Nidal Malik Hasan, a Psychiatrist and Major in the United States Army, went on a shooting rampage earlier this afternoon, killing 12 fellow servicemen and wounding at least 30 others. He worked at the Walter Reed Medical Center for approximately six years before transferring to Mount Hood, Texas, in July. According to military officials, Hasan received a poor performance evaluation while at Walter Reed.
It’s speculated that Hasan was scheduled to deploy to Iraq and wasn’t happy about it. He targeted the Soldier Readiness Center, where soldiers are processed prior to deployment for last minute check-ups. He shot and killed 11 people before being gunned down by the Military Police. The only personal info being released is that he IS an American citizen of Jordanian descent. He wasn’t married, didn’t have children and was 39 years of age.
Fort Hood has gone to great lengths to make sure their soldiers receive stellar mental health care…which makes this whole thing even more tragic. It’s bad enough that our men and women are being mowed down in Iraq and Afghanistan….the fact that this happened on American soil….one soldier killing another soldier….is beyond comprehension.
I’m sure over the next few days more details will emerge about Hasan and his possible motives. Military procedures will be disected, criticized and ridiculed….the names of victims will be released…..perhaps the affected families will make statements. But when will enough be enough? How many tours of duty can one soldier endure before he loses his mind altogether and his family in the process? Now we’re talking about sending some 40,000 more men and women to Afghanistian?? My cousin was shot and almost killed in Afghanistan a couple of months ago. He is still having to endure critical surgeries and his young body and mind will forever be imprinted by this traumatic event.
What exactly are we fighting for? Will we be in constant pursuit of a Taliban that will continue to grow and commit heinous crimes? They’ve been fighting “over there” since before the Bible was penned. Do we really believe that our presence will somehow stop a feud that’s been ongoing since the beginning of time? I guess I’m just disturbed by the vagueness of a war that has permanently changed the landscape of my world and the world that my children have to grow up in….not for the better.
“I do not mean to exclude altogether the idea of patriotism. I know it exists, and I know it has done much in the present contest. But I will venture to assert, that a great and lasting war can never be supported on this principle alone. It must be aided by a prospect of interest, or some reward.” ~ George Washington
Authors bio is coming up shortly. 
