IT IS DIFFICULT to wrap the mind around the sheer pointlessness and stupidity of the efforts to hide the true stories of Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman.
Lynch is the soldier who was wounded and captured in Iraq when her convoy went astray and was ambushed. After her rescue, the Pentagon concocted a a story that claimed she was captured by the Iraqis only after having fought them to the last bullet. The truth was that she was too badly injured to resist and was captured without a fight.
Tillman was the rock-jawed football star who gave up a fat contract to join the Army Rangers and serve his country in Afghanistan. In one of those tragic incidents that are all too common in war, Tillman was shot and killed by other American troops who mistook him for the enemy. According to testimony before Congress last week, the Tillman cover-up began immediately, with soldiers on the ground ordered not to reveal the truth of the incident. One soldier testified that he was specifically ordered not to tell the truth to Tillman’s brother, who was serving nearby.
The lies about both Lynch and Tillman served as launching pads for elaborate public celebrations of their heroism. Because they were based on lies, those celebrations — including Tillman’s funeral — were also lies. They served no purpose other than to give politicians and military bureaucrats to opportunity to bask in reflected glory.
The lies did more than mislead the American public. They also devalued the very real service of Lynch and Tillman. By trying to make flesh-and-blood soldiers seem like action-movie stars, the lies said to the badly wounded Lynch, “Your sacrifice was not sufficient.” To Tillman’s family, the message was, “Your son and brother did not die bravely enough.”
What arrogance and what stupidity!
Jessica Lynch summed it up well in her testimony last week.
“The bottom line is the American people are capable of determining their own ideals of heroes,” she said, “and they don’t need to be told elaborate lies.”
Engrave those words deeply into all five sides of the Pentagon and weave them into the Oval Office carpet.
We have had too many lies.
Patrick S. Kelley
Editorial Page Editor
Comments
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daveedailey (anonymous) says...
Lies or no lies any service person deserves a medal, pay raises, decent insurance just for serving our country. The agony of military families not knowing where their loved ones are, is relentless. All military are heroes in my mind. It takes a special person to do the jobs they are assigned like it or not.We all need to remember and thank all of them for their courage. Being military and being a family of military, life is not a bed of roses.
May 1, 2007 at 12:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hjcary (anonymous) says...
Well Said Daveeedailey. I am brought to tears when I see news casts of people protesting the war at the funeral of a soldier. It is those soldiers that are giving those freaks the right to protest. We need to thank the soldiers whenever we can.
May 1, 2007 at 1:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bdprotheroe (anonymous) says...
I think what Mr. Kelley is saying is the "real heroes" of this military quagmire have not received the attention they deserve, while others have received the spotlight for falsehoods. And, I agree with "daveedailey" and "hjcary" that persons in the service deserve respect for placing their lives on the line. Our country learned a valuable lesson from the Vietnam War; whether or not we agree with the use of military force, we should always "support" our servicepersons and veterans.
As for the Iraq War, I'll be happy when it is over with. It was a mistake from the beginning, as a majority of Americans now believe. The new Congress sent President Bush a war funding package this past week, and tied to it is a timetable for bringing the troops home. Given the very unfavorable approval ratings for President Bush and this war, I think it is in his best interest to not veto this bill.
Come to think of it, is the US government still in pursuit of Osama bin Laden? Wasn't he the main reason our military went to the Middle East?
Brian Protheroe
San Francisco, CA
May 1, 2007 at 3:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mythoughts (anonymous) says...
Amen, amen, amen. What a mess! That man and his entire cabinet should be impeached.
May 1, 2007 at 4:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
daveedailey (anonymous) says...
If they would just leave things up to the special forces, they would have Osama in a minute. Due to political issues and a president that wants to keep this country in debt the war will continue. I do respect the office of the president but not the man. He is hurting our economy and many many families. He has not a clue what it takes for the average family (if there is such a thing any more) to make ends meet. Because of him and his lousy ideas and the money he needs in his pocket the rest of us suffer. He needs to live in the real working world. world
May 2, 2007 at 11:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )