Pat Tillman Tribute by Brother Kevin: US Faking Virtue, Profiting from Tragedy in Iraq

Pat Tillman would've been 30 years old on November 6, 2006. But Pat died in 2004.

Inspired by the President's call for patriot-soldiers to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, he bypassed a three-year $3.6 million NFL contract, and instead, enlisted in the US Army in late 2002, along with brother Kevin, who bypassed a career in professional baseball.

The Tillman brothers trained to be part of the elite Army Rangers, and were deployed as part of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Pat was redeployed to Afghanistan, where he was killed by "friendly fire" on April 22, 2004 by three shots to the head.

For months, the Tillman family was misled by Army brass about the circumstances of Pat's death. His parents were told that he died a hero, shot by the enemy. After the truth prevailed, Mrs. Tillman told the Washington Post, "The fact that he was the ultimate team player and he watched his own men kill him is absolutely heartbreaking and tragic. The fact that they lied about it afterward is disgusting."

Kevin Tillman's Tribute to Pat's 30th Birthday
Kevin Tillman was discharged from the Army in 2005. To commemorate Pat's 30th birthday, Kevin wrote a poignant and searing post on October 19, 2006 for TruthDig.

Here are a few of Kevin Tillman's powerful words (and a touching photo of the two soldier-brothers), speaking the damning truth in honor of his fallen brother:

Somehow American leadership, whose only credit is lying to its people and illegally invading a nation, has been allowed to steal the courage, virtue and honor of its soldiers on the ground.

Somehow those afraid to fight an illegal invasion decades ago are allowed to send soldiers to die for an illegal invasion they started.

Somehow faking character, virtue and strength is tolerated.

Somehow profiting from tragedy and horror is tolerated.

Somehow the death of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people is tolerated...

Somehow torture is tolerated.

Somehow lying is tolerated... "

PLEASE take the time to respect Pat Tillman's 30th birthday by reading Kevin Tillman's Truthdig post, After Pat's Birthday.

And be sure to read Iraq War Statistics and Results as of October 18, 2006, which includes many new and sadly surprising stats.