15 November 2009
By Stephen
Lendman
A personal note. This writer was stationed at Fort
Hood in summer 1956, a quiet time, post-Korea and
pre-Vietnam, when terrorism and Islamophbia weren't
issues, and shooting only happened on firing ranges to
learn and improve marksmanship.
On November 5, The New Times headlined, "Mass Shooting
at Fort Hood, saying:
"the Army confirms that the gunman (thought to be
killed) was Army Major Malik Nadal Hasan. Reports said
12 were dead (raised to 13, including one civilian)
and 31 others wounded from an incident at the base
Readiness Processing Center where troops prepare for
deployment. Two other soldiers were detained as
suspects. Another was believed at large. The shooting
began about 1:30PM after which Fort Hood was locked
down."
CNN reported over 100 rounds fired. Some military
retirees were skeptical, calling it bogus. An
unidentified Army captain said it's impossible for a
non-combatant like Hasan to fire that much with two
pistols without being subdued. He'd have had to reload
giving someone a chance to do it. Others said the same
thing.
Sergeant Donald Buswell called the official story
illegitimate saying a room full of combat veterans
wouldn't let one shooter do this kind of damage.
"Multiple shooters is the only plausible scenario.
This sounds like Major Hasan has been used, and
perhaps is a patsy." Vietnam veteran Michael Gaddy
said the Army's version doesn't compute. "People on
the ground have told me cell phone towers were jammed
to prevent unauthorized dissemination of information
after the shooting."
Citizens for Legitimate Government (legitgov.org) said
"Hasan's neighbors, medical trainers, colleagues,
friends, cousin, uncle, grandfather - even the store
owner where he bought his food - all....praise(d his)
temperament. This appears to be a psy-ops, six ways to
Sunday." His grandfather called the act "impossible.
He is a doctor and loves the US. America made him what
he is."
Early November 5, the day of the incident, "he showed
no signs of worry or stress when he stopped at (a)
7-Eleven for his daily breakfast of hash browns, said
Jeannie Strickland, the store's manager....(there was)
nothing weird, nothing out of the ordinary."
The FBI and Pentagon investigated alleged contacts he
had with a "Yemen-based militant" over the past year
after intelligence agencies reported emails he
exchanged with imam Anwar al-Awlaki, known for his
anti-American teachings. Al-Awlaki was once spiritual
leader at the suburban Virginia mosque where Hasan
worshipped. The communications suggested nothing out
of the ordinary. Yet Charles Allen, former Bush
administration Under Secretary for Intelligence and
Analysis, described Al-Awlaki (with no proof) as an
"al-Qaeda supporter..who targets US Muslims with
radical online lectures encouraging terrorist attacks
from his new home in Yemen.
Members of two Joint Terrorism Task Forces contacted
Hasan's superiors, reviewed his military records and
computer for suspicious activity and found nothing.
Yet Senator Joe Lieberman told Fox News (Sunday,
November 8) that "strong warning signs" showed he was
an "Islamic extremist," and two officials said on ABC
News that intelligence authorities knew he tried to
contact suspected al Qaeda members. On November 11,
Senator John McCain called the tragedy an "act of
terror."
Congressman Pete Hoekstra (R. MI ranking House
Intelligence Committee member) plans an investigation
on "homegrown Jihadism." He sent a preservation order
to the FBI, CIA, NSA, and DNI chiefs directing them to
save relevant documents for his committee's review.
A November 7 UK Telegraph report linked Hasan to three
9/11 "hijackers" because Al-Awlaki was their
"spiritual advisor." The FBI will now check if he met
them. Telegraph writers Philip Sherwell and Alex
Spillius said "the army missed an increasing number of
red flags that Hasan was a troubled and brooding
individual within its ranks." It quoted an unnamed
source warning military officials that he was a
"ticking time bomb" after he allegedly defended
suicide bombers, expressed anti-Jewish sentiments, and
claimed the "war on terror" is a war against Islam. So
do many others.
ABC News said Hasan "wanted out of the Army after
being constantly harassed by others in the military
and was called a 'camel jockey,' his family said. As
(he) was about to be deployed to (Afghanistan), he was
suffering from some of the same stresses that he was
trained as an Army psychiatrist to treat." As a
result, he hired a lawyer to help him get out of the
Army.
A London Guardian article cited base commander, Lt.
