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Fort Hood Attack was an Act of war
"Fort Hood shooting: Texas army killer linked to September 11 terrorists
Major Nidal Malik Hasan worshipped at a mosque led by a radical imam said to be a "spiritual adviser" to three of the hijackers who attacked America on Sept 11, 2001."
Major Nidal Malik Hasan worshipped at a mosque led by a radical imam said to be a "spiritual adviser" to three of the hijackers who attacked America on Sept 11, 2001."
All the facts are not in yet, but it looks to me like Hasan chose sides and took action. Some will call it an act of terrorism. However, I think "terrorism" implies the killing of innocents for political reasons. This seems to me like a direct strike on the U.S. military. It was an act of war.
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Act of war by whom? Who do you invade when we already occupy Iraq and Afghaistan? He was born in Virginia, send up the drones?
Maybe Mexico?
November 7, 2009 8:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Guess what, war is messy. As in Vietnam, some will turn their guns on their fellow toops. This is war.
November 7, 2009 9:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe that presumption of any order and/or speculation as to his motivation is at best a waste of time and at worse contribute to another horrific tragedy.
It's best for all if we just wait for all the facts and spend our time instead on positive actions instead of negative reactions.
November 7, 2009 10:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I disagree.
You can wait until all the facts are in, but you might be waiting forever. Some facts will probably be classified and some facts will never be disclosed.
Meanwhile, while you are waiting for all the facts, the news media is busily creating the dominant spin. Public opinion is being shaped, while you wait forever.
There is plenty of evidence to contradict the prevailing media meme (He was a madman.) Hasan actions were motivated, at least in part, by religious/political beliefs.
November 7, 2009 10:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
No doubt as to your last sentence. But now that he is breathing on his own, I am waiting for some statement from him...hopefully.
That said, this was a horrific, senseless act done by a man whose very actions speak to his (ironically given his profession) own mental instability and total breakdown of anything condoned by his chosen religious sect. Along the same vent as the whacko that killed the doctor for doing abortions or the one who killed the guard at the Holocaust Museum. Insanity! Just proof that these crazed ones are among all groups, religious or otherwise.
November 7, 2009 11:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I suppose insanity is relative. It seems to me that he knew what he was doing.
It also seems that despite the fact that he was working among experts in the mental health field, nobody around him thought that he was crazy.
If he lives, his lawyers might try an insanity defense. Based on what I see so far, I don't see insanity. I see an act of war. (Of course, war is about the most crazy thing that human beings engage in.)
November 7, 2009 11:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Hasan is planning an insanity defense, he had best hope he isn't tried by a civilian court in Texas, where Andrea Yates was convicted of murder for killing her children, despite testimony and extensive medical evidence presented by expert psychiatrists that she had a long history of psychosis, including severe post partum depression, and was clinically psychotic at the time of the murders. (The conviction was later overturned on appeal).
November 8, 2009 12:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
This Hasan is not hoping for anything but death, (if he survives now that he did the deed) death sentence, life in jail, or mental institute for the criminally insane is meaningless he fully expected too be killed as a result of his actions, therefore, if he is tried he will accept whatever the verdict.
You can bank on it, the guy is clearly delusional and whether you like it or not he will not cry or beg for forgiveness.
November 8, 2009 3:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
There is no evidence of delusional thinking. There is no evidence of insanity.
There is a growing body of evidence that he strongly opposed the war on political/religious grounds. He knew exactly what he was doing.
November 8, 2009 3:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Your conclusion is supported by reports by those who knew him -
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kamran-pasha/a-muslim-soldiers-view-fr_b_348973.html
November 8, 2009 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
By your measure, Timothy McVeigh was not delusional either:
My goodness, the guy seems to be a picture of mental health.
November 8, 2009 1:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
That is not a picture of mental health. That is an individual coolly discussing mass murder via bomb. That is an individual who knew that there was a daycare facility in the building. That is an individual who knew that there were civilians that had no connection to the Waco events.
Like Bin Laden, McVeigh's accusations against the US government show a bit of truth... Gore Vidal made a point of mentioning McVeigh's clarity when condemning US acts of aggression. But, often those who recognize the problem are the least capable of knowing or implementing a solution. McVeigh's solution was to cut the gordian know of the US government by violence that killed innocent civilians.
That is a psychopath.
November 8, 2009 6:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly.
November 8, 2009 7:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's a tag team!
November 8, 2009 7:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes.
Thanks for spelling out what I failed to do by simply being sarcastic.
November 8, 2009 8:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's amazing how folks throw the word "evidence" around as if cable news had even a passing acquaintance with facts these days.
November 8, 2009 10:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Standing ovation for this comment! Perfectly stated! Thank you!
November 8, 2009 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Standing Ovation for the Standing Ovation. Thanks to you both. In the meantime my students from the mid-east are going to be subject to ridicule and isolation, if not worse, based on the worst kinds of speculation and generalization. I'm hoping for the best, but not expecting it.
November 8, 2009 12:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
So far I've not heard any indication that Hasan acted at the direction of or was instigated by any country or sovereign entity.
Therefore, it cannot be an "act of war".
It could be an act of terroism if his motivation was primarily to create a political reaction.
It could be a crime if he was simply intending to kill people that he saw himself at odds with.
November 8, 2009 12:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think you're full of shit.
To put it bluntly.
November 8, 2009 3:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your statement is an act of war. Can I be on your side?
November 8, 2009 5:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's no room for atheists in foxholes.
Or pigs.
November 8, 2009 8:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
If you make the foxhole big enough there is room for everyone; even people that make you want to puke.
But I have to wonder, Quinn, why you separate out atheists and pigs, both of which are of a very high order, as undeserving of ROOM.
Could it be because you have bad taste in music?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHj2cADTF4E&feature=player_embedded
sorry......
November 8, 2009 8:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Au contraire. Try not to let your cultural prejudices interfere with your judgment amigo. ;) Bonus war pig video.
November 8, 2009 8:24 PM | Reply | Permalink