Posted on 11/05/2009 5:55:13 PM PST by markomalley
Thursday's shootings at Fort Hood army base in Texas -- which have left at least 11 people dead and 31 others wounded -- were of course the "horrific outburst of violence" that President Obama bemoaned and condemned Thursday.
But, because a soldier identified as one of the gunman had a name that led to the presumption that he was Muslim, and because he was facing an upcoming deployment to Iraq, the incident took on immediate and complex political overtones.
News reports identified the man who used two handguns in the assault on his fellow soldiers at a base that is a prime point of departure for troops headed to Iraq and Afghanistan as Major Malik Nidal Hasan. The major, who was killed during the incident, was reportedly a psychiatrist who had served in the Department of Psychology at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress at the Bethesda Naval Facility in Bethesda, Maryland, before his transfer to Fort Hood.
He was, according to Texas Senator Bailey Hutchinson, preparing to deploy to Iraq. However, the senator said, "I do know that he has been known to have told people that he was upset about going (to Iraq)."
Military officials at the base and in Washington refused to speculate about motivations or intents.
But right-wing web sites quickly exploded with speculation about a "Jihad at Fort Hood?" and a "Terrorist Incident in Texas."
Fox News host Shepard Smith asked Senator Hutchinson on air: "The names tells us a lot, does it not, senator?"
(Excerpt) Read more at thenation.com ...
Hamlet is a tragedy.
What happened at Ft. Hood is an atrocity.
I’ve been bashing islamakazi’s for decades......on and off the goobermint payroll !
See my homepage !
He was a Muslim and a killer.....to spin it any other way is a complete lie.
Over the last few decades I’ve known several Muslims, and every one of them was untrustworthy. I’m merely an observer of reality.
Uh, duh. Now why on earth do you suppose that is?
You should have called him an Islamist and asked the board why they don't march around with "Stop Jihad Now!" signs.
Islamderthals should be veiwed with as much suspicion as you would if you knew Bin Laden were living next door.
When that doctor who performed abortions in Kansas was shot, how long did it take the MSM to trash conservative christians?
If his name was Billy Bob John Wayne Smith, I don’t think this maggot from “The Nation” would have any problem with the bashing of “rednecks” and talk radio.
Excellently stated.
The defenders of America’s enemies waste no time in trying to stop us from coming to the defense of America.
Wow, they’re so quick to defend child abusers, rapists, and mass murderers these liberals.
Sorry, no one with a brain is buying your excuses. We all know that liberals aren’t capable of critical thinking that allows a negative conclusion to be reached if a minority or muslim is involved that could be negative. Therefore their discussion on the subject is moot, because they always reach the same conclusion.
Nichols is right. This wasn’t an attack - it was an entirely preventable tragedy. If all weapons had been banned on the military base, this tragedy would not have occurred. In fact, if all weapons were banned on all military bases, war as we know it would become extinct. More hugging, less mugging. Or something like that...
What is so depressing about this is that this Major wasn’t hesitant about telling anyone who would listen exactly how devout he was and what he would likely do. Yet, because we are so worried about being perceived as liberal and fair, we let this go until eleven were killed and 31 wounded. Totally preventable. There may well be loyal and patriotic Muslims but this guy went out of his way to tell us that he wasn’t one of them.
That is what is was. It does not matter if he acted alone or part of a group action. He set out to cause panic, cause psychological pain, kill people and be redeemed by his own death.
Kind of off topic but has anyone noticed that the man who had at least 11 bodies in his home isn’t being called a serial killer?
Only something accidental could be defined as a “tragedy”
It started while Bush was president and continues today. Anyone who isn’t a card carrying Al Qeada member isn’t a terrorist even if they commit acts of violence in the name of allah.
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