Fort Hood suspect warned of threats within the ranks
The Army psychiatrist believed to have killed 13 people at Fort Hood warned a roomful of senior Army physicians a year and a half ago that to avoid “adverse events,” the military should allow Muslim soldiers to be released as conscientious objectors instead of fighting in wars against other Muslims.
As a senior-year psychiatric resident at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Maj. Nidal M. Hasan was supposed to make a presentation on a medical topic of his choosing as a culminating exercise of the residency program.
Instead, in late June 2007, he stood before his supervisors and about 25 other mental health staff members and lectured on Islam, suicide bombers and threats the military could encounter from Muslims conflicted about fighting in the Muslim countries of Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a copy of the presentation obtained by The Washington Post.
“It’s getting harder and harder for Muslims in the service to morally justify being in a military that seems constantly engaged against fellow Muslims,” he said in the presentation.
“It was really strange,” said one staff member who attended the presentation and spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the investigation of Hasan. “The senior doctors looked really upset” at the end. These medical presentations occurred each Wednesday afternoon, and other students had lectured on new medications and treatment of specific mental illnesses. [continued…]
Editor’s Comment — Repeat after me: “the struggle against Islam is the central feature of American foreign policy,” said David Brooks as he swung a pendulum before Dana Priest’s sleepy eyes, mesmerizing and helping her settle into the appropriate mindset before she sat down to write this report.
I jest, but truly this is a despicable piece of “reporting”.
Hasan was supposed to make a presentation on a medical topic of his choosing but instead he lectured on Islam, suicide bombers and threats the military could encounter from Muslims conflicted about fighting in the Muslim countries of Iraq and Afghanistan.
What kind of audacity and burgeoning violent extremism would lead an American Muslim training as a military psychiatrist to talk about the moral and spiritual anguish that other American Muslim soldiers might face in wars where they would likely end up killing fellow Muslims or destroying their homes?
Surely the only concern of such a doctor must be that he be well-versed in the diagnostic criteria laid out in the DSM-IV — the bible of modern psychiatry — and that he knows how to prescribe drugs appropriately.
A young confused Muslim American soldier comes in for counseling, troubled about the prospect or reality of killing fellow Muslims.
What’s a well-trained psychiatrist going to say?
“Look son, you’re in an all-volunteer army. Next please.”
I’m a retired psychiatrist myself, and presented at many case conferences and seminars during my 40 year career- though admittedly not in the military.
For what it is worth, I think Major Hasan’s topic was perfectly appropriate.
Regards, Alex
Not only the muslim soldiers but ANY soldier who does not want to kill anymore or be killed ( govt seems to forget, this is a volunteer army ) should be released. NO ONE volunteered for 8 yrs+ of senseless killing and being under constant fear of getting killed.
As a 1964 U.S. Army length of service miitary retiree who served this deceitful, thankless and unforgiving nation during and over three major engagments, in combat, and giving it the best years of my life I was was then BETRAYED along with 432,000 cohorts on future retired pay. This was done by the changing of a decades old law regarding how retired pay would be paid in the future. Today i see the “ingrte” personnel drawing extremely high pay, and then bringing this into retirement. A retired pay discrimination of from 2/3 – double my pay or throughout the 25 pay grade.
Today I pay all of my healh care and fpr that of my wife of over 60 years. Under the laws of this nation I had” “eaned” life-time health care for us. No. In the ’80s I was informed from he Pentagon that on attaining age 65 when no longer subject to recall to active duty and wanting any health care “Go to Social Security and apply for Medicare part B” along with the draft-dodge, highly paid civiiian and now the “ingrate” higly paid milihary successors. Medicare did NOT EVEN EXIST WHEN I RETIRED.
What a hell of a nation that did this to me. Over the decades this nation did betrayals on people of othet lands. Can’t you feel proud? wdgray@shawneelink.net