The U.S. Army: lying like Republicans

Apparently the Army is taking its cue from the Commander-in-Chief and his pals:

An Army Ranger who was with Pat Tillman when he died by friendly fire said Tuesday he was told by a higher-up to conceal that information from Tillman's family.

"I was ordered not to tell them," U.S. Army Specialist Bryan O'Neal told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

He said he was given the order by then-Lt. Col. Jeff Bailey, the battalion commander who oversaw Tillman's platoon.

Pat Tillman's brother Kevin was in a convoy behind his brother when the incident happened, but didn't see it. O'Neal said Bailey told him specifically not to tell Kevin Tillman that the death was friendly fire rather than heroic engagement with the enemy.

Oscar Wilde once said that life imitates art far more than art imitates life. I guess he was right. Can we expect Col. Bailey to shout that we can't handle the truth!!! in his best Jack Nicholson voice?

Friendly fire deaths are tragic. Lying to cover it up is unconscionable. More and more, I'm convinced that the reins of American government -- in all areas, not just the White House -- are held in toto not by moral and upright men and women, but by people who lie and cheat to get their way, or just in order to avoid looking bad. It's a government of image, not of leadership.

Perhaps Kevin Tillman put it best:

Kevin Tillman said his family has sought for years to get at the truth, and have now concluded that they were "being actively thwarted by powers that are more interested in protecting a narrative than getting at the truth and seeing justice is served."

January 20, 2009 is 637 days away. I hope we can survive as a nation until then.