Ft. Hood Massacre: 12 Dead, 31 Wounded

[aristotle]

Major Hasan's legal defense team will introduce buckets of exculpatory evidence... primarily taunts about his religion. Since they cannot deny he did the actual shooting, resulting in 13 murders, they will deflect and point fingers back at American society in general.

While some may see Hasan as the poster boy for rehabilitation, I would at a minimum seek life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Imprisonment in a military brig... which is most assuredly Spartan with respect to creature comforts.

Whereas I see Major Hasan as a legitimate candidate for capital punishment, the Obama administration sets the tone for military affairs. Given Obama's deep love for political correctness, Hasan's life will be spared. Unfortunately.

 

[Turtle]

Can't say that I disagree with any of that. I do wonder, though, about the death penalty. If he were to be executed, would that elevate him to martyr status, inviting even more Muslims to join the Isolated Incident Parade?

His lawyers will try, to be sure, but I don't think taunting from fellow soldiers is gonna fly very far in a military Court Marshall. Among many charges, one of them is likely to be "conduct unbecoming an officer", a very black and white charge that rarely can be mitigated by anything, i.e., either your conduct was proper or it wasn't, the reasons are irrelevant.

 

[aristotle]

For Major Hasan... because of his religious zealotry, he killed. Likewise, because of that same religious zealotry, his life will be spared.

On a more positive note, the Commonwealth of Virginia will execute John Muhammad, the DC sniper, tomorrow by lethal injection. A jury of Virginians decided Muhammad's faith was no shield to punishment.

 

[greg334]

On a more positive note, the Commonwealth of Virginia will execute John Muhammad, the DC sniper, tomorrow by lethal injection. A jury of Virginians decided Muhammad's faith was no shield to punishment.

Well as much as it is a positive noter, there is a point that the other shooter should be there with him. Regardless of his age, he knew exactly what he was doing and if we allow people to drive at 15 and 16, then they can stand trial for capital crimes and receive an adult punishment. Lethal injection is not a fitting end for either of them, electrocution is or one single bullet to the back of the head.

 

[Pilgrim]

More commentary and analysis from Mark Steyn regarding the political correctness virus that infects the day to day operations of our military:

"...But we're scrupulously nonjudgmental about the ideology that drives a man to fly into a building or self-detonate on the subway, and thus we have a hole at the heart of our strategy. We use rhetorical conveniences like "radical Islam" or, if that seems a wee bit Islamophobic, just plain old "radical extremism." But we never make any effort to delineate the line which separates "radical Islam" from nonradical Islam. Indeed, we go to great lengths to make it even fuzzier. And somewhere in that woozy blur the pathologies of a Nidal Malik Hasan incubate. An Army psychiatrist, Maj. Hasan is an American, born and raised, who graduated from Virginia Tech and then received his doctorate from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md. But he opposed America's actions in the Middle East and Afghanistan and made approving remarks about jihadists on U.S. soil. "You need to lock it up, Major," said his superior officer, Col. Terry Lee.

But he didn't really need to "lock it up" at all. He could pretty much say anything he liked, and if any "red flags" were raised they were quickly mothballed. Lots of people are "anti-war." Some of them are objectively on the other side — that's to say, they encourage and support attacks on American troops and civilians. But not many of those in that latter category are U.S. Army majors. Or so one would hope."

For the entire article: Mark Steyn

Wonder what the media's interpretation of Maj. Hasan's motives and mindset would be if he had strapped on a vest packed with plastic explosives and ball bearings, then walked into the middle of the crowded processing center shouting "Allahu Akbar" and blew himself up? The number of the dead and injured would probably have been about the same but the method would have made it much harder for anyone to question his radicalism.

As it now stands, the apologists are questioning whether or not he "snapped" since he used two handguns instead of a bomb belt. Could it be that the Islamists realize that using suicide bombers in the US would create an immense public backlash, while the use of firearms offers the signature of "nut cases"? The adverse effects of suicide bombers blowing up themselves in shopping malls and theaters in this country would also include the fostering of more sympathy for the Isralis, who live with these types of terrorist attacks on an almost weekly basis.

