Three Pentagon officials have told CNN that Army Secretary Pete Geren may recommend reducing Kensinger's rank to major general. http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/26/tillman/index.html As the probe draws to a conclusion Quote Retired Lt. Gen. Phillip Kensinger misled investigators when he said he did not know until after Tillman's 2004 memorial service that Tillman's death in Afghanistan was likely the result of "friendly fire," said acting Defense Department Inspector General Thomas Gimble. "We didn't find that credible. We found evidence that he knew in the April time frame," Gimble said Comments :-
Before this guy gets tried, sentenced, nailed to the wall, demoted, whatever....they should get a hold of reports from White House conversations on this Tillman death topic. There was some commentary on this....but the White House won't reveal it...even give it to Tillman's family. I got this sneaking suspiceon. Crazy sh!t comes down from the White House and is spread thru the government. If it gets REAL ugly....like Abu Ghraib....they make sure the responsibility falls on underlings. If it smells rosy....the White House takes credit. Of course nobody can know for sure because Bush has wrapped executive privelege around everything that goes on in the White House. It just smells bad....and it seems repetitive.
Evidently Retired Lt General Kinsmore was pitiful under testimony....being unnable to remember anything about which he was questioned. He may well lose significant benefits if found guilty. A strange penalty...but one nevertheless. There are startling accusations and questions about this case. Military doctors performed the autopsy and questioned whether Tillman was purposely shot by friendly fire, based on the bullets that killed him. There is controversy with regard to Tillman's last words. Tillman's mother wants to know what occurred and what the government knew. She merits this as a mother, a citizen, and in light of the fact that the government first spread the word that Tillman died a hero ....and only later revealed that he died in friendly fire. How exactly is the government involved in this mystery. Meanwhile....some ironies. Kinsmore testifies repeatedly that he can't remember anything....and looks like he'll get penalized on some basis. Bush's consigliore, Gonzalez, the Attorney General testifies before Congress that he can't remember squat about anything....and despite the fact that nobody in Congress believes him, despite the fact that his testimony is found consistently conflicted with that of others.....Bush's response.....Fredo STAYS..... Meanwhile back to Tillman. The White House sits on documents about the Tillman situation and won't reveal them citing " executive branch confidentiality". When the first request about Tillman surfaced and it was requested of the White House that they send their documentation about this situation.....The White House responded by sending copies of Press Clippings. The White House shows no respect for a soldier, a citizen, or his mother. What gives?
Today Retired Lt General Phillip Kensinger was censored and he may have his rank reduced....but there is a sneaking the suspiceon the White House or the top people of the Pentagon knew about this hoax and either: A). Directed the hoax in the first place B) Knew about the hoax and didn't do anything about it. Here is the chronology of events. Spring 2002. Pat Tillman leaves the NFL, where he had a $3.6 million dollar contract to play football for the Arizona Cardinals On his 2nd tour of duty, Pat Tillman was shot and killed on April 22, 2004. The Army issued a press release on April 30, 2004 about the death saying Tillman, was killed by friendly fire from fellow American soldiers. The soldiers within the unit knew this immediately but were suppressed from speaking on this issue. There was an immediate muzzling of soldiers in the unit. Leading American soldiers were aware that a hoax was occurring in very short order: On April 29, 2004 a memo was sent to the US Central Command notifying General Abizaid that he should contact the President to inform him that the press stories about Tillman were a hoax--that he didn't die in a heroic move but died from friendly fire. On May 1, 2004, President Bush referenced Pat Tillman at the Press Correspondents dinner--though did'nt get into details about dieing in a heroic effort. The event was televised. On 5/3/2004 Tillman's funeral was nationally televised. The supposed "heroic" way he died was referenced. As of this time Tillman's family did not know that he had died in friendly fire. Along with family and friends, Senator John McCain spoke and eulogized Tillman. None of them knew about the truth of Tillman's situation. The Press Conference and the Funeral were both scheduled and known as of 4/29 or 4/30 as the hoax was distributed. 5 weeks after Tillman died the Army reported that Tillman didn't die in the heroic action described above. It was determined he died in a friendly fire action. At this time the White House holds documents relative to Tillman but refuses to give them up to Congressional Oversight or the Tillman family. Some background on public perception during April and May of 2004 about the Conflict in Iraq: At this time the press was revealing a variety of events that disagreed with Bush administration proclamations about the progress of the War in Iraq. It was additionally an election year and Bush was running on "the war on terror". On 4/28 CBS broadcast the first photos from Abu Ghraid, on 4/29 a poll ran showing the President's approval rating on the war was falling, and on 4/30 Ted Koppel read the names of war dead...to challenge the administration's effort to keep the numbers, names and pictures of war dead hidden. Prior to that Paul Wolfewitz, then the #2 person at the Pentagon was discovered to have understated by 200 the number of American soldiers who had died in Iraq in testimony to Congress. The fact that the administration refuses to release any documents about this incident is a disgrace to the Tillman family, American soldiers, and the American public. It is absurd to see an Army trial wherein one retired General is blamed when the White House refuses to reveal documents about what they knew and when they knew it. For shame White House. For shame Bush!!!
In an interview with press from Arizona, Mary Tillman, Pat Tillman's mother called the Army Court Decision and condemnation of Lt. General Kensinger..... In this case the government has acted disgracefully with regard to a soldier (Tillman), his family, and the entire population by white washing this situation. Who came up with the false story? Who reviewed it? Who approved it? When did they know about it? Those are the real issues. The one thing we do know is that significant higher ups knew about the false story at least by 4/29/04 and nothing was done about it.