Dead soldier's brother accuses US military of lying

Pat Tillman’s brother accused the US military today of “intentional falsehoods” and “deliberate and careful misrepresentations” in portraying the American professional American football star’s death in Afghanistan as the result of heroic engagement with the enemy instead of friendly fire.

“We believe this narrative was intended to deceive the family but more importantly the American public,” Kevin Tillman told a House Government Reform and Oversight Committee hearing.

“Pat’s death was clearly the result of fratricide,” he said.

Tillman’s death received worldwide attention because he had walked away from a huge million-dollar contract with the National Football League’s Arizona Cardinals to enlist in the US Army after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The committee’s chairman, Rep Henry Waxman, a Democrat, accused the government of inventing “sensational details and stories” about Pat Tillman’s death and the 2003 rescue of Jessica Lynch in Iraq.

“The bottom line is the American people are capable of determining their own ideals of heroes and they don’t need to be told elaborate tales,” Lynch said.