The Friday Night Dump ... or ... Filching the News

posted by The Sailor @ 7:30 PM Permalink

Desecrating Tillman

Tillman Memo Contradicted Citation

Just a day after approving a medal claiming former NFL player Pat Tillman had been cut down by ``devastating enemy fire'' in Afghanistan, a high-ranking general tried to warn President Bush that the story might not be true
[...]
McChrystal acknowledged he had suspected several days prior to approving the Silver Star citation on April 28, 2004, that Tillman may have died by fratricide.

He said that suspicion led him to send a memo to top generals imploring ``our nation's leaders,'' specifically ``POTUS'' - the acronym for the president - to avoid cribbing the ``devastating enemy fire'' explanation from the award citation for their speeches.

``Why did you recommend the Silver Star one day and then the next day send a secret back-channel message warning the country's leaders about using information from the Silver Star in public speeches because they might be embarrassed if they do?'' an investigator asked McChrystal.
[...]
McChrystal was the highest-ranking of nine officers Gimble recommended be ``held accountable'' for their involvement in the aftermath of Tillman's death.

But the Army cast that aside Tuesday when it overruled the Pentagon's recommendation.

Republican Hypocrisy (kinda redundant, ain't it?)
Republicans twice lost a House vote on Friday on an immigration bill and weren't happy about it:

Republicans Angry Over House Vote

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., moved for a revote as permitted under the rules, and Democrats prevailed again.
[...]
``Never once did we in the majority attempt to steal a vote,'' Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., said Friday.

Jeebus, is he joking? The Rethugs had a Schiavo midnight vote, a 3am to 6am hyperextended arm twister on Medicare, and the the ill conceivedPatriot Act Vote that they pressured into law, are just a few examples. All the Dems did was close the voting, then apologised for closing the voting and then reopened the voting. And the Dems won again.
Wah, wah, wah, what a bunch of whiners these rethugs are when treated better that they ever treated the Dems.

A Gear Reduction

Top Marine Sees Gear-Provision Flaws

The system for ensuring Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan receive badly needed war-fighting equipment has ``not been perfect'' and is being improved, says the top Marine Corps general.
[...]
Marines returning from Iraq several months ago estimated that of more than 100 ``urgent'' requests for equipment from units between February 2006 and February 2007, less than 10 percent were fulfilled.
[...]
The AP reported in May that a document from Marines just returning from Iraq - laying out a case for quicker action to get better equipment - was to be presented in March to senior officials in the Pentagon's defense research and engineering office. But the session was canceled by Marine Corps leaders because its contents were deemed too contentious.

The top Marines feel a briefing is 'too contentious?' WTF!? They can murder civilians but a briefing about saving lives is TOO F**KING CONTENTIOUS!?

Hmm, usually I feel better after a dump.



Cross posted at SteveAudio

Labels: Friday Night Dump