[speechlesstx]

So appropriate I felt this deserved to stand on its own apart from the other thread:

By Major Shawn Keller

As an officer in the United States Army, I'm angry for so many reasons over what happened at Ft. Hood. I'm angry that twelve of my fellow soldiers and a contractor were murdered. I'm angry that over thirty people have suffered life altering injuries from which they will never fully recover. I'm angry that the lives of so many families have been forever ruined. I'm angry that this happened on an Army post on American soil where soldiers should be safe. And I'm angry that the murderer was a terrorist who masqueraded as an Army officer for half a dozen years.

But as angry as I am at what happened, I'm even angrier that it was allowed to happen. Apparently, there was no shortage of warning signs that Hasan identified more with Islamic Jihadists than he did with the US Army. From speeches, writings, conversations, affiliations and postings on Jihadist websites, there were more than enough dots to connect that should have exposed Hasan as someone inclined to attack innocent people in the furtherance of a political, religious and ideological agenda. There were more than enough red flags raised that, at a minimum, should have gotten Hasan kicked out of the Army.

But just like September 11, those agencies and individuals charged with keeping America and Americans safe failed to connect the dots that would have saved lives. Jihadist rhetoric espoused by Hasan was categorically dismissed out of submissiveness to the concepts of tolerance and diversity. The Army as an institution has been neutered by decades of political correctness and the leaders in Hasan's chain-of-command failed to act accordingly out of fear of being labeled anti-Muslim and receiving a negative evaluation report. The counter-terrorism agencies knew Hasan was communicating with Al-Qaeda and dismissed it as academic research instead of delving deeper into the probability that a terrorist had infiltrated the ranks.

Even four hours after Hasan stood on a desk yelling Allahu Akbar! And opened fire, the FBI stated that they were not investigating the attack as an act of terrorism even as there were still reports of other gunmen on the loose. Meanwhile, the Army continues to dismiss it as a "tragedy" and an "isolated incident by a lone gunman" while the media has invented the psychological condition of post-traumatic stress disorder by proxy. There is more concern for promoting the appropriate information operation campaign and maintaining the illusion of safety than there is for actually exposing the weaknesses and faults in the system that allowed this to happen. We're even being told that damage to the Army's efforts at diversity would be a greater tragedy than the murder of the twelve soldiers -- how ironic the week of Veterans' Day.

This has nothing to do with being anti-Islamic. After numerous tours to Iraq and working with countless cultural advisors on Ft. Bragg, I know dozens of Muslims who I respect and admire greatly. This has everything to do with force protection and security being trumped by the concepts of political correctness and diversity. This has everything to do with a hypocritical system and culture that breeds timidity and dismissiveness in the interest of career advancement. If I preached a white-supremacist ideology or described Timothy McVeigh as a hero to the cause of freedom and liberty, how long do you think I would still be in the military drawing a salary, receiving educational benefits and getting promoted like Hasan did?

Hasan's radical ideology grew to the point that he committed mass murder because too many leaders were too afraid to lead out of fear of harming their career or the image of the Army. If those leaders don't have the intestinal fortitude, moral conviction or personal courage to stand up, speak up and protect soldiers, then retire, resign or get out of the way and let somebody else do it for you.

Shawn Keller is a Major in the United States Army stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

As I noted on the other thread and Major Keller hints at, this administration had no problem concerning itself with "rightwing extremists" like "disgruntled military veterans" such as neo-Nazis, skinheads and other white supremacists," and (now executed) terrorists like Timothy McVeigh. It's too politically incorrect to act to protect our troops and our nation in the face of so many red flags because Hasan is a Muslim? Are you people serious?

Political correctness has as Keller states "neutered" the most powerful fighting force in the world. Instead of leading, our CIC votes "present" on Afghanistan, frets over "don't ask don't tell" and tells us not to rush to judgment on Hasan while indicting the Boston police over the legitimate arrest of a black man and taking TWO DAYS to even comment on a Muslim murdering Private William Long.

It's time for another Obama apology tour, he needs to apologize for this asinine, dangerous, wimpy 'progressive' idea of political correctness because THAT is certainly an embarrassment for this nation.

[ETWolverine]

Speech,

I happen to agree with every single word in this article.

However, I need to ask about the veracity of the article's source. Major Keller seems very critical of the administration and the Army. While Major Keller has the right to speak as he wishes, and nobody can take away his right to free speech, I find it surprising that any serving career army officer would knowingly publish an article that is so blatantly critical of his superiors. Even if he's right, his next fitness report from his superiors is going to kill his career. I know a few career Army officers, and while they might say this stuff in private, I don't know a single one who would make his disagreement with his civilian and military superiors so well known. Military officers tend to dislike it when their junior officers are so critical.

So I need to question whether this article really comes from a serving officer.

It could be that Keller has decided to exit the military, and doesn't care what his next fitness report says. Or he could be particularly outraged, and doesn't give a rat's a$$ what anyone else thinks. That would explain it. But I'd like to know more about the writer. It is, to say the least, unusual for a serving officer to be so outspoken.

Again, I think it is 100% correct and on point. I agree with every word of it. But I question the source.

Elliot

[speechlesstx]

I'd find it hard to believe RCP would put it out there as such if he weren't. I'm betting he just has the kind of intestinal fortitude, moral conviction and personal courage absent from so may others.

[paraclete]

This guy has a right to be outraged. For too long we have stepped back and allowed Muslims to do what they like for fear of being accused of predjuice. Common sense has left us. It is time that all potential threats are identified and eliminated. If this means that someone's prescious rights are voliated, then tough, it stops these people violating the primary right to life which is a greater preeminent right. Let's get it straight, no one has the right to kill another, particularly when it stems from fanatical views based on religion or politics, and the primary duty of care is to prevent this by removing a potential aggressor from society

[earl237]

So true, the mainstream media will do whatever it takes to avoid even legitimate criticism of radical Muslims and Islam. Radical Muslims see the weakness and political correctness of many Western coutries, especially Canada and Britain and use it to their advantage. The Archbishop of Cantebury, Rowan Williams actually said that Sharia law should be allowed in Britain and Canada's largest province, Ontario, came very close to caving on allowing Sharia, but fortunately, many celebrity and Muslim women spoke out against it. The second most popular name for boys in England is now Mohammed! The West needs to smarten up before radical Islam takes over the world.

[tomder55]

You can guarantee MAJ Keller will be command referred for psychoanalysis (to some guy like Hasan) given his “anger” and he will be on the Homeland Security watch list.I am sure Homeland Security and the FBI will ensure there is interagency coordination to stamp out the obvious right wing Christian extremism of MAJ Keller.