Monday, August 13, 2007

Pat Tillman

The retired general being considered for demotion over his handling of the death of Pat Tillman now wants to speak. Don't know what he'll say but the blackout of coverage on this story on the right wing blogosphere is telling in light of the explosion over the Scott Thomas Beauchamp story. Tillman's military record is beyond reproach and the circumstances surrounding his death aren't likely to help further their Malkinesque military fetish. He was an atheist and opposed to the war in Iraq and unfortunately conducted himself in no way other than honorably.

Beauchamp it seems did as well but recorded conduct by himself and others which viewed through the lenses of an armchair conservative moralist looks... well unfortunate. The more unfortunate fact for them though is that none of it was illegal and certainly nothing but an indication of trivial insensitivity on the part of combat troops, who obviously have a bit more on their minds than choosing their words properly to suit the image of them that the Weekly Standard would like to peddle.

I can't help but think that if they really appreciated the sacrifices made by US military personnel then they would be able to have a slightly more nuanced view of them than something we might see in WWII recruitment films. They don't have a mature view of the military, the war, or the world in general and thus can brook no challenge.

2 comments:

flymorgue2 said...

"none of it was illegal and certainly nothing but an indication of trivial insensitivity on the part of combat troops"

Beauchamp had seen no combat when he was 'insensitive' to the disfigured woman. So much for the insensitivity of this example of 'combat troops.' And wearing a skull for a day comfortably and hilariously wedged under his helmet contravenes several military regulations and in that sense was 'illegal' and should elicit courtmartial proceedings or discipline.

Beauchamp is a dog that won't hunt for your purposes, as murky (or is that mature and nuanced?) as they are in this post. He has already signed a statement that his stories are false and has been disciplined and the only honorable thing he has done thus far is shut his trap. TNR is stuck on see/hear/speak no evil, despite a pipeline to Beauchamp (the staffer spouse). So while war is hell, Beauchamp's war is a tawdry little hell that exists only in his limited imagination.

freethoughtguy said...

Talk about cognitive dissonance ... a square-jawed war hero poster boy who is also a Bush-hating well-read atheist?