting. The Air Force and Army, ever since the 50s and the whole McCarthy era, have become exceedingly political. The way they treat their personnel when it comes to the media spotlight or perceptions of wrongdoing is atrocious, to say the least.

This is what happens when real warrior-kings can't get promoted and you get ticket-punching managers running the backstage. Colonel David Hackworth warned of this for years. The Pentagon is exceedingly out of touch not just with the American people, but with the rank-and-file of the military as well.

Answer 2

All through time Government have been liars, I think that when our government was new, we had a great Government, But now we have a bunch of professional liars and loosers in these positions and it stinks to see where they are taking our Country. There should be a law that the Media can't get involved in supporting a politition. And there should be a law that they can only serve a couple of terms in office, Then we would not have these life time professional polititions. They really know how to mess things up. Let's get some fresh blood into the race. Maybe someone that actually works for a living and mama and daddy did not give them everything.

Answer 3

Part of any war is propoganda. It is all about making heroes that we support and sing praises to in our fight against "evil," without propoganda we lose sight of why we are fighting. I am eprsonally against the Iraq war but I don't really fault the Military for doing this.

I am in no way disrespecting the memory fo Tillman but comeon....the military chose to tell his family he died saving lives and not that he died in a tragic accident. I think the mistake was letting the truth slip out and the government was now shown to be liars....but can you blame them for the lie...I mean look at all the press the story was getting...Tillman gave up an lucrative NFL career to join the Army and defend his nation...do you know how deflating that would have been to tell us he died by friendly fire in an accident....that would have destroyed our war morale.

And don't get me started on Lynch...she was made into a hero when she wasn't and then made money off of it...tv stories and a book deal...and then she wants to say she was exploited? Sure she was but she rode that gravy train as far as it would take her and as soon as it ran dry she wants to cry foul? No honor.

Answer 4

'Friendly' fire, in the broadest sense, has probably always been a reality of warfare, and I'd be surprised if there was ever a military that was 100% open and honest about every such incident.

Whether a soldier dies as a direct result of enemy action, from a tragedly like friendly fire, or from accident, disease, or any other cause apart from suicide, he still dies serving his country. I'd've rather seen the Army take that position from the begining, rather than take 35 days to get its story straight.

Answer 5

There's something about large organizations that creates a climate for covering up embarassing events -- even when the consequences of the embarassment are minor compared with the punishment for getting caught.

It could have been General Electric. It just so happens this time it's the Army.

Answer 6

Friendly fire is an inherant part of war.....With the raging Lunatics ( Liberals & Media) I understand why we would want to hush it up..The Liberals and Media will turn it into a circus and political football as they have. The less we tell them the better.
Try looking at these links, you never see any of this being reported...why??? because it is good stuff and you cant sell air time with good stuff. The Libs wont admit to it either, because they would have to admit we are winning.
Liberals and the media are America's own home grown terrorists......

Answer 7

In both cases the government withheld information (or downright lied) to the American public in order to further their immoral war effort. They played on the public's sympathy for an ex-NFL player leaving a life of luxury to fight for his country. That made for a great recruitment tool.

The fact that he was killed by his compatriots wouldn't set well with the spin doctors. Worse than that, they made up a lie about him dying in a blaze of glory against the "enemy". It is so pathetic.

Answer 8

Can you for a second image how upset the ppl of Iraq must feel when their family, friends and fellow countrymen are accidentally killed by friendly fire? And then the story is glossed over?

Answer 9

Unfortunately, this is the way things have been done in our country since the 50's. I do think more and more people are starting to wake up to that realization...even those in the GOP.

Answer 10

This is a prime example of how the government bureaucracy works. And you want health care from these guys?

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant: It's just that they know so much that isn't so."
- Ronald Reagan