This story is distastefully wobbly about whether there were real "war crimes" and whether there was something substantive that could push Hasan over the edge, ignoring as always the obvious jihadist element to the massacre.
At issue here is the fact that, under Islamic law, the life of a Muslim is worth more than a non-Muslim in terms of the required diyya, or compensation by blood money, and a non-Muslim who kills a Muslim is to be put to death. And that raises a question that applies to perceived Muslim grievances around the world: Would Hasan care half as much if the casualties inflicted by American soldiers during combat operations were non-Muslims? Would the Muslim world be in such an uproar over Kashmir and "Palestine" if all of the disputing parties were non-Muslim? No. Inherent in these issues is a sense of superiority and divinely ordered entitlement.
"Officials: Major Hasan Sought 'War Crimes' Prosecution of U.S. Soldiers," by Joseph Rhee, Mary-Rose Abraham, Anna Schecter and Brian Ross for ABC News, November 16:
Major Nidal Malik Hasan's military superiors repeatedly ignored or rebuffed his efforts to open criminal prosecutions of soldiers he claimed had confessed to "war crimes" during psychiatric counseling, according to investigative reports circulated among federal law enforcement officials
On Nov. 4, the day after his last attempt to raise the issue, he took extra target practice at Stan's shooting range in nearby Florence, Texas and then closed a safe deposit box he had at a Bank of America branch in Killeen, according to the reports. A bank employee told investigators Hasan appeared nervous and said, "You'll never see me again."
Diane Wagner, Bank of America's senior vice president of media relations, said that her company does not "comment or discuss customer relationships" but is "cooperating fully with law enforcement officials."
Investigators believe Hasan's frustration over the failure of the Army to pursue what he regarded as criminal acts by U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan may have helped to trigger the shootings.
"The Army may not want to admit it, and you may not hear much about it, but it was very big for him," said one of the federal investigators on the task force collecting evidence of the crime.
His last effort to get the attention of military investigators came on Nov. 2, three days before his alleged shooting spree, according to the reports....
"Hiding in plain sight"
Could this jihadi be any MORE obvious? Folks, we have gone back in time to a "pre-9/11" mentality. Our news media and political class are using a "see no evil" policy to focus our attention on their insipid health care crisis.
This is the real crisis - the slow and fast jihad against world civilization. Ignore it at your peril.
The solemn commentators who early and late have suggested that Nidal Malik Hasan was somehow thrown into psychic distress because of his presumed sympathies for those he was assigned to treat is, and always was, nonsensical. He had no sympathies for, not even much interest in, those American soldiers who, however badly wounded physically or mentally, remained Infidels, and to him objects of hostility and murderous hate. His fellow doctors are now reported as saying he saw very few patients, and more than one has commented that they, the non-Muslim doctors, saw such patients round the clock, day after day, month after month, year after year, and not one of them felt such anguish as to start mass-murdering anyone.
The "psychic breakdown" as defense and diversion just won't do.
And it should come as no surprise that not only was Major Nidal Malik Hasan devoid of any sympathy for those he was assigned to treat at Walter Reed Hospital, but he was actively trying to do them harm, wanting them to be prosecuted -- and for all we know, attempting to compile dossiers on them, inveigling them to say things he thought might be manipulated so as to use against them.
But one should be careful. A sentence in the article above should give pause: "Investigators believe Hasan's frustration over the failure of the Army to pursue what he regarded as criminal acts by U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan may have helped to trigger the shootings." This implies that he was outraged by "criminal acts" as you or I might understand the phrase "criminal acts." Not at all. For Nidal Hasan Malik, any acts of warfare by any non-Muslims, carried out against any Muslims, even if for the (misguided and hopeless) purpose of, for example, making life better ("bringing freedom...to ordinary moms and dads" as Bush memorably said) for other Muslims, were considered to be "criminal acts."
This is a bit OT, but I wonder if anyone has followed up on the soldiers that Major Hasan "treated" as an Army psychiatrist. What counselling did he give them? What drugs or medications did he prescribe or use? What is their current mental condition?
He was in a position to cause lasting harm to his patients. The records of all his patients should be immediately reviewed by competent psycho-therapists. His treatments, and particularly his prescribed medications, could be causing continuing harm to his patients even as he sits in the brig.
