Fort Hood Tragedy Sparks Islamophobic Response - by Stephen Lendman

A personal note. This writer was stationed at Fort Hood in summer 1956, a quiet time, post-Korea and pre-Vietnam, when terrorism and Islamophbia weren't issues, and shooting only happened on firing ranges to learn and improve marksmanship.

On November 5, The New Times headlined, "Mass Shooting at Fort Hood, saying:

"the Army confirms that the gunman (thought to be killed) was Army Major Malik Nadal Hasan. Reports said 12 were dead (raised to 13, including one civilian) and 31 others wounded from an incident at the base Readiness Processing Center where troops prepare for deployment. Two other soldiers were detained as suspects. Another was believed at large. The shooting began about 1:30PM after which Fort Hood was locked down."

CNN reported over 100 rounds fired. Some military retirees were skeptical, calling it bogus. An unidentified Army captain said it's impossible for a non-combatant like Hasan to fire that much with two pistols without being subdued. He'd have had to reload giving someone a chance to do it. Others said the same thing.

Sergeant Donald Buswell called the official story illegitimate saying a room full of combat veterans wouldn't let one shooter do this kind of damage. "Multiple shooters is the only plausible scenario. This sounds like Major Hasan has been used, and perhaps is a patsy." Vietnam veteran Michael Gaddy said the Army's version doesn't compute. "People on the ground have told me cell phone towers were jammed to prevent unauthorized dissemination of information after the shooting."

Citizens for Legitimate Government (legitgov.org) said "Hasan's neighbors, medical trainers, colleagues, friends, cousin, uncle, grandfather - even the store owner where he bought his food - all....praise(d his) temperament. This appears to be a psy-ops, six ways to Sunday." His grandfather called the act "impossible. He is a doctor and loves the US. America made him what he is."

Early November 5, the day of the incident, "he showed no signs of worry or stress when he stopped at (a) 7-Eleven for his daily breakfast of hash browns, said Jeannie Strickland, the store's manager....(there was) nothing weird, nothing out of the ordinary."

The FBI and Pentagon investigated alleged contacts he had with a "Yemen-based militant" over the past year after intelligence agencies reported emails he exchanged with imam Anwar al-Awlaki, known for his anti-American teachings. Al-Awlaki was once spiritual leader at the suburban Virginia mosque where Hasan worshipped. The communications suggested nothing out of the ordinary. Yet Charles Allen, former Bush administration Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, described Al-Awlaki (with no proof) as an "al-Qaeda supporter..who targets US Muslims with radical online lectures encouraging terrorist attacks from his new home in Yemen.

Members of two Joint Terrorism Task Forces contacted Hasan's superiors, reviewed his military records and computer for suspicious activity and found nothing. Yet Senator Joe Lieberman told Fox News (Sunday, November 8) that "strong warning signs" showed he was an "Islamic extremist," and two officials said on ABC News that intelligence authorities knew he tried to contact suspected al Qaeda members. On November 11, Senator John McCain called the tragedy an "act of terror."

Congressman Pete Hoekstra (R. MI ranking House Intelligence Committee member) plans an investigation on "homegrown Jihadism." He sent a preservation order to the FBI, CIA, NSA, and DNI chiefs directing them to save relevant documents for his committee's review.

A November 7 UK Telegraph report linked Hasan to three 9/11 "hijackers" because Al-Awlaki was their "spiritual advisor." The FBI will now check if he met them. Telegraph writers Philip Sherwell and Alex Spillius said "the army missed an increasing number of red flags that Hasan was a troubled and brooding individual within its ranks." It quoted an unnamed source warning military officials that he was a "ticking time bomb" after he allegedly defended suicide bombers, expressed anti-Jewish sentiments, and claimed the "war on terror" is a war against Islam. So do many others.

