Stephen Colbert To Jon Krakauer: 'The NFL And Defense Department Are In Bed Together' (VIDEO)

In an interview on his show last night, Stephen Colbert told author Jon Krakauer, "When I read the title here, 'Where Men Win Glory,' I naturally thought it was about NASCAR." The book's central focus, however, could not be farther from the wholesome fun of car racing.

In fact, Krakauer's book, "Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman," uncovers the intricate -- and, at times, outrageous -- conspiracy surrounding the death of American solider and former football star Pat Tillman.

In April 2004 Tillman died by friendly fire in Afghanistan. The Bush Administration, Krakauer alleges, skewed this truth by awarding the former NFL player a Silver Star.

"The Silver Star was presented -- the story about Taliban charging the hill was concocted -- to avoid revealing to the American people that this was friendly fire," Krakauer said on "The Colbert Report" last night.

Still, Colbert asked: "Why talk about this?"

In an impassioned response, Krakauer railed, "How do you repay someone like Tillman? Who -- out of a sense of duty and patriotism -- he joined the army, and the guy's in the army.
The army itself hijacked his honor. How do you reconcile that?"