Say Anything Blog

The Army is reporting that Pat Tillman was likely killed by friendly fire.

AP - "While there was no one specific finding of fault, the investigation results indicate that Cpl. Tillman probably died as a result of friendly fire while his unit was engaged in combat with enemy forces," Lt. Gen. Philip R. Kensinger Jr. said in a brief statement to reporters at the Army Special Operations Command.

Kensinger said the firefight took place in "very severe and constricted terrain in impaired light" with 10 to 12 enemy combatants firing on U.S. forces.

A senior Pentagon official told The Associated Press it appeared the gunfire that killed Tillman came from a U.S. soldier, but since there were Afghan soldiers present also, it was not completely clear.

An Afghan military official told the AP on Saturday that Tillman died because of a "misunderstanding" when two mixed groups of American and Afghan soldiers began firing wildly in the confusion following an explosion.

Our military forces are so well trained and usually perform to such high standards of excellence that its difficult to believe that something like this can happen. But it does happen.

This doesn't make Pat Tillman any less of a hero. He died in action while leading his men. There's nothing in this report that should undermine that courage.