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| Major Nidal Hasan |
In one of the most grossly bizarre events in military history, the trial of Major Hasan has started. Who is he you might ask? I would not blame you for not remembering. However this is a very hot topic here in Dallas as this shooting took place less than two hours from here.
Major Hasan is the lunatic Army psychiatrist who shot up the Ft Hood, TX military base 4 years ago killing 13 unarmed fellow soldiers and wounding more than thirty. His initial defense claim? He said he was angry at the war in Afghanistan and he was justified in the shooting as (and I quote) "acting in the defense of others". Who are these others...why the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the leadership of the Taliban, including Mullah Mohammad Omar". He thought by killing innocent fellow soldiers that he would save rebels in Afghanistan??? Yet he has been deemed competent to defend himself in the trail ahead. Injured himself when shot during the attack by military police (you would think they would have been better shots) he is now paralyzed and in a wheelchair.
Now, during the last four years he has been in custody amid numerous delays. He has turned over his defense team several times before deciding to defend himself. One Judge was replaced halfway through the proceedings because there were doubts of his impartiality (really?). Thankfully new Judge Osborn rejected Hasan's defense as baseless. Possibly the only sane thing that has happened so far. A delay in the proceedings for 6 MONTHS over whether he should be allowed to appear in the military court with a beard (due to military grooming standards) came next. (Today in court he wore fatigues and a beard)
The court martial is being conducted by 13 senior officers. Nine guilty votes are required for conviction and all 13 have to agree on the death penalty. Even then Hasan would have years of appeals in front of him.
To me he is clearly an enemy combatant and should possibly be charged with treason or terrorism. This is at best. Here is a quote from a Reuters post: An FBI Director found Hasan had exchanged emails with Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S.-born cleric linked to al Qaeda's Yemen-based wing. Awlaki was killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2011.
Now some of the twisted and unbelievable parts of this story. He has been getting a private escort in a helicopter almost daily from the jail where he is held to some more accommodating facility because the jail does not have suitable amenities to allow him to prepare his defense. On the tax-payers dime I might add. And since his real claimed defense has been disallowed what is he going for now?? (In his statement in court today he simply stated, "I am the shooter. I was defending Muslims. I was on the wrong side."
Major Hasan has also been receiving his full military rank pay since the shooting. Amounting to almost $300,000.
Here is a brief video from today's opening day in court:
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| Major Nidal Hasan - today |
NEXT...the update of the tragedy from the surviving victims. This will make you lose faith in something, I assure you.