Gen. Robert Cone, saying Hasan shouted "Allahu Akbar"
(God is great) before shooting. One of his colleagues,
Col. Steven Braverman, said he did his job well. There
were no signs of trouble. "We had no problems with his
job performance while he was working with us." But he
was "mortified by the idea of" deploying to
Afghanistan, according to his cousin Nader. "He had
people telling him on a daily basis (about) the
horrors they saw over there."
More from The New York Times
On November 5, writer James Dao headlined, "Suspect
Was 'Mortified" About Deployment....because he knew
all too well the terrifying realities of war,"
according to his cousin Nader Hasan.
Earlier, the FBI "became aware of Internet postings by
a man calling himself Nidal Hasan....but the
investigators were not clear whether the writer was
Major Hasan. In one posting (he) compared the heroism
of a soldier who throws himself on a grenade to
protect fellow soldiers to suicide bombers who
sacrifice themselves to protect Muslims." The emailer
said:
"If one suicide bomber can kill 100 enemy soldiers
because they were caught off guard that would be
considered a strategic victory."
"It could not be confirmed, however, that the writer
was Major Hasan."
On November 8, writers James McKinley Jr. and James
Dao headlined, "Fort Hood Gunman Gave Signals Before
His Rampage," saying "relatives and acquaintances
(said) tensions that led to the rampage had been
building for a long time....In recent years, he had
grown more and more vocal about his opposition to the
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and tortured over
reconciling his military duties with his religion."
He was "a troubled man full of contradictions (who)
complained bitterly to people at his mosque about the
oppression of Muslims in the Army. He had few friends,
and even (some who knew him said he was) a strange
figure...."
On November 9, writers David Johnston and Scott Shane
headlined, "US Knew of Suspect's Tie to Radical
Cleric....known for his incendiary anti-American
teachings....Given (his) radical views," Congress will
likely investigate potential links to terrorism.
The Times' David Brooks said political correctness
clouded the reporting, portraying Hasan:
"as a victim of society, a poor soul who was pushed
over the edge by prejudice and unhappiness....This
response was understandable. But it was also
patronizing. Public commentators assumed the air of
kindergarten teachers who had to protect their
children from thinking certain impermissible and
intolerant thoughts."
On November 10, writers Peter Baker and Clifford
Krauss headlined, "President, at Service, Hails Fort
Hood's Fallen (in assuming) the role of national
eulogist (and leading) the country in mourning...."
In shamelessly promoting America's imperial wars,
ahead of new troop deployments, Obama referred to:
"....trying times for our country. In Afghanistan and
Pakistan, the same extremists who killed nearly 3,000
Americans continue to endanger America, our allies,
and innocent Afghans and Pakistanis. In Iraq, we are
working to bring a war to a successful end, as there
are still those who would deny the Iraqi people the
future that Americans and Iraqis have sacrificed so
much for." Fort Hood's fallen soldiers "reaffirm the
core values that we are fighting for (to give) others
half a world away the chance to lead a better life."
The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder said it's "The Best
Speech Obama's Given Since....Maybe Ever. Today, at
Ft. Hood. I guarantee: they'll be teaching this one in
rhetoric classes. It was that good."
The New York Times called it "soaring rhetoric."
Political Wire.com said it's his best speech ever.
Attending politicians from both parties agreed that he
touched all the right points. Other media comments
expressed strong undertone support for America's
imperial wars and need to fight terrorism.
More Islamophobic Response
On November 6, in Rupert Murdoch's New York Post,
retired Army Lt. Col. Ralph Peters headlined, "Fort
Hood's 9/11" calling it "the worst act of terror on
American soil since" that day. "This was a terrorist
act. When an extremist plans and executes a murderous
plot against our armed forces to protest our efforts
to counter Islamic fanatics, it's an act of terror.
Period."
From the Wall Street Journal:
-- On November 10, Evan Perez and Keith Johnson
headlined, "Hasan, Radical Cleric Had Contact (but it)
Didn't Raise Red Flags to US Authorities; and
-- editorial writer Dorothy Rabinowitz's same day
op-ed saying, "His (Hasan) terrorist motive is obvious
to everyone but the press and Army brass."
The press? Apparently Rabinowitz doesn't read her own
paper that wreaks with innuendoes and accusations.
From the dominant media as well.
