"This guy was a religious extremist, pure and simple. I'm not attacking the religion of Islam or saying that this man's actions define its people as a whole, but to say this was anything other than an act of religious fanaticism and terrorism is ridiculous. This guy let his religious convictions drive him to the cold-blooded, calculating murder of innocent victims. He had a fundamental disagreement with the implementation of wars in the middle east. Great, lots of people do. In America, we institute change through peaceful means--we VOTE. This guy carried out an act of terrorism [according to Merriam-Webster: the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion], and I'm SICK of hearing the mainstream media characterize this man as a victim. He is NOT a victim. His victims are the sole victims of this act.
"Major H, a devout Muslim who was deeply troubled by the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, shouted “Allah Akbar” or “God is Great” just before the shooting, CM, Fort Hood’s director of emergency services, told the news agency service Reuters."I'm just calling it like I see it. Political correctness KILLS, and I'm sick of it. This guy was under surveillance for anti-American posts on terrorist online forums and he was vocal about his support of suicide bombers, but he wasn't arrested (and this atrocity was not averted) because our nation is so caught up in political correctness and the fear of accusations of bigotry or intolerance." -Palm Tree Doc (http://palmtreedoc.blogspot.com)
Warning--Mainstream Media BS:
From media interviews with family and friends, a picture emerged of Major Hasan, 39, as a lonely and unhappy individual but none of them could understand why he carried out his killing spree.
“We cannot fully know what leads a man to do such a thing,” said Mr Obama, who used his address to stress the diversity of American soldiers.
Major Hassan, a devout Muslim who was deeply troubled by the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, shouted “Allah Akbar” or “God is Great” just before the shooting, Chuck Medley, Fort Hood’s director of emergency services, told the news agency service Reuters.
Friends and family said Major Hassan was upset about his imminent deployment to Afghanistan to help soldiers combat stress. “We’ve known over the last five years that was probably his worst nightmare,” said Nader Hassan, a cousin.
Major Hassan also complained of harassment in the army because of his faith. Before being transferred to Fort Hood earlier this year, he counselled severely wounded soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. There are only 1,977 soldiers in the active-duty army who identify themselves as Muslims, out of a total of 553,000 active-duty troops, according to the service.
Val Finnell, a former classmate, said Major Hasan called the Bush administration’s war on terrorism “a war against Islam”.
“He was very vocal about the war, very upfront about being a Muslim first and an American second,” Mr Finnell, 41, a doctor in Los Angeles, told the Bloomberg news agency. “He was always concerned that Muslims in the military were being persecuted.”
Relatives in Al Bireh, near Ramallah in the West Bank, said Major Hasan told the army of his unhappiness.
“He told [them] that as a Muslim committed to his prayers, he was discriminated against and not treated as is fitting for an officer and American,” said Mohammed Malik Hasan, 24, a cousin. “He hired a lawyer to get him a discharge.”
Mr Hasan said he was shocked by the attack. “I was surprised, honestly, because the guy and his brothers are so calm and he, as I know, loves his work.”
He said Major Hasan and his two brothers became more religious after their father died in 1998 and mother’s death in 2001.
But fellow worshippers at mosques in Texas, Maryland and Virginia attended by Major Hasan said they never heard him express extremist views. He was said to be generous in fulfilling his duties of zakat, or charitable giving, and was keen to find a pious wife.
But his actions in recent days appeared to show a certain premeditation although it was unclear whether this was to do with the attack or his deployment.
He gave away belongings including a Quran, vegetables, a mattress and clothing and told Patricia Villa, his neighbour: “I’m not going to need them.”
The attack renewed concern about the military’s overburdened healthcare system. Top health policy positions in the Pentagon are unfilled and the system remains stretched as the country fights two wars.
Kay Bailey Hutchison, a Texas senator, said army officials were checking procedures supposed to deal with people suffering from mental-health problems.
“Was enough done?” she said. “I don’t think that anyone would have ever expected a psychiatrist trained to help others’ mental health would be the one who would go off himself, unless there’s more to it and that’s what they’re looking for."
(http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091108/FOREIGN/711079872/1041/ART)