by Mark Silva
While various members of Congress attempt to sort out whether the mass murder at Ft. Hood, Texas, was an act of terrorism or madness, former Sen. Max Cleland, an extremely wounded and decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, says the Texas slaying fits his definition of terrorism.
The 13 killed, allegedly at the hand of an Army-trained psychiatrist, "were killed by a man who went off the edge,'' Cleland says in an interview that Travis Smiley will air on PBS this evening.
"It was a terrorist act,'' Cleland said. "Whether the individual is a terrorist or not, we don't know, but it was a terrorist act. It created terror.
"It was obvious that there was something going on in the man's mind that comported with what was happening in his life and then that triggered him,'' says Cleland, who served as secretary of veterans affairs in the Carter administration and campaigned for Sen. John Kerry, a fellow Vietnam veteran, in the presidential election of 2004. Cleland, a former senator from Georgia, was targeted by Republicans for defeat there.
"He was going to war, in his own mind, I think, for a while,'' Cleland says of Maj. Nidal Mailk Hassan, accused in the killing of 13 and wounding of 29 more. "He had not wanted to go to war against his compatriots in many ways. So he took out as much of America and the American war machine, in his mind, as he could. ''
"The problem is, he killed innocent people, as terrorists do,'' Cleland says. "You know, it was indiscriminate. And so I'm proud the President went down to Fort Hood, and I appreciate him going. These are his troops that were killed and wounded, and they are America's troops. And we love them and we appreciate them and their sacrifice and we pray for their families."
The suspect in the Fort Hood shootings gave a presentation in 2007 saying the military should allow Muslim soldiers to opt out of fighting Muslim enemies, The Washington Post reported today. Hasan delivered the presentation as part of his medical training at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital in Washington.
"It's getting harder and harder for Muslims in the service to morally justify being in a military that seems constantly engaged against fellow Muslims," Hassan said during the PowerPoint presentation before his supervisors and other mental health staff members, according to the paper.
Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.), ranking Republican member on the House Intelligence Committee, said today that Hassan's alleged attack appears to have been an act of terrorism. Hoekstra said so in an interview aired by CNN. Hassn's involvement with a Washington-area mosque once led by a radical cleric where two of the attackers on Sept. 11, 2001, had worshipped also is being examined by investigators.
Smiley's show, produced in association with KCET in Los Angeles, airs for 30 minutes weeknights on PBS. Tonight, Cleland also discusses his own new memoir, Heart of a Patriot.
Comments
Whatever term you wish to label it, it seems it puts validity on the idea that the Iraq disaster created more terrorists than eliminated them. Through the ill concieved invasion of Iraq to the bumbling and ignoring Afghanistan, Bush and the republicans have created what they sought to destroy.
Posted by: bill r. | November 10, 2009 2:01 PM
Could Fort Carson be far behind? In many ways, what's already happened there is even more disturbing because it involves several "damaged" individuals and more ticking time bombs.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/30794989/the_fort_carson_murder_spree
Posted by: America the Stupid | November 10, 2009 2:03 PM
Well, if this was not terrorism, the only other thing it could would be the Obama Administration Approved "Man Caused Diseaster"
Yep, this was terrorism.
Posted by: Chris | November 10, 2009 2:22 PM
I didn't know Bush invented Jihad, bill; I thought that had been around for centuries. You are such a fountain of knowledge. Well, Bush should just tell them to stop, huh?
Obviously this guy went over to the dark side: radical Islam. He was a terrorist, and all the political correctness that stopped his peers from reporting him and seeing him removed from the military makes us vulnerable to more crazy, fanatical killers.
Posted by: Free to Watch Whatever I Want | November 10, 2009 2:52 PM
I didn't know Bush invented Jihad, bill
Posted by: Free to Watch Whatever I Want | November 10, 2009 2:52 PM
He didn't invent it, but he certainly feuled it. After 9/11 we had support from most moderate Muslims. After turning a blind eye to Afghanistan and directing it on Iraq, we lost that support and it was seen as an attack on Muslims in general. We blew an enormous opportunity for a blunder in Iraq.
Posted by: bill r. | November 10, 2009 3:42 PM
It is noteworthy that ZERO liberals, Democrats in general have rallied around this murderous nutbag, yet all one has to do is peer into Right Wing comment boards and you will still find supporters of Tim McVeigh, Eric Rudolph, and David Koresh and his merry band of cop killers, among others. Nobody repudiates or rebukes these sentiments. Just virtual "high fives" are exchanged. Many Republicans huddle around their radios and listen to a popular figure in their demonic circles urge them to take "head shots" at federal agents. Just proves which party really is 'pro-America"
Posted by: Nutjobs Surround Me | November 10, 2009 4:16 PM
Who's to blame for the Fort Hood massacre?
It can't be the killer. Never is. We don't even have a clue as to what motivated Nidal Hassan, the Muslim, "Allahu Akbar" shouting, jihadist-sympathizing killer.
Besides, we can always blame George Bush. Or Millard Fillmore. Or someone, anyone, other than the killer, and Islam.
Posted by: Brain-dead Liberal | November 10, 2009 4:39 PM
Bill r., sorry, but there has been terrorism from Muslims for decades now, LOOOOOONG before George Bush became president. Hasan's actions have nothing to do with Iraq. They have everuything to do with him being a Muslim and his own perversions.
Anyway, Iraq is now a free country. The nation no longer has a murderous, despotic leader and regime. That is something to celebrate, not deride or condemn. In reality, Bush came to the DEFENSE of millions of Muslims.