From the Washington Post:
-- lots of inflammatory reporting and a November 12
editorial headlined, "In plain sight?" It mentions the
same "red flags" saying, "In isolation, they may have
appeared less than actionable. Unfortunately, (the
Fort Hood) tragedy....linked the puzzle pieces. (So)
it's fair to ask whether red flags should have become
red alerts." The editorial's conclusion - "A serious
investigation must probe these issues, among others."
On November 10, Newsmax.com's Ronald Kessler said "10%
of US mosques preach jihad," according to FBI
estimates. "That sums up the problem facing us as we
ponder the meaning of (Hasan's) slayings of 13 people
at Fort Hood, Texas. Given his association with a
pro-al-Qaida imam in northern Virginia and his
preoccupation with radical Islamic Web sites, it's
clear that the radical element of Islam influenced
Hasan."
From right-wing ideologue Michelle Malkin:
-- The "military's blind pursuit of diversity allowed
Fort Hood shooting" to happen. "Fort Hood jihadist
Maj. Nidal Hasan made his means, motive and
inspiration clear for those willing to see and hear."
On November 9 on The 700 Club, Pat Robertson used the
tragedy to vilify Islam, calling it:
-- a "violent religion," then adding, "Islam is not a
religion, it is a political system....bent on world
domination;" and added
-- "Muslims should be treated like "members of the
Communist Party (or) some fascist group."
On November 10, CNN's Lou Dobbs said:
"Tonight, the
government faces tough questions. Intelligence
agencies now (admit) they knew (Hasan) had terrorist
ties almost a year ago. Why were there no
investigations....Warning signs (were) ignored. Red
flags (were) missed."
He referred to a December 2008 "bombshell" revelation
that he was communicating with a Yemeni cleric and
other "red flags ignored....Could the Fort Hood
massacre have been prevented?"
Under pressure from critics, Dobbs announced his
resignation on November 11. According to New York
Times writers Brian Stelter and Bill Carter:
Months ago CNN president Jonathan Klein "offered (him)
a choice. (He) could vent his opinions on radio and
anchor an objective newscast on television, or he
could leave CNN."
The article said Dobbs met with Fox News head Roger
Ailes in September. Perhaps that's where he's headed.
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) was one of his
most vocal critics. On November 12, it issued the
following statement:
"Last night, CNN anchor Lou Dobbs announced his
departure from the network. As you know, we've been
highly critical of (him) because he has used his
platform to spread myths and propaganda - poisoning
the debate over immigration reform and inciting fear
and hate against Latinos.
The SPLC was one of the first groups to bring public
attention to Dobbs' use of false information provided
by racist hate groups....we took a stand (to fire
him), and our actions made a difference."
On November 10, Fox News' Bill O'Reilly's "Talking
Points" featured "The Truth About Major Nidal Malik
Hasan's (attempt) to contact associates of Al Qaeda.
If true, that's huge. Why would the Army allow any
soldier to serve under those circumstances?" Later in
the broadcast he added: "I have the highest rated
show. I've decided it was an act of terrorism."
On November 9, Fox News' Sean Hannity asked what the
tragedy says "about Barack Obama and our government."
The same day on Fox News, right-wing columnist Charles
Krauthammer said:
"Surprise, surprise, that somebody who shouts Allahu
Akbar (God is great) as he shoots up a room of
soldiers might have Islamist motives in doing that. I
think the real moral scandal....is trying to
medicalize mass murder."
On his November 9 radio show, Rush Limbaugh also
blamed Obama for the Fort Hood shootings saying:
"We could almost say this is Obama's fault, because
this guy (Hasan) said he believed Obama was going to
get us out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama hasn't done
it, and that's one of the reasons why the guy
cracked....I am sure they're not going to call this
(a) hate crime....but let's not forget this man had no
problem with killing people. (He's) not a pacifist
(or) a conscientious objector. He didn't like
Americans in Afghanistan or Iraq."
AP headlined, "Who knew of Fort Hood suspect's radical
contacts (in suggesting) opportunities were missed to
head off the massacre in which 13 died and 29 others
wounded last Thursday."
