Posted on 08/09/2013 10:52:32 PM PDT by neverdem
On December 7, 1941, the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor was attacked. Three years, eight months, and eight days later, the Japanese surrendered. These days, America’s military moves at a more leisurely pace. On November 5, 2009, another U.S. base, Fort Hood, was attacked — by one man standing on a table, screaming “Allahu akbar!” and opening fire. Three years, nine months, and one day later, his court-martial finally got under way.
The intervening third-of-a-decade-and-more has apparently been taken up by such vital legal questions as the fullness of beard Major Hasan is permitted to sport in court. This is not a joke: See “Judge Ousted in Fort Hood Shooting Case amid Beard Debacle” (CBS News). Army regulations require soldiers to be clean-shaven. The judge, Colonel Gregory Gross, ruled Hasan’s beard in contempt, fined him $1,000, and said he would be forcibly shaved if he showed up that hirsute next time. At which point Hasan went to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, which ruled that Colonel Gross’s pogonophobia raised questions about his impartiality, and removed him. He’s the first judge in the history of American jurisprudence to be kicked off a trial because of a “beard debacle.” The new judge, Colonel Tara Osborn, agreed that Hasan’s beard was a violation of regulations, but “said she won’t hold it against him.”
The U.S. Army seems disinclined to hold anything against him, especially the 13 corpses plus an unborn baby. Major Hasan fired his lawyers, presumably because they were trying to get him off — on the grounds that he’d had a Twinkie beforehand, or his beard don’t fit so you must acquit, or some such. As a self-respecting jihadist, Major Hasan quite reasonably resented being portrayed as just another all-American loon gone postal...
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
Ping
Yep.
WW2 took less time than a trial for a terrorist who admits his crimes.
A coalition of 160 victims and family members have created a 15 minute documentary-style video covering the events of that day and explaining why they believe the Fort Hood massacre was, in fact, terrorism. [video at link]
http://blog.heritage.org/2012/10/22/fort-hood-victims-call-it-what-it-was-terrorism/
I’d please me a whole heap if everybody would discontinue referring to this slime ball using a term of respect earned by men who have worked hard and honorably to rise up thru the ranks of the greatest most humane army in world history...
Thanks for the link.
I don’t need to see a video to know it was terrorism. :p
Heard of suicide by Cop? Suicide by Court.
Superb piece.
I’m a picker, I’m a grinner, I’m a lover and I’m a winner.
I download music in the sun.
It just doesn’t get any better than Mark Steyn.
That a$$wipe muslim-loving murderer is still receiving a paycheck from the military.....in MY military, his sorry murdering a$$ would be shaved three times a day and he would be in proper uniform while in court. I absolutely loved my 26 years in service but you couldn’t get me to join today if my life depended on it. Sad, but true.
As Usual a very good essay. It tells the truth. I especially like the last line where it was stated that it took the U.S. longer to prosecute Hassan than it did for the U.S. to win WWII.
Shave him, try him, kill him.
That's exactly what the Left wants. As soon as the military is full of their kind of people they'll turn it against the citizens.
pogonophobia
We have met the enemy and he is us.
Mark Steyn ping. This is a really great column.
Freepmail me, if you want on or off the Mark Steyn ping list.
Thanks for the ping neverdem.
It is a really great column. No one can describe a farce better than Steyn.
Fantastic article.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.