ABC News said Hasan "wanted out of the Army after being constantly harassed by others in the military and was called a 'camel jockey,' his family said. As (he) was about to be deployed to (Afghanistan), he was suffering from some of the same stresses that he was trained as an Army psychiatrist to treat." As a result, he hired a lawyer to help him get out of the Army.

A London Guardian article cited base commander, Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, saying Hasan shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) before shooting. One of his colleagues, Col. Steven Braverman, said he did his job well. There were no signs of trouble. "We had no problems with his job performance while he was working with us." But he was "mortified by the idea of" deploying to Afghanistan, according to his cousin Nader. "He had people telling him on a daily basis (about) the horrors they saw over there."

More from The New York Times

On November 5, writer James Dao headlined, "Suspect Was 'Mortified" About Deployment....because he knew all too well the terrifying realities of war," according to his cousin Nader Hasan.

Earlier, the FBI "became aware of Internet postings by a man calling himself Nidal Hasan....but the investigators were not clear whether the writer was Major Hasan. In one posting (he) compared the heroism of a soldier who throws himself on a grenade to protect fellow soldiers to suicide bombers who sacrifice themselves to protect Muslims." The emailer said:

"If one suicide bomber can kill 100 enemy soldiers because they were caught off guard that would be considered a strategic victory."

"It could not be confirmed, however, that the writer was Major Hasan."

On November 8, writers James McKinley Jr. and James Dao headlined, "Fort Hood Gunman Gave Signals Before His Rampage," saying "relatives and acquaintances (said) tensions that led to the rampage had been building for a long time....In recent years, he had grown more and more vocal about his opposition to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and tortured over reconciling his military duties with his religion."

He was "a troubled man full of contradictions (who) complained bitterly to people at his mosque about the oppression of Muslims in the Army. He had few friends, and even (some who knew him said he was) a strange figure...."

On November 9, writers David Johnston and Scott Shane headlined, "US Knew of Suspect's Tie to Radical Cleric....known for his incendiary anti-American teachings....Given (his) radical views," Congress will likely investigate potential links to terrorism.

The Times' David Brooks said political correctness clouded the reporting, portraying Hasan:

"as a victim of society, a poor soul who was pushed over the edge by prejudice and unhappiness....This response was understandable. But it was also patronizing. Public commentators assumed the air of kindergarten teachers who had to protect their children from thinking certain impermissible and intolerant thoughts."

On November 10, writers Peter Baker and Clifford Krauss headlined, "President, at Service, Hails Fort Hood's Fallen (in assuming) the role of national eulogist (and leading) the country in mourning...."

In shamelessly promoting America's imperial wars, ahead of new troop deployments, Obama referred to:

"....trying times for our country. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the same extremists who killed nearly 3,000 Americans continue to endanger America, our allies, and innocent Afghans and Pakistanis. In Iraq, we are working to bring a war to a successful end, as there are still those who would deny the Iraqi people the future that Americans and Iraqis have sacrificed so much for." Fort Hood's fallen soldiers "reaffirm the core values that we are fighting for (to give) others half a world away the chance to lead a better life."

The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder said it's "The Best Speech Obama's Given Since....Maybe Ever. Today, at Ft. Hood. I guarantee: they'll be teaching this one in rhetoric classes. It was that good."

The New York Times called it "soaring rhetoric." Political Wire.com said it's his best speech ever. Attending politicians from both parties agreed that he touched all the right points. Other media comments expressed strong undertone support for America's imperial wars and need to fight terrorism.

More Islamophobic Response

On November 6, in Rupert Murdoch's New York Post, retired Army Lt. Col. Ralph Peters headlined, "Fort Hood's 9/11" calling it "the worst act of terror on American soil since" that day. "This was a terrorist act. When an extremist plans and executes a murderous plot against our armed forces to protest our efforts to counter Islamic fanatics, it's an act of terror. Period."

From the Wall Street Journal:

-- On November 10, Evan Perez and Keith Johnson headlined, "Hasan, Radical Cleric Had Contact (but it) Didn't Raise Red Flags to US Authorities; and

-- editorial writer Dorothy Rabinowitz's same day op-ed saying, "His (Hasan) terrorist motive is obvious to everyone but the press and Army brass."