National Public Radio's (NPR) Daniel Zwerdling called
Hasan "cold (and) unfriendly," according to a fellow
psychiatrist "who worked very closely with (him) and
knows him very well....the medical staff was very
worried about this guy....He did not do a good job in
training, was repeatedly warned, you better shape up,
or, you know, you're going to be in trouble....more
relevant (was that) he was very proud and upfront
about being Muslim....he seemed almost belligerent
about (it), and he gave a lecture one day that really
freaked a lot of doctors out....he was the kind of guy
who the staff actually stood around in the hallway,
saying: Do you think he's a terrorist, or is he just
weird?"
NPR's Steve Inskeep called Hasan "disturbed" and
"disliked."
On Public Broadcasting's (PBS) News Hour, Gwen Ifill
discussed his "extremist" views and "ties" to a
"radical cleric" with Washington Post writer, Dana
Priest. Focusing on her November 10 article titled,
"Fort Hood suspect warned of threats within the
ranks," she explained his late June 2007 Power Point
presentation to supervisors and other physicians and
mental health staff expressing "a quite radical view
of Islam and the Koran, with warnings throughout that
Muslims (will be conflicted) if they are asked to
fight and kill other Muslims...."
Titled, "The Koranic World View As It Relates to
Muslims in the US Military," Priest stressed elements
like:
-- guilt feelings and religious conflicts facing
Muslims in the military;
-- offensive jihad, or holy war;
-- Hasan saying: "If Muslim groups can convince
Muslims that they are fighting for God against
injustices of the 'infidels;' ie, enemies of Islam,
then (they) can become a potent adversary; ie, suicide
bomb(ers), etc;
-- another comment saying: "We love death more than
you love life;" and
-- under conclusions, writing: "Fighting to establish
an Islamic State to please God, even by force, is
condoned by Islam (and) Muslim soldiers should not
serve in any capacity that renders them at risk to
hurting/killing believers unjustly."
Not addressed in Priest's article was the following:
-- Muslims' objections to the Iraq and Afghanistan
wars;
-- out-of-date Pentagon information about Muslim
attitudes in the military;
-- over 4,000 armed forces members are Muslims, not
the media-reported 2,000 - 3,000 number;
-- most are African Americans, so it raises troubling
implications about extending imperial wars to Africa
using black Americans to fight them; and
-- more than 3,000 armed forces members converted to
Islam while stationed in the Persian Gulf in the
1990s.
Priest mentioned Hasan's recommendation urging the
Defense Department to release Muslims as conscientious
objectors "to increase troop morale and decrease
adverse events."
Reporter Ray Suarez painted a "conflicting portrait
(of the) accused Fort Hood gunman," devout, quiet,
hardly known or understood by his neighbors,
disenchanted with the military, and eager to get out.
He cited the Council on American-Islamic Relations'
Ibrahim Hooper saying his BlackBerry buzzed with
hostile messages, "one calling for all-out war on
Islam."
BBC highlighted Hasan's "contact with a radical cleric
(known to be) sympathetic to al-Qaeda (and for)
run(ning) a website denouncing US policy. It praised
Major Hasan's alleged actions at Fort Hood as heroic."
Darren Hutchinson's Dissenting Justice blog asked why
Hasan wasn't fired for his views when gay and lesbian
soldiers are on grounds of their sexual orientation,
saying:
"Apparently, the military retained a person who
suffered from known (or reasonably discoverable)
psychological problems and who attempted to contact an
anti-US terrorist group. Meanwhile, the military
continues to enforce Don't Ask, Don't Tell and to
discharge mentally fit and loyal gay and lesbian
service members...Hasan's religious views were
prominent, if not exclusive factors for why he
slaughtered fellow American soldiers. The motives
appear as clear as any could be."
Real Clear Politics' Debra Saunders referred to an
"unstable person (immersed) in extremist ideology
before he turned his rage on his fellow man."
On November 11, an Islamophobic NEFA Foundation Alert
headlined, "Afghan Taliban Celebrate Ft. Hood
Massacre," saying it:
"issued a new official communique in response to the
massacre at Ft. Hood....titled, 'The Attack in Texas
Is A Proof On The Disagreement Among American Soldiers
Over The War,' the Taliban celebrated the 'fight and
trance and enormous fears within the military and
civil circles in America' caused by the incident."
Referring to Hasan as a "hero," it warned that if the
US doesn't withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan, "it
will become normal for (similar) incidents and attacks
(to) expand to the Pentagon and the rest of the
American military bases...."