Given this background, it still continues to amaze me that anyone would harbor such reactionary sympathy to these muslims who are dedicated to the extinction of our country and our way of life. The mushy liberals and political correctness nazis witness the same barbaric beheadings, suicide attacks (bombs, guns, etc.) by these muslims that victimize mostly innocent non-muslim civilians, yet they continue to insist that we must understand their plight in life and bend over backwards to accomodate their religion and sharia law regardless of the expense to our own civilization. At some point our leaders are going to have to realize the limits of the muslims' religious rights end where the civil rights of our society begin. Maybe a good place to start would be within the ranks of the US military.

 

[aristotle]

Muhammad's accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, struck a plea deal if I remember correctly.

 

[RLENT]

Major Hasan's legal defense team will introduce buckets of exculpatory evidence... primarily taunts about his religion.

This is no excuse or justification for what he did - despite what attempts might be made by others to say that it is.

For what he did, there can be none ........ ever. It was ultimately his choice to do what he did.

But if it is indeed the case that he was taunted about his religion - and I have no idea whether or not he was, nor the degree to which it occurred if it did - but if it did, what do you suppose the individuals who taunted him are feeling at this moment ?

Do you think they recognize their own potential culpability in the matter ?

Or do you figure that they are likely one of the no responsibility "it-didn't have-anything-to-do-with-me" crowd ?

What if you had been someone who had incessantly taunted this guy ...... and your wife, son, or daughter was one of the ones he had taken out ?

Seems to me that might be a fairly heavy burden to bear - provided one had the guts to actually be able to look, recognize, and accept responsibility for it.

To say he is responsible and should be held accountable is factually correct - he is 100% responsible for his own actions - there can be no denying that. But that is not to say that others had no culpability in the matter.

We just don't know - and probably never will.

 

[aristotle]

Well... if taunts are all that it took to set off a 39-year old pyschiatrist... it is pretty lame, isn't it? Taunts, ridicule, ostracism... none of this is justification for murder. I will not give this man the dignity of an excuse.

 

[RLENT]

Well... if taunts are all that it took to set off a 39-year old pyschiatrist... it is pretty lame, isn't it

Yeah, it is ...... and it probably happens daily, if not hourly .....

Someone is "dissed" and they kill someone as a result.

Taunts, ridicule, ostracism... none of this is justification for murder.

That's correct - it isn't - no way, no how.

I will not give this man the dignity of an excuse.

You misunderstand - I am not excusing anything.

In fact, I'm looking beyond a single individual, whose actions I don't excuse for one steekin' second - and then not excusing the (possible) actions of others, who may have had some culpability.

 

[greg334]

The prosecution of those two could have moved without any plea bargaining and I think with the amount of terror they caused, the outcome would have been death for both of them.

It brings to light one of the problems we have in this country, we seem to accept plea bargains instead of punishment.

 

[aristotle]

RLENT... I understand you are not excusing Hasan's actions. We are in agreement that Hasan must be held accountable for his crimes.

If you think lawyers and judges can screw things up, throw in a bank of pyschiatrists, psychologists, criminologists, sociologists... all offering reasons why anyone and everyone should be given benefit of the doubt. There is a thriving cottage industry of professional excuse-makers... many of them chomping at the bit to defend Hasan's deadly outburst.

I appreciate you want to understand what prompted Major Hasan to kill innocent people. My focus would be on segregating Hasan and like-minded wannabees from civil society. The psychobabble offered up by the excuse industry is of no interest to me.

 

[Turtle]

The taunts may very well have had something to do with it, and likely did, since all of our experiences end up affecting our decisions and actions in one way or another. The question is just how much of an impact did the taunting have. Might have been a lot, might have been very little. Now that time has passed and a clearer picture of this man is beginning to emerge, I doubt that many, of any, of the taunters would have any remorse for their taunting. It could be argued that their taunting was an extremely restrained action in light of a face-to-face meeting with the enemy. I guarantee you that somebody, somewhere is saying to themselves, "I should have killed that guy when I had the chance."