The press? Apparently Rabinowitz doesn't read her own paper that wreaks with innuendoes and accusations. From the dominant media as well.

From the Washington Post:

-- lots of inflammatory reporting and a November 12 editorial headlined, "In plain sight?" It mentions the same "red flags" saying, "In isolation, they may have appeared less than actionable. Unfortunately, (the Fort Hood) tragedy....linked the puzzle pieces. (So) it's fair to ask whether red flags should have become red alerts." The editorial's conclusion - "A serious investigation must probe these issues, among others."

On November 10, Newsmax.com's Ronald Kessler said "10% of US mosques preach jihad," according to FBI estimates. "That sums up the problem facing us as we ponder the meaning of (Hasan's) slayings of 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas. Given his association with a pro-al-Qaida imam in northern Virginia and his preoccupation with radical Islamic Web sites, it's clear that the radical element of Islam influenced Hasan."

From right-wing ideologue Michelle Malkin:

-- The "military's blind pursuit of diversity allowed Fort Hood shooting" to happen. "Fort Hood jihadist Maj. Nidal Hasan made his means, motive and inspiration clear for those willing to see and hear."

On November 9 on The 700 Club, Pat Robertson used the tragedy to vilify Islam, calling it:

-- a "violent religion," then adding, "Islam is not a religion, it is a political system....bent on world domination;" and added

-- "Muslims should be treated like "members of the Communist Party (or) some fascist group."

On November 10, CNN's Lou Dobbs said:

"Tonight, the government faces tough questions. Intelligence agencies now (admit) they knew (Hasan) had terrorist ties almost a year ago. Why were there no investigations....Warning signs (were) ignored. Red flags (were) missed."

He referred to a December 2008 "bombshell" revelation that he was communicating with a Yemeni cleric and other "red flags ignored....Could the Fort Hood massacre have been prevented?"

Under pressure from critics, Dobbs announced his resignation on November 11. According to New York Times writers Brian Stelter and Bill Carter:

Months ago CNN president Jonathan Klein "offered (him) a choice. (He) could vent his opinions on radio and anchor an objective newscast on television, or he could leave CNN."

The article said Dobbs met with Fox News head Roger Ailes in September. Perhaps that's where he's headed.

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) was one of his most vocal critics. On November 12, it issued the following statement:

"Last night, CNN anchor Lou Dobbs announced his departure from the network. As you know, we've been highly critical of (him) because he has used his platform to spread myths and propaganda - poisoning the debate over immigration reform and inciting fear and hate against Latinos.

The SPLC was one of the first groups to bring public attention to Dobbs' use of false information provided by racist hate groups....we took a stand (to fire him), and our actions made a difference."

On November 10, Fox News' Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points" featured "The Truth About Major Nidal Malik Hasan's (attempt) to contact associates of Al Qaeda. If true, that's huge. Why would the Army allow any soldier to serve under those circumstances?" Later in the broadcast he added: "I have the highest rated show. I've decided it was an act of terrorism."

On November 9, Fox News' Sean Hannity asked what the tragedy says "about Barack Obama and our government."

The same day on Fox News, right-wing columnist Charles Krauthammer said:

"Surprise, surprise, that somebody who shouts Allahu Akbar (God is great) as he shoots up a room of soldiers might have Islamist motives in doing that. I think the real moral scandal....is trying to medicalize mass murder."

On his November 9 radio show, Rush Limbaugh also blamed Obama for the Fort Hood shootings saying:

"We could almost say this is Obama's fault, because this guy (Hasan) said he believed Obama was going to get us out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama hasn't done it, and that's one of the reasons why the guy cracked....I am sure they're not going to call this (a) hate crime....but let's not forget this man had no problem with killing people. (He's) not a pacifist (or) a conscientious objector. He didn't like Americans in Afghanistan or Iraq."

