8/9/2019 "The [Untold] Tillman Story" Appendix G1 -- May 15, 2009 Diane Rhem Show (7/04/10)

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NPR DIANE RHEM SHOW: NEWS ROUNDUP - HOUR 2

Friday, May 15, 2009 - 11:06 a.m. 11 a.m. (ET) News Roundup - Hour 2

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The Friday News Roundup. The top American general in Afghanistan is replaced, a U-S soldier

is charged with killing five fellow servicemen in Iraq and North Korea sets a trial date for two

American journalists accused of hostile acts. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of

the week's top international news stories.

Guests:

Demetri Sevastopulo, Pentagon and intelligence correspondent, "Financial Times"

Barbara Slavin, journalist and author; former assistant managing editor for world and national

security at "The Washington Times."

Jonathan Landay, National security and intelligence correspondent for McClatchy Newspapers.

. . .

On May 15th

2009, I managed to (once again) call into the NPR Diane Rhem radio show during

her Friday News Round-up program. General McChrystals recent nomination was a topic ofconversation for her guest panelists [33:4534:57]:

Good morning Diane, Id like to raise the following question for your guests: has

Congress been protecting General McChrystal from hard scrutiny into his central role in

the Armys cover up of Pat Tillmans friendly fire death?

Senators Levin and McCain dont foresee any problem with General McChrystalsconfirmation as the new commander of the Afghanistan War. But, in her book, Mary

Tillman strongly criticized McChrystal: Not only is he lying about the circumstances

surrounding Pats death, he is proposing false language for the Silver Star narrative.

His statement indicates that no one had any intention of telling us, or the public, thatPat was killed by fratricide unless forced to do so.

Last May, McChrystals role in the handling of Tillmans fratricide was reviewed by the

Senate Armed Services Committee. Shortly afterward, about a year ago, I spoke to

Senator Jim Webb here on The Diane Rhem Show: Webb said, the Army knew thatthis was a friendly fire incident fairly quickly, [but] they did not tell the famil y, Im

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2009-05-15/news-roundup-hour-2http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2009-05-15/news-roundup-hour-2http://thedianerehmshow.org/audio-player?nid=1248http://thedianerehmshow.org/audio-player?nid=1248http://wamu.org/programs/order.php?time=1242407190&pid=2&title=News+Roundup+-+Hour+2&type=1http://wamu.org/programs/order.php?time=1242407190&pid=2&title=News+Roundup+-+Hour+2&type=1http://wamu.org/programs/order.php?time=1242407190&pid=2&title=News+Roundup+-+Hour+2&type=3&guid=/shows/2009-05-15/news-roundup-hour-2http://wamu.org/programs/order.php?time=1242407190&pid=2&title=News+Roundup+-+Hour+2&type=3&guid=/shows/2009-05-15/news-roundup-hour-2http://wamu.org/programs/order.php?time=1242407190&pid=2&title=News+Roundup+-+Hour+2&type=3&guid=/shows/2009-05-15/news-roundup-hour-2http://wamu.org/programs/order.php?time=1242407190&pid=2&title=News+Roundup+-+Hour+2&type=1http://thedianerehmshow.org/audio-player?nid=1248http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2009-05-15/news-roundup-hour-2

8/9/2019 "The [Untold] Tillman Story" Appendix G1 -- May 15, 2009 Diane Rhem Show (7/04/10)

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not sure where responsibility for that decision really lies, in terms of the chain of

command You cannot help but still feel angry about how his death was used.

I share Senator Webbs anger. But, I dont understand why Webb was unable to

determine where responsibility really lies.

[Note: unfortunately, Diane Rhem cut me off here, the following comment was not on the air]

General McChrystal was the central figure in the Tillman cover up and made thedecision to withhold knowledge of Tillmans fratricide from his family. And I dontunderstand why Congressman Henry Waxman allowed McChrystal to refuse to testify at

the House Oversight Committees 2007 Tillman Fratricide Hearing.

Five years ago, Pat Tillman was awarded a tarnished Silver Star. I believe it will be a

travesty if McChrystal is confirmed by the Senate, awarded his fourth star, and promoted

to the Armys highest-rank.

. . .

After my comment, the guests didnt address my question if Congress had been protecting

McChrystal. Barbara said the Silver Star narrative and P4 memo was troubling. Diane Rhem

said we need to clear up when the Silver Star is awarded.

At the end of the program, Diane Rhem said they had received a lot of emails on fact that Silver

Star is an award for valor, but it does not require that the recipient be receiving enemy fire .