Posted by: John D, still right, as usual | November 10, 2009 5:38 PM
Terrorism or an act of war?
Posted by: They reprot you decide. | November 10, 2009 6:35 PM
Billy,
By you logic, if the country was only fighting in Afghanistan, this Army major would not have tried to contact al Qaeda and shot over 40 people on the army base?
Last time I checked, we were attacked many times before the March, 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Posted by: Terry | November 10, 2009 7:07 PM
The US was once again attacked, from the inside. Obama let !11!/5 happen on his watch, Bush let him get away. Intelligence is apparently PC because they determined the likelihood of him turning to violence was skim. Boy were they wrong....
Posted by: The number 11 is involved, he's a Muslim terrorist. | November 10, 2009 7:26 PM
USS Cole - 2000
US Embassy Bombings - 1998
Al Kobar Towers Bombing - 1995
World Trade Center Bombing -1993
Don't fool yourself for a minute believing that any single presidential administration is to blame for the disease of radical Islam. Peace through strength...The number of terrorism acts against Americans have decreased 80% since 9/11.
Posted by: Kilo | November 10, 2009 7:59 PM
He didn't invent it, but he certainly feuled it.
Posted by: bill r. | November 10, 2009 3:42 PM
What part of this don't you understand? "fueled" I didn't say he invented it.
Posted by: bill r. | November 10, 2009 10:18 PM
I chose the Koran in the mid 1980s for a college term paper. I read most of it and understood most of what I read. (Some of the metaphors and other references were just too obscure.)
I had no preconceived notions about Islam or Muslims; I honestly chose the Koran from a list because I wanted to know more. I was astonished at the number of references to killing. I never expected it.
It seems to me that the heart and soul of that religion is world domination -- at any cost. You WILL convert or you WILL need to be killed. (It wasn't always that way with Mohammed; only his writings after he gained power contain talk of domination.)
It gets worse for me: I'm an atheist and all this devotion to "Allah" seems just plain silly. It's like a strategy to win favor with the Great Pumpkin.
Posted by: JM IN SAN DIEGO CA | November 11, 2009 3:13 AM
The number of terrorism acts against Americans have decreased 80% since 9/11.
Posted by: Kilo | November 10, 2009 7:59 PM
With over 5000 deaths of our brave men and woman in Iraq, I could hardly agree that attacks on US are down 80%.
Posted by: bill r. | November 11, 2009 7:34 AM
I have nothing but gratitude and respect toward, former Senator, Max Cleland. He is one of America's truly great heroes. I can understand how he could see this psychotic rampage as an act of terror. It was an act of terror, as any violent outburst by a mentally-ill person, can be seen as a form of terrorism. I can not put the killings at Fort Hood, by the suspect, Major Hasan, in the same category as Timothy McVeigh's vicious act of domestic terrorism. McVeigh's act was unadulterated terrorism, as I believe, Major Hasan, was psychotic. As terrible a tragedy as the suspect caused, I don't think he was in his right mind, therefore he was not engaged in terrorism, which is a premeditated, conscious act. I do not think Major Hasan was capable of such mental activities, at that point in his life. He is mentally ill and should be treated as such.
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | November 11, 2009 11:25 AM
Well bill you finally may have figured it out. You meet the enemy on their field of battle in their country; you don't sit around with your PC head in you behind and until they come to your neighborhood and blow you up. Don't think that they wouldn't if they could.
By the way Iranians started chanting "Death to America" during the Carter years, and bombed the WTC during Clinton's first term, and then there was the USS Cole...
Carter and Clinton sure fueled terrorism.
How ridiculous to blame the US or a president for causing fanatical Islamic killers to want to commit Jihad. Why don't you learn the history of Islam? Killing, torture and dominance of other cultures is the history of Islam. See the conquering of Egypt, Spain, and the rest of the Mideast. Put down the "10,000 Ways to Blame Bush for Everything" book and look it up.
Posted by: Free to Watch Whatever I Want | November 11, 2009 4:15 PM
Why don't you learn the history of Islam? Killing, torture and dominance of other cultures is the history of Islam.
Posted by: Free to Watch Whatever I Want | November 11, 2009 4:15 PM
Hmmmm....ridiculous.....like eliminating an entire religion. Good luck there. There are only over 2 billion in the world. Will you sign up first?
Posted by: bill r. | November 11, 2009 5:42 PM
See the conquering of Egypt, Spain, and the rest of the Mideast. Put down the "10,000 Ways to Blame Bush for Everything" book and look it up.
Posted by: Free to Watch Whatever I Want | November 11, 2009 4:15 PM
I have a few Native Americans who would like to have a talk with you.
Posted by: bill r. | November 11, 2009 5:44 PM
I have a few Native Americans who would like to have a talk with you.
Posted by: bill r. | November 11, 2009 5:44 PM
Why bill? I don't get the connection, although I'm sure you do. How does that work in your brain where you can justify terrorist Jihad by MODERN DAY Islam because the Indians suffered terribly and were killed. Draw me a diagram...
Posted by: Free to Watch Whatever I Want | November 11, 2009 8:47 PM
PM
Hmmmm....ridiculous.....like eliminating an entire religion. Good luck there. There are only over 2 billion in the world. Will you sign up first?
Posted by: bill r. | November 11, 2009 5:42 PM
I got news for you bill, they have already "signed you up." Unless you are a believer you are marked for death unless you convert. So, what's it gonna be big guy you gonna bow down and convert?
Posted by: Free to Watch Whatever I Want | November 13, 2009 2:16 AM