I read the book about his life and death and it was very interesting. It was also depressing to see how someone that revered the ideals of America started to completely lose that faith in the process of serving his country.
He didn't get murdered. He was killed by a combination of rear echelon incompetence in ignoring the recommendations of those who had their boots on the ground in hostile territory ordering them to "tow" a broken-down humvee over brutal terrain and slowing them down drastically, poor communications/chain of command during the fog of war and most importantly incredibly poor decisions by a couple of his squad mates and one in particular.
I disagree that Tillman was unpopular with those he served with. He had the usual conflicts with soldiers that couldn't get it right and was opinionated and relatively intellectual compared to most, but a lot of them genuinely liked and respected him. Looked up to him. Suggesting he was murdered by people that couldn't stand him/hated him is incorrect based on Jon Krakauer's research for Where Men Win Glory. I'm satisfied that his is a fair appraisal of the situation and certainly more than the laughable versions offered by our military PR machine as they desperately tried to cover their asses without regard to Tillman's memory, his wife, his family and friends. And the american public.
He was a complex person by most accounts. That his death was a heinous cover-up is crystal clear.
It's a sick story in many ways, but reading it increased my respect for Pat Tillman a great deal.
