Washington – Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, making his first appearance on Capitol Hill since President Bush relieved him last year, denied Wednesday that he or top generals tried to cover up the “friendly fire” death of former football star and Army Ranger Pat Tillman in Afghanistan three years ago.
Rumsfeld, at times combative with lawmakers, acknowledged that he urged Pentagon colleagues to “keep an eye on” Tillman when the former Arizona Cardinals safety gave up a lucrative football contract to enlist in the Army. But he said he had no memory of when he first learned that Tillman’s death April 22, 2004, might have resulted from fratricide, instead citing the recollection of an aide who attended a meeting with Rumsfeld shortly before the real circumstances of Tillman’s death were made public.
“It was badly handled, and errors were made, but … I know that I would not engage in a coverup,” Rumsfeld told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, flanked by three current and retired generals.
“I know that no one in the White House suggested such a thing to me. I know that the gentlemen sitting next to me are men of enormous integrity and would not participate in something like that,” he said.
Tillman was killed just as the U.S. military was becoming increasingly bogged down in Iraq and as horrific allegations of abuse at Abu Ghraib prison were emerging.
The Bush administration initially portrayed his death as an act of heroism against the enemy.
Investigators found that the Army destroyed evidence, such as Tillman’s clothes; manipulated the story by saying he was engaged against the enemy when he died; and drew up a misleading Silver Star citation.
Earlier this week, Army Secretary Pete Geren announced that he had censured a retired three-star general for misconduct and had recommended that he be evaluated for a possible demotion.
The officer, Lt. Gen. Philip R. Kensinger Jr., refused to appear before the committee, but Rumsfeld; retired Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; retired Army Gen. John Abizaid, former commander of the U.S. Central Command; and Army Gen. Bryan Brown, former commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command, all testified under oath.
Members of Tillman’s family, including his mother, Mary, sat in the back of the hearing room.
“None of you feel that you’re personally responsible, but the system itself didn’t work,” Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., the committee chairman, said at the end of the hearing. “‘The system didn’t work,’ ‘errors were made’ – that’s too passive. Somebody should be responsible, and we’re trying to figure that out.”
