SWIFT BOAT VETS AND PAT TILLMAN

These are two stories that won't go away. The first one is the infamous Swift
Boats Vets and how they were used for political purpose. John Kerry won't let it go! Somehow his honor is tied up in it. I understand. Did it cost him the Presidency? I don't think so. It is kind of like a last ditch field goal in a hard fought football game--wouldn't be a problem if the field goal was not the difference. The election was probably lost in other ways. If the contest had already been decided, the Swift Boat Vets would have been a non issue.

Regardless, the Swiftboat Vets were used at least as I see it. Although John Kerry's tour of duty and awards didn't fit a usual pattern, his awards were in order. And, if you know the military, nothing is left to chance in the awards arena: everything is verified--Witnesses have to be produced--no chance. The Swiftboat Vets, with their own agendas, either lied or didn't think. Had they been thinking, I would like to hope that they would have given a fellow vet the benefit of the doubt. They didn't. Their main funder, T Boone Pickins, appears to have switched course. Come on, John, LET IT GO!!!!!!

The second story that hangs on is the Tillman friendly fire incident. I get it. On the part of his Mother, who has authored a book--it has to be grief--we surely understand.

Nothing could or will replace her son. However, I doubt that blaming
his fellow Rangers, the Army, God, whoever will take care of the
grief. Having read lots of the material, official and otherwise, it
was an accident which may have been prevented. But, in war, all the scenarios are off the table. When you are in the fields of fire, anything can and does happen.

I don't know what happened. What I do think might have surfaced for some who were there, they wanted to preserve Sergeant Tillman's hero statue. In the Nam, we did it when we had too and nobody questioned it. Often, they could have. Being killed by the enemy is a heck of a lot better than killed by your own.

Did the Army lie? Probably, somebody did but it doesn't change anything. Grief is a powerful emotion and sometimes people have to do what they have to do to get past it. Could be this is what Ms. Tillman is doing. God bless her.