Posted by Silverfuel:

^http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/07/26/breaking-horrific-twist-in-pat-tillman-investigation/

From the AP:

SAN FRANCISCO -

Army medical examiners were suspicious about the close proximity of the three bullet holes in Pat Tillman’s forehead and tried without success to get authorities to investigate whether the former NFL player’s death amounted to a crime, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

“The medical evidence did not match up with the, with the scenario as described,” a doctor who examined Tillman’s body after he was killed on the battlefield in Afghanistan in 2004 told investigators.

The doctors - whose names were blacked out - said that the bullet holes were so close together that it appeared the Army Ranger was cut down by an M-16 fired from a mere 10 yards or so away.

In other words, Pat Tillman was most likely murdered in the field. In cold blood. By other US soldiers.

This must be what the Bush Administration was trying so desperately to hide behind their all purpose “Executive Privilege” shield. Read more…

I don’t have the words. Rage would be an understatement. To think that our f*#king president is using executive privilege to cover this up defies all sense of human decency. I can only hope that the nightmare the Tillman family has been put through will come to an end someday. Heads need to roll at the highest levels of both the military and the government…

what's supposed to have been their motivation in doing so?

Britain will take troops out of Iraq regardless of US, says PM
Tuesday, July 31, 2007

By Andrew Grice

Gordon Brown has paved the way for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq by telling George Bush he would not delay their exit in order to show unity with the United States.

After four hours of one-to-one talks with the US President at his Camp David retreat, Mr Brown told a joint press conference he would make a Commons statement in October on the future of the 5,500 British troops in the Basra region.

The Bush administration, under mounting domestic pressure to produce an exit strategy from Iraq, has been nervous that a full British withdrawal would add to the criticism. But Mr Brown made clear - and President Bush accepted - that Britain would go its own way, even if that gave the impression the two countries were diverging.

Mr Brown's willingness to pursue an independent British policy in Iraq will be seen as an important break with Tony Blair. Mr Brown said the two leaders had had "full and frank discussions" - diplomatic code for some disagreements.

President Bush heaped praise on Mr Brown after their first meeting since he became Prime Minister, playing down suggestions that Mr Blair's departure would weaken the strong US-UK partnership. Revealingly, Mr Brown did not return the personal compliments, instead focusing on the historic links between the two countries and predicting they would get even stronger. This reflected his desire for a more business-like relationship with the President, instead of the strong personal bond forged by Mr Blair.

The two leaders also had to paper over their different approaches on how to respond to terrorism. While maintaining a united front, Mr Brown told President Bush that the fight could not be won by military might alone, and called for a "Cold War-style" propaganda battle in the Muslim world.

Deliberately avoiding the phrase "war on terror," Mr Brown said: "Terrorism is not a cause but a crime - a crime against humanity." In contrast, the President spoke of "this war against extremists and radicals". But he said of Mr Brown: "There is no doubt in my mind that he understands the stakes in the struggle."

On Iraq, Mr Brown insisted Britain would honour its responsibilities but admitted there had been problems with political reconciliation and that the reconstruction effort had taken longer than expected.

He said that Britain's decision in the Basra region would be based on the military advice from its commanders on the ground. Later, British officials insisted that the departure timetable was not being accelerated and said it was too soon to speculate on the plans that would be set out in October. Initially, they would mean handing military control to the Iraqis and moving to "overwatch".

However, President Bush acknowledged that a British withdrawal could take place while the US remained in Iraq because, he said, decisions would be "results-orientated". He said America could be there for "a long time". He added that America's next moves would be decided after a report in September by General David Petraeus, the US commander in Iraq, on the "surge" of US troops in the Baghdad region.

But despite their differences over Iraq and terrorism, the two leaders agreed to work together to end the stalemate over a new world trade agreement, to resolve the crisis in Darfur and impose a new round of sanctions against Iran unless it halts its nuclear weapons programme.

Bush on Brown

"I would describe Gordon Brown as a principled man who really wants to get something done."

"Not a dour Scot ...not an awkward Scot...a humorous Scot."

"He's got a strong commitment to helping people realize the blessing of education. I thank you very much for that vision."

"He's a glass half full man."

[Referring to the death of Brown's 10 day old baby in 2002]

"He's a man who's suffered unspeakable tragedy - it's strengthened his soul.

I was impressed."
Brown on Bush

"We have had full and frank discussions. We have had the capacity and ability to meet yesterday for two hours to discuss person-to-person some of the great issues of our time."

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Posted by Marv:

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bush visiting the bridge collapse site. doesn't he look inspiring?

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Karl Rove to quit at end of AugustStory Highlights
NEW: Rove, Bush to speak Monday at 11:35 a.m. ET

It's the "right time to be giving more time to his family," spokesman says

Top White House adviser Karl Rove to quit at end of month, CNN confirms

President Bush's "architect" tells Wall Street Journal he "thinks it's time"


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Karl Rove, President Bush's senior political adviser, will voluntarily step down from his White House post at the end of the month, senior administration officials said Monday.


Karl Rove was dubbed by President Bush as "the architect."

"Obviously it's big loss to us, said Deputy White House press secretary Dana Perino. "He is a great colleague, good friend and a brilliant mind."

Perino said Rove "wouldn't be going if he wasn't sure this is the right time to be giving more time to his family."

The president and Rove are expected to speak before boarding Marine One at the White House at 11:35 a.m. ET. Bush will head to his Crawford, Texas, ranch where he will remain for the rest of the week.

Rove, who has held a top position in the White House since Bush took office in January 2001, is to stand down on August 31. Watch why the announcement is so significant »

"I just think it's time," Rove told the Wall Street Journal. "There's always something that can keep you here, and as much as I'd like to be here, I've got to do this for the sake of my family."

Bush nicknamed Rove "the architect" for creating the plan that won the White House in 2000 and 2004.

Rove told the newspaper that he would leave Washington to return to Texas and that he had first suggested the idea of leaving a year ago.


However a series of problems for the Bush administration, starting when the Democrats took control of Congress and then as immigration and the Iraq war topped the agenda, made the enormously powerful Rove stay on.

But one of Bush's most trusted advisors claimed his hand was forced when White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten announced that any senior staff that were working past Labor Day (September 3) would be expected to stay on until the end of Bush's term in January 2007.

A Bush loyalist to the end Rove, who instrumental in all aspects of the executive conservative agenda, told the Wall Street Journal that he expected the president's approval ratings to rise and that conditions in Iraq would improve due to the work of the U.S. military.


Rove also took the opportunity to fire a parting shot at the Democrats, adding that he thought Hillary Clinton -- a "tough, tenacious, fatally flawed candidate" -- would win the 2008 presidential nomination.

Loved by conservatives but a hate figure for many Democrats, Rove said he expected his rival party to be divided over the wireless wiretapping issue while the Republicans should come out top in economic issues closer to the 2008 poll. E-mail to a friend

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/08/13/rove.resign/index.html