OK, not much info to go on yet, but a single shooter has different implications than multiple shooters. And when it’s on an army base, it looks like a suicide murder, at least eventually. Call me a bigot, but the latter has to make me speculate about the shooters’ religious beliefs. And if that plays out, I think that it could be said that the administration didn’t keep us safe from attacks. But we’ll see.
[Update a few minutes later]
OK, the FBI is saying that this was “not a terrorist incident.” A dozen people dead, a couple dozen more wounded, by multiple shooters, but it wasn’t a terrorist incident? What in the world does that mean? If they mean it’s not international terrorism, or Islamic terrorism, then they should say that, but they just make themselves look stupid if they deny that this is terrorism.
[Mid-afternoon update]
Major Malik Hasan Nadal. Probably a Jehovah’s Witness.
Move along, nothing to see here.
[Evening update]
Had meetings this afternoon, then came home and made dinner, so not much time to follow up.
Just three points:
First, if you want to call this guy crazy, then he has millions of crazy cohorts who agree with everything he said. The only thing different about him is that he managed to survive in the US military with such beliefs for so long.
Second, I’d like to know how far up the chain of command warnings about his behavior went, and at what level they were squelched. This might tell us the degree to which this was a failure of the current administration.
Third, in response to Dave O’Neill, yes, absolutely there would have been many fewer casualties today had the people who have been issued, and trained in the use of, their service revolvers semi-automatic pistols been allowed to carry them on base (not to mention in public in one of the most liberal, using that word in its correct meaning, states in the allowing of carrying weapons by trained citizens, off base). Those military and civilian personnel were just as sitting ducks as people in idiotic “gun-free” schools and universities. I’d like to think that this would result in a rethinking of the policy of disarming military personnel on base, but I won’t hold my breath waiting for it in this administration. <sarcasm>That regulation sure prevented Major Nadal from bringing his own 9mm weapons to the slaughter.</sarcasm>
And Patterico documents the emerging politically correct and false narrative from the media.
One other point. From what I hear, his cousins and family (Muslims) are devastated and cannot understand his actions. I have no reason to believe that they are not patriotic Americans, and my heart goes out to them, as well as to the families of the victims. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that he was, at its root, driven by his own religious beliefs, warped or otherwise. If we continue out of political correctness to refuse to confront that reality, we cannot win this war.
I am currently a sergeant in the 82nd Airborne division and I too would like to know what Leland’s personal military experience has been. You’re reading comprehension seems superb, but what good is that when you lack the proper education on the subject being discussed?
Well chris, I’ll tell you this. Since you are an enlisted officer, who seems to think actual experience is necessary to discuss this topic; well then you lack the proper education. We were discussing what it takes to be a commissioned officer.
Leland – the term you’re looking for is “non-commissioned officer” or NCO. It appears that you lack military experience, and for some reason are unwilling to admit it.
I don’t know about Leland, but I try not to argue from authority. All I can say is that there are a couple of people in this thread who claim to have military experience. I don’t know enough either to verify that or even whether their experience would give them knowledge in what sounds to be a rather esoteric thing.
For whatever reason, it seems to be a fairly common thing to falsely claim military experience. Maybe the guilty party gets more drinks in bars or something. Can’t be that useful in blogs, but I gather it happens in them on occasion.
In any case, Major Nadal didn’t come in as a major. This aspect never really mattered to anyone in this thread (unless someone really was claiming Al Qaeda is sticking majors in the US Army). And nobody really has a real argument one way or another on whether a doctor can start as a major or not. All we can say is that it doesn’t seem to happen much, if it happens under normal conditions. So this whole line of argument seems rather futile.
My suspicion is that something like appointing a doctor as a major (or even higher rank) would only occur in case of a serious national health emergency, say something like the 1918 influenza pandemic when a doctor with world class experience in some dire health threat needs instant and considerable military authority.
For example, in 1917 a Dr. Victor Vaughan obtained (at the age of 66!) a commission as lieutenant (O-3) and was shortly thereafter promoted to major (O-4).This was so I gather well before influenza was even on the radar. But the US had good reason to fear other diseases of the time. I think during the early stages of the pandemic there may have been medical doctors installed at even higher rank than major, but I don’t recall enough to say.
Obviously the circumstances don’t exist now, but it has happened. Given that the US Army is suffering significant casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that certain exceptional doctors (with great skill and organizational/leadership experience) have indeed been commissioned at the rank of major. But from what I’m hearing in this thread such cases are pretty rare.
i myself as an ex-marine, think this should have never had occur. this soldiers were love by their families . with all my respect now we have flags everywhere at half-mass. what kind of punishment should the goverment give the person, & or persons for this. this is very horrible. the u.s. millitery will be doing an investigation on the shooting. my condolencies to their dear families, and their children, and all their soldier mates at ft. hood, oklahoma. let’s pray for these families.
(coming into this thread late)
Fletcher Christian said: The first point is that is quite likely, bearing (in my admittedly unqualified opinion) on certain, that the freedom of religion clause was designed to allow freedom to choose which version of Christianity with the possible addition of Judaism was practised; it may well never have crossed the Founders’ minds that the USA would ever be anything but overwhelmingly Judeo-Christian.
You are correct in your assessment: you are most unqualified to make any such statement. Many of the Founding Fathers, in particular Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, were NOT Judeo-Christian: Franklin was mostly Deist, and Jefferson was mostly atheist. The freedom of religion clause was always intended to erect the “wall of separation” between church and state. See, for example, http://www.usconstitution.net/jeffwall.html for an examination of the subject, including the full text of Jefferson’s famous letter.
Gerrib, I provided a link to the US Army, take it up with them.
The mf is shooting up innocent people not firing at him while yelling “Allahu Akbar”. And what you are worried about is how much experience the guy has? Well, continue to ask about military experience, as if it matters in this incident and marks some bar as to whether someone can comment on this event.
What matters to me is my brother-in-law, a Sergeant about to deploy, was involved in a FTX at Ft. Hood during the shooting and was safely out of harms way. His wife and two little boys at least have that happy bit of news.