When do we as individuals draw the line with the media and our government. Free speech is a right that all American's hold dearly. However, when our country is at war and let's make no mistakes here we are at war with an enemy that will not show itself as a nation state then all rules of previous war's are challenged from a planning perspective.
The media is tipping the ratio of news (Good to Bad) in a way that sells stories. This is their job as they would tell us. What happened with this tragic accident cannot go without review. It is never OK to have friendly fire harm our own soldiers or any innocent civilians caught in the cross fires of war. But this is war. This article looks at the "cover up" aspects but I believe there is more to this than just a cover up.
The Tillman family and friends needed closure and the military chose at the time to alter what appears to be the truth. I only say appears as I'm not sure the military has taken an official position here. If I'm not current on this I apologize to all reading my view of the story. Witnesses testifying clearly stated their belief's that this was an orchestrated cover up by the management of the military. So, we have to ask the question, why? There is an old saying, "the truth can be repeated over and over", so why not tell it the way it happened.
I believe the military, at the time of this accident, was in a position where they believed this story would cause more American families to withdraw support for the war effort and perhaps chose the path that it appears they did. I'm not here to say I agree with that but I am trying to put some level of reason as to why the truth would not be told. Tilman was a brave soldier from all accounts. He gave up millions of dollars personally in the NFL to support the war effort at all costs.
This man deserves the truth and closure for his family. It is my belief that the military was weighing the overall impact of the American judgement of the war versus the accuracy in the review of the horrible accident. It's sad, he won't come back from this review but going forward all sides must clearly take note of how this is being handled.