I think the taunting played a part (to his disillusionment of the military), as did his fear of being deployed, which became a stark reality when he was transferred to Ft Hood for that expressed purpose (further disillusionment in them not letting him have his way). As the deployment date drew closer and closer, and the fear growing right along with it, as well as the fear of having to take a direct role in the killing of Muslims, he saw that he had everything to lose by going to Afghanistan (his life, and certainly being on a hit list my other Muslims), and everything to gain by dying while protecting Muslims (lauded as a hero and a martyr, and certainly going to Heaven), he did what he did as his only way out. That's crazy, of course. But he was and is crazy.

Look at all the crap that blacks have had to put up with in the military. Yeah, they got taunted. Taunt, taunt, taunt.



Interesting.......Imam tied to 9/11 hijackers praises Hasan - Tragedy at Fort Hood- msnbc.com

The posting Monday on the Web site for Anwar al Awlaki, who was a spiritual leader at two mosques where three 9/11 hijackers worshipped, said American Muslims who condemned the attacks on the Texas military base last week are hypocrites who have committed treason against their religion.

Awlaki said in the Web site posting that the only way a Muslim can justify serving in the U.S. military is if he intends to "follow in the footsteps of men like Nidal."

Hassan apparently attended the same Virginia mosque as two Sept. 11 hijackers in 2001, at a time when Awlaki preached there.

Whether he associated with the hijackers is something the FBI will probably look into.

Ya think? LOL

Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey said Sunday it's important for the country not to get caught up in speculation about Hasan's Muslim faith, and he has instructed his commanders to be on the lookout for anti-Muslim reaction to the killings at the Texas post.


He says focusing on the Islamic roots of the suspected shooter could "heighten the backlash" against all Muslims in the military.

Casey says diversity in the military "gives us strength."

OK, Casey is an idiot. Unity gives us strength, diversity divides us. That's why they call it diversity.

 

[RLENT]

RLENT... I understand you are not excusing Hasan's actions. We are in agreement that Hasan must be held accountable for his crimes.

Yes, we are.

If you think lawyers and judges can screw things up, throw in a bank of pyschiatrists, psychologists, criminologists, sociologists... all offering reasons why anyone and everyone should be given benefit of the doubt. There is a thriving cottage industry of professional excuse-makers... many of them chomping at the bit to defend Hasan's deadly outburst.

Yup - I am in complete agreement.

I appreciate you want to understand what prompted Major Hasan to kill innocent people.

No, I really don't ...... as far as I'm concerned, there isn't any real understanding that can be obtained - understanding is rational, insanity isn't.

The only thing I really care about is being able to identify such people - before it becomes obvious from the mayhem that they have wrought - to the purpose that you elaborate below: removing them from civil society so that they cannot harm others.

My focus would be on segregating Hasan and like-minded wannabees from civil society.

As would mine.

The psychobabble offered up by the excuse industry is of no interest to me.

Nor to me - simply because most of it is BS.

What is of interest to me is understanding what are the little telltale warning signs in everyday life of someone who is prone to psychopathic behavior, and thereby being able to recognize people that suffer from this malady.

These are people who are incredibly destructive to the regular, sane individuals that compose the bulk of humanity.

These whack-jobs often appear to be relatively sane, and pass for normal, and they therefore are somewhat hard to identify.

 

[Pilgrim]

These whack-jobs often appear to be relatively sane, and pass for normal, and they therefore are somewhat hard to identify.

And that brings us back to racial profiling, which should be entirely appropriate in the military. Considering all those enlisted in our military are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice instead of our civilian legal system, I wonder if it would be appropriate for muslims to be more closely scrutinized in light of these recent events at Little Rock and Ft. Hood. Their oath of loyalty to the military and to our country obviously means nothing to them if they are committed jihadists, and giving false oaths is obviously forgiven if they're done in the context of the struggle against the infidels.