Pat Tillman (ex-NFL player) killed in Afghanistan (merged)
I hate to hear this. Although I may not agree with all aspects of the war, I do respect someone who would give up his career of millions to do what he believes in. My prayers go out to his family.
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Media: you suck.
"Every person who died serving this great country is a Pat Tillman, they all gave up EVERYTHING, family, home and a relatively comfortable existance to give freedom to a place that has been oppressed for so manny years and at the same time defend our freedom"
that isnt exact but close, the transcript should be on the net tonight.
Untill today, the press has in my opinion treated deaths like a strange platform for political speach, now they are handling it in a reverant way, kootos to them for that, but when the next coffin isnt a celeb, is it back to nomal for the news services in this country? lets hope not.
Originally posted by rageous
What grinds me is that he never made a big deal about it, and did everything he could to not make himself a story. And the minute he dies the god damn media is all over it and making a big production of his death. Which is exactly the opposite of everything he stood for.
Media: you suck.
amen, but at least they arernt pissing on the tombstone by saying we should pull out (yet, primetime is still hours off)
I was walking home after work and saw the ticker on CNN run this by and I asked who's Pat Tillman?
"Tillman, who walked away from a $3.6 million contract as a safety with the Arizona Cardinals to join the military after the Sept. 11 attacks, was in an area where numerous U.S. troops have been killed in battles with suspected al Qaeda and Taliban fighters.
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I think this may have more of a twist to it than those coffin photos will. He died in a firefight in Afganistan. Yeah, we're still still fighting there too...He's a football star...[i]I[i] think he is a hero.
I feel that because he's one who died for a purpose...to get the real target we should aways have been looking for. Many others have too, but not one this popular.
Rest in Peace, Pat Tillman...our first war hero.
...timed out...hope I don't...
Originally posted by BuonRotto
I merged the two threads on this, even though Artman's original thread didn't have any replies. I thought his comment was worth getting in.
Thanks BuonRotto.
The whole point is that he's a popular and recognizable figure (did you see the photo with the article?). I'm not saying that his death was more important really, just newsworthy. I'm waiting for which candidate will come up with something...Bush could even use this...frightening.
My sympathies go out to the family.
Originally posted by Artman @_@
I feel that because he's one who died for a purpose...to get the real target we should aways have been looking for. Many others have too, but not one this popular.
Superb point. Can we argue that he died generally because of the war in Iraq- the unfortunate consequence of stretching our military resources too thin? Just a thought- one that applies to all soldiers fighting in Afghanistan.
Originally posted by ShawnJ
Superb point. Can we argue that he died generally because of the war in Iraq - the unfortunate consequence of stretching our military resources too thin?
You can but should you?
Originally posted by zaphod_beeblebrox
You can but should you?
Hell yes. This guy doesn't mean any more than any American, Iraqi or Afghanistani that has died in the past two years. He tried to be a hero and lost. I'd say he was misguided. We're now left without his abilities on the football field.
Originally posted by bunge
Hell yes...
I didn't ask you.
... This guy doesn't mean any more than any American, Iraqi or Afghanistani that has died in the past two years...
And I'm sure he would have been the first to agree with you but that has NOTHING to do with what Shawn or I asked.
I know a guy in the National Guard here who just got two weeks notice that he's going to Iraq for 18 months. He has a small business with three employees - lawn work - that's going to go under. He has a wife and two small children. Yeah, he knew this was possible when he signed up. But I get the feeling from talking to him that he feels quite differently about going to Iraq than he would have going to hunt down the perpetrators of 9/11.
Originally posted by bunge
Hell yes. This guy doesn't mean any more than any American, Iraqi or Afghanistani that has died in the past two years. He tried to be a hero and lost. I'd say he was misguided. We're now left without his abilities on the football field.
Bullshit. He was a volunteer in the truest sense of the word. It had nothing to do with socioeconomic conditions like so many recruits these days. It had nothing to do with signing up for a college education and hoping no war breaks out. And bullshit he wasn't misguided.
First point - Regardless of what I think of any of war generally, I do have admiration for someone who turns down millions to play in pro sport to do, instead, what he thinks is right ? and to do it in a way that does not seek any particular recognition or glory.
Second point ? Now almost three years after 9/11, I still sit here in wonder that the U.S., invaded Afghanistan, but then left it rather quickly to its own devices, with a relatively small force that plays little role in securing the country as a whole. Instead, they invaded Iraq and talk endlessly of rebuilding it and installing democracy there (although I don?t believe that these are their real motives). Why not spend billions rebuilding Afghanistan instead? Why not endless propaganda about building democracy in Afghanistan? Even immediately after 9/11, Afghanistan was seen as just an interim little skirmish on the road to the real goal, which was Iraq all along. The real reasons behind this are as complex and they are, in my view, unworthy, and we have all spend a lot of time debating them at length on these forums. Without getting into all of the reasons and the debate, let me just say that I am still amazed that the Administration actually invaded Iraq, and received a good deal of support for doing it. Meanwhile, Afghanistan has never really been secured and has been little rebuilt, and there is no indication that it is the intention of the U.S. to play much of a role in doing this. Just bloody amazing.
Originally posted by Scott
You are ignorant.
I think a better way to phrase that is "Your points ignore..."