Instances of Violence in the Military
On November 9, New York Times writers Michael Moss and
Ray Rivera headlined, "At Army Base, Some Violence Is
Too Familiar," citing past examples from combat
stress:
-- after returning to Fort Hood in 2008, Sgt. Gilberto
Mota shot his wife Diana, an Army specialist, and took
his own life;
--in July, two returning First Cavalry Division
members were at a party when one killed the other; and
-- the same month, Sgt. Justin Lee Garza,
over-stressed from two deployments, shot himself in a
friend's apartment outside Fort Hood four days after
being told no therapists were available for
counseling.
The article said "Reports of domestic abuse have grown
by 75 percent since 2001, (and) violent crime in
(adjacent) Killeen has risen 22 percent...." Other
stresses showed up in 76 Fort Hood suicides, 10 in
2009. Overall, record numbers of them are occurring,
likely more than officially reported, as well as on
average 10 failed attempts for each lost life. The
reasons - extended, repeated combat zone deployments
causing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and
severe depression.
In January, the Veterans Affairs Department (VA)
reported 178,483 Iraq and Afghanistan vets diagnosed
with mental illness between 2002 and September 2008.
Included were cases of PTSD, depression, neurotic
disorders, and psychoses, as well as drug abuse and
alcoholism. A 2008 RAND Corporation study estimated
that 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan vets (or 350,000
people) suffered from PTSD, nearly double the VA
figure. In addition, up to 18 US veterans of foreign
wars commit suicide daily - over 6,500 annually. The
numbers are troublesome and unreported by the major
media supporting calls for more troops.
The Times said interviews with Iraq and Afghanistan
vets and with family members of those killed in Texas
show that the Army hasn't dealt with this crisis.
"Even some alarm bells rung by the Army leadership
have gone unanswered." Open-ended billions go for
militarism and imperial wars. Appallingly little helps
the young men and women fighting them when they most
need it.
The Fort Hood tragedy is a profound "red alert"
indictment of America's imperial wars and the immense
human cost to soldiers and non-combatants alike.
Fragging in Vietnam
War-induced stress sparks violence in the ranks.
Fragging was the Vietnam term for rank-and-file
soldiers killing NCO and officer superiors by
fragmentation grenades, shootings, and other means.
According to Texas A&M historian, Terry Anderson, the
Army knew of at least 600 officer cases from 1969 -
1973, plus "another 1,400 who died mysteriously." He
believes that late in the conflict, the Army was more
at war with itself than the Vietnamese.
Congressional hearings in 1973 estimated that from
1961 - 1972 up to 3% of NCO and officer deaths were
from fragging by fragmentation grenades alone. Many
others were by "handguns, automatic rifles, booby
traps, knives, and bare hands (by) increasingly pissed
off enlisted men."
Writing in 1971, a Col. Heinl said:
"The morale, discipline and battleworthiness of the US
Armed Forces are....lower than anytime in the century
and possibly in the history of the United States. By
every conceivable indicator, our Army that remains in
Vietnam is in a state of approaching collapse, with
individual units avoiding or having....refused combat,
murdering their own officers and NCOs, drug-ridden and
dispirited when not mutinous."
Despite today's all-volunteer force, the longer
America's wars go on, the closer a similar state
approaches critical mass because of declining moral,
repeated deployments, combat stress, battle fatigue,
and what Vietnam vet Steve Hesske wrote in 2003 on
newdemocracyworld.org:
the "negative universals in all warfare. Lousy
nutrition. Cramped, dirty, awful living conditions.
Terrible weather. Unreasonable often senseless demands
made by superiors. And what Michael Herr describes in
DISPATCHES (as) 'long periods of boredom punctuated by
moments of stark terror.' "
Leaving Iraq occupied, letting conditions there
fester, and expanding the Afghan-Pakistan theaters
promise enough growing resentment in the ranks to
perhaps cause the type Vietnam breakdown Col Heinl
described. One no Islamophobic media response can hide
or prevent.
Stephen Lendman is a Research Associate of the Centre
for Research on Globalization. He lives in Chicago and
can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also
visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and
listen to The Global Research News Hour on
RepublicBroadcasting.org Monday - Friday at 10AM US
Central time for cutting-edge discussions with
distinguished guests on world and national issues. All
programs are archived for easy listening.
©
EsinIslam.Com
Add Comments