Zach Bryan’s support for Palestinian resistance seems to confirm it: he and his band have quietly emerged as the most prominent critics of US imperialism in the music industry. Their stance adds new weight to guitarist Noah Le Gros’ decision last month to honor Pat Tillman — the NFL star who enlisted after 9/11 but was killed by his own men after he began criticizing the “illegal” Iraq war, which he declared “imperial folly.” On April 22, 2004, Tillman’s platoon was on a search-and-cordon mission in Afghanistan’s Khost province when US forces behind him began unloading at Tillman’s position. His last words were: "Cease fire, friendlies, I am Pat fucking Tillman, damn it!" He was then hit in the forehead with 3 tightly-grouped shots by a member of his own unit, from what pathologists later determined was a distance of 10 yards. Blatantly violating military procedures, his bloody uniform and all personal belongings were burned — including the diary where he’d begun openly questioning the morality of the US occupation. The official narrative claimed the items represented a “biohazard.” Members of his unit were also ordered to remain silent about the highly suspicious circumstances of his death. Army medical examiners, who submitted a written demand insisting on a Criminal Investigation Division probe into whether his death constituted homicide, were shut down by top military brass. In public, the military lauded Tillman as a war hero, claiming that he’d been cut down by the Taliban while charging up a hill to protect his platoon. The story was entirely fictitious. Behind closed doors, the Army found there was no evidence of enemy fire directed at Tillman or anyone near his position. On April 29, one week after Tillman’s killing, Gen. Stanley McCrystal sent the infamous “P4 memo” to the head of CENTCOM, stating that it was “highly possible” Tillman was killed by his own unit and insisting President Bush be informed. The next day, the Pentagon posthumously issued Tillman a Silver Star, lying in a statement that he had “put himself in the line of devastating enemy fire” when he was killed. The citation was produced before a single member of his unit was interviewed. A day after that, Bush continued the ruse, claiming to honor Tillman in a televised speech omitting any mention of the true circumstances of his death. For Tillman’s family, the timing was not a coincidence. On April 28, horrific photos were revealed showing the US military and CIA had been secretly torturing detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Tillman’s brother Kevin, who served in the same unit, later wrote: “Crucial evidence was destroyed, including Pat's uniform, equipment and notebook. The autopsy was not done according to regulation and the field hospital report was falsified.” “An initial investigation completed with eight to 10 days before testimony could be changed or manipulated, and which hit disturbingly close to the mark, disappeared into thin air and was conveniently replaced by another investigation with more palatable findings.” The real investigation was replaced by an extraordinarily deceptive report concealing the truth about Tillman’s killing. Per Tillman’s brother, “This freshly manufactured narrative was then distributed to the American public. And we believe the strategy had the intended effect: It shifted the focus from the grotesque torture at Abu Ghraib and a downward spiral of an illegal act of aggression to a great American who died a hero's death.” At the time of his killing, he was planning to meet with Noam Chomsky upon his return to the US. Instead of admitting the Army’s biggest star was gunned down at near point blank range by his own unit after correctly diagnosing the war as an imperialist occupation, his killing was weaponized manufacture consent for the invasion and to recruit more young Americans into the war machine. Thanks to Zach and his band, the next generation is learning the real story.