U.S. army cleared of coverup in Tillman's friendly fire death; "After fifth probe, Tillman family wants congressional hearings"

Army Ranger Pat Tillman

Comments from article at CBC News (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) article of March 26, 2007.

The U.S. army made critical errors while in handling the friendly fire death of an American soldier in Afghanistan, but there was no criminal wrongdoing, the military concluded Monday.

Investigators with the U.S. army and Defence Department concluded Monday that high-ranking officers who were looking into the incident at the time passed along misleading and inaccurate information. The officers also delayed reporting their belief that Tillman had been killed by friendly fire, said investigators, who released their findings in two reports.

Among the officers blamed is Lt.-Gen. Stanley McChrystal, a three-star general who was in charge of the army's special operations, the investigators said.

Reprint of complete article from "CBC.ca" available at "U.S. army cleared of coverup in Tillman's friendly fire death"

I just noticed another article from the "San Jose Mercury News" - "After fifth probe, Tillman family wants congressional hearings."

A couple of quotes:

Pat Tillman's family firmly rejected the Defense Department's findings Monday in the former NFL star's friendly-fire death, calling for congressional investigations into what they see as broad malfeasance and coverup.

But the military declined to press charges against the fellow Rangers who opened fire on Tillman, embracing those soldiers' defense that it was a terrible mistake in the fog of war.

"We base our beliefs on the relentless pattern of the Bush administration of deception, evasion, and spin in the conduct of the entire dual-occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan," the statement said.

"We remain convinced that the priority of the Pentagon was to prevent the public knowing that Pat was killed by the military's highest priority shock infantry unit," they said. "And that he was killed by a combination of shoddy leadership and clear violations of the Rules of Engagement, as well as violations of the Law of Land Warfare."

Reprint of complete article from "San Jose Mercury News" available at "After fifth probe, Tillman family wants congressional hearings"

PAX! Erin Go Braugh!