This is a bit OT, but I wonder if anyone has followed up on the soldiers that Major Hasan "treated" as an Army psychiatrist. What counselling did he give them? What drugs or medications did he prescribe or use? What is their current mental condition?
He was in a position to cause lasting harm to his patients. The records of all his patients should be immediately reviewed by competent psycho-therapists. His treatments, and particularly his prescribed medications, could be causing continuing harm to his patients even as he sits in the brig.
Finally an investigation! Maybe Kerry can help organize a 'War Crimes Tribunal' and Hasan can be his star witness! It would be a shame to let an America-bashing moment like this go to waste!
Major Nidal Malik Hasan's military superiors repeatedly ignored or rebuffed his efforts to open criminal prosecutions of soldiers he claimed had confessed to "war crimes" during psychiatric counseling, according to investigative reports circulated among federal law enforcement officials
..........................
Just how many "war crimes" is Major Hasan supposed to have stumbled across during his counseling sessions? The implication here is that such situations were rampant, and further, that the military ignored these terrible crimes.
This is more blaming the victims—morally besmirching his fellow soldiers at Ft. Hood.
In addition—and please correct me if I am mistaken—it is my understanding that counseling sessions in the Army are just as private as in civilian life, with strict doctor/patient privilege. In other words, Doctor Hasan was not supposed to be divulging the contents of his counseling sessions to others in any case.
As far as I know, the *only* exception to this is if the patient presents an ongoing threat to those around him. In the case of "war crimes", this would involve a patient who was likely to be redeployed into a war zone, where he would likely be responsible for yet more "war crimes".
Are we supposed to believe that Hasan faced this situation *multiple times*? That would imply—which I'm sure is the point, here—that the military is full of "war criminals" who present an ongoing threat to—who else?—innocent Muslims.
Either Maj. Hasan was making most of this stuff up out of whole cloth, or else—most likely, I think—he was conflating everyday situations in Afghanistan and Iraq that might have discomfited or inconvenienced Muslims with "war crimes".
Adding to your thoughts ebonystone;
Is it possible that Hasan could have mailed off some of these files to radical Islamists either from his patients or even other Psychiatrists within the department? Did he have access to all the files that may show private information on our soldiers? Did he in fact send any classified information out beyond the numerous e mails to Islamists?
Clearly this enemy within who was in fact not so stealthy could have abused and taken several advantages with these medical files among other military information over the years.
How can we be sure that some of this is not occurring among the estimated 3,500 Muslims in the military. They all need be fully vetted and watched ---(political correctness be dammed!).
Following up on what Hugh wrote, it should be apparent to all but the most deliberately obtuse that 'criminal acts' can, in this case, constitute nothing more than the mere presence of 'infidel' troops upon 'sacred' ground.
So sayeth bin Laden, after all.
The constant push in the press corps for moral equivalency and tolerance at all costs is nauseating.
"Major Nidal Malik Hasan's military superiors repeatedly ignored or rebuffed his efforts to open criminal prosecutions of soldiers he claimed had confessed to "war crimes" during psychiatric counseling, according to investigative reports circulated among federal law enforcement officials"
What is worse, the betrayal of doctor- patient privacy privilage or the fact that by virtue of him never being there, that he could not possibly discern whether a war crime took place or not?
This is all of course, assuming that Hasan is telling the truth, which he undoubtably is not.
My thoughts exactly.
We've already heard, in a news report posted here, from the mother of one badly hurt soldier, treated by Maj Hasan; a mother who got a really, really bad vibe from Hasan.
If I were the family member, friend or colleague of someone whom I knew to have had Hasan as their doctor, I would be urging the person to see a good non-Muslim doctor and get checked out from head to toe, and have any medication that Hasan had prescribed, scrutinised most carefully.
The Colonel: "Look Major, just because a non-muslim soldier kills a muslim does NOT mean it is a war crime."
Hasan: "But an infidel cannot kill a muslim and not get punished. Sharia dictates that..."
The Colonel: "I don't give a rat's ass what sharia says, this isn't Saudi damned Arabia. It is not a war crime. The only crime here is that I can't stick your butt in some hole in Alaska counting snow flakes. Dismissed."
Hasan: "You infidels will regret this."
The investigators, and weak-kneed politicians, are going to grasp this as the "Aha!" moment. Of course they will completely deny the truth, it was islam that drove this whole situation. Take islam out of Hasan, he doesn't go on his jihad, end of story. At most he goes public, or if he were honorable, resigns then goes public. But there is no honor in islam.
I nominate "Distastefully Wobbly" for Phrase of the Week.
War Crimes??? What "crimes" in what "War"? Were not at War anymore are we?
Were any of Hasans' victims Muslim??? Were there even any in the Building> Outside it? On Base even?
"A bank employee told investigators Hasan appeared nervous and said, "You'll never see me again."
If only that was true.
If only he was down in hell with his evil Warlord. But, no, we DO have to see that paralyzed piece of cr*p again at his trial. Good God, the Horror, the Horror...
It's a disgrace that everyone who had bad vibes from this jerk were too afraid to complain to higher-ups ( probably for fear of retribution by higher ups ).
I know how to treat Muslims who complain that we're doing war crimes while we defend THEIR countries. Muslims stone people for bad thoughts, cut off hands for theft, beat women with sticks for wanting to drive, jail rape victims. The list goes on and on...........
There are all kinds of 'psychological disorders'...They come in every shade and hue...It's possible for a determined jihadi to be 'insane', and still be an effective jihadi...
In fact his insanity may even aid his jihad...Hasan may have been crazy, but was an effective jihadist just the same...His biggest mistake was not getting killed...Now his rewards, all 72 of them, will have to wait...
It'll be far too late by the time he gets to reap the fruits of his labors, as all 72 will no doubt be deflowered before he gets there...
...starting with the nine-year-olds.
"It would be a shame to let an America-bashing moment like this go to waste!" -- poetcomic1
Oh, I'm sure Holder & Co. will find many opportunities to do just that during what will undoubtedly be a long running trial. I wonder if they will attempt to subpoena Bush and Cheney and Rumsfeld and Perl etc. to testify.
"(Captain Surnam) said that on one occasion, Hasan told her she was an infidel who would be 'ripped to shreds' and "burn in hell" because she was not Muslim."
And alas, it is Maj. Hasan who is paralyzed and will probably be in a wheel chair for the rest of his life, with nothing to offer a heavenly virgin.
It is clear that his karma ran over his dogma.
Luckily for us, he did not think of (illegally) sharing his patients' confidential disclosures with the NY Times, or all of these allegations, no matter how far-fetched, impossible, and unethically-obtained, would have been front-page news for months on end.
We dodged a bullet; unfortunately 42 recipients of his other ministrations did not.
"(Captain Surnam) said that on one occasion, Hasan told her she was an infidel who would be 'ripped to shreds' and "burn in hell" because she was not Muslim."
I would have considered that harassment in the workplace and reported him.
Dear Parents: The Department of Defense regretfully informs you that your son/daughter died of political correctness.
In addition—and please correct me if I am mistaken—it is my understanding that counseling sessions in the Army are just as private as in civilian life, with strict doctor/patient privilege.
I'm not sure this is correct. I remember reading (many years ago) that military physicians aren't bound by the same obligations of confidentiality as civilian physicians, that, in fact, they were entitled, and expected, to bring to the attention of military authorities any medical issues their patients might have that would affect the organization's mission. As a result, (according to what I read) many military personnel avoided going to military psychiatrists and counselors with mental health issues, because they were afraid that anything smacking of mental illness would be a big black mark on their fitness reports and would jeopardize their careers.
Hasan evidenced hatred of Jews by quoting these passages, “And certainly you have known those among you who exceeded the limits of the Sabbath, so we said unto them: Be apes, despised and hated. Say, Shall I inform you of (him who is) worse than this in retribution from Allah? Worse is he whom Allah has cursed and brought His wrath upon, and of whom he made apes and swine. Therefore when they revoltingly persisted in what they had been forbidden We said to them Be apes despised and hated. Surely, those who disbelieved in Our Ayat we shall burn them in fire. As often as their skins are roasted through, We shall change them for other skins that they may taste punishment.” The Jews, the descendants of pigs and apes, should roast again the crematoriums. The Army psychiatrists just sat around and listened. No one reported this Jew hater to his superiors.