AP headlined, "Who knew of Fort Hood suspect's radical contacts (in suggesting) opportunities were missed to head off the massacre in which 13 died and 29 others wounded last Thursday."

National Public Radio's (NPR) Daniel Zwerdling called Hasan "cold (and) unfriendly," according to a fellow psychiatrist "who worked very closely with (him) and knows him very well....the medical staff was very worried about this guy....He did not do a good job in training, was repeatedly warned, you better shape up, or, you know, you're going to be in trouble....more relevant (was that) he was very proud and upfront about being Muslim....he seemed almost belligerent about (it), and he gave a lecture one day that really freaked a lot of doctors out....he was the kind of guy who the staff actually stood around in the hallway, saying: Do you think he's a terrorist, or is he just weird?"

NPR's Steve Inskeep called Hasan "disturbed" and "disliked."

On Public Broadcasting's (PBS) News Hour, Gwen Ifill discussed his "extremist" views and "ties" to a "radical cleric" with Washington Post writer, Dana Priest. Focusing on her November 10 article titled, "Fort Hood suspect warned of threats within the ranks," she explained his late June 2007 Power Point presentation to supervisors and other physicians and mental health staff expressing "a quite radical view of Islam and the Koran, with warnings throughout that Muslims (will be conflicted) if they are asked to fight and kill other Muslims...."

Titled, "The Koranic World View As It Relates to Muslims in the US Military," Priest stressed elements like:

-- guilt feelings and religious conflicts facing Muslims in the military;

-- offensive jihad, or holy war;

-- Hasan saying: "If Muslim groups can convince Muslims that they are fighting for God against injustices of the 'infidels;' ie, enemies of Islam, then (they) can become a potent adversary; ie, suicide bomb(ers), etc;

-- another comment saying: "We love death more than you love life;" and

-- under conclusions, writing: "Fighting to establish an Islamic State to please God, even by force, is condoned by Islam (and) Muslim soldiers should not serve in any capacity that renders them at risk to hurting/killing believers unjustly."

Not addressed in Priest's article was the following:

-- Muslims' objections to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars;

-- out-of-date Pentagon information about Muslim attitudes in the military;

-- over 4,000 armed forces members are Muslims, not the media-reported 2,000 - 3,000 number;

-- most are African Americans, so it raises troubling implications about extending imperial wars to Africa using black Americans to fight them; and

-- more than 3,000 armed forces members converted to Islam while stationed in the Persian Gulf in the 1990s.

Priest mentioned Hasan's recommendation urging the Defense Department to release Muslims as conscientious objectors "to increase troop morale and decrease adverse events."

Reporter Ray Suarez painted a "conflicting portrait (of the) accused Fort Hood gunman," devout, quiet, hardly known or understood by his neighbors, disenchanted with the military, and eager to get out. He cited the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Ibrahim Hooper saying his BlackBerry buzzed with hostile messages, "one calling for all-out war on Islam."

BBC highlighted Hasan's "contact with a radical cleric (known to be) sympathetic to al-Qaeda (and for) run(ning) a website denouncing US policy. It praised Major Hasan's alleged actions at Fort Hood as heroic."

Darren Hutchinson's Dissenting Justice blog asked why Hasan wasn't fired for his views when gay and lesbian soldiers are on grounds of their sexual orientation, saying:

"Apparently, the military retained a person who suffered from known (or reasonably discoverable) psychological problems and who attempted to contact an anti-US terrorist group. Meanwhile, the military continues to enforce Don't Ask, Don't Tell and to discharge mentally fit and loyal gay and lesbian service members...Hasan's religious views were prominent, if not exclusive factors for why he slaughtered fellow American soldiers. The motives appear as clear as any could be."

Real Clear Politics' Debra Saunders referred to an "unstable person (immersed) in extremist ideology before he turned his rage on his fellow man."

On November 11, an Islamophobic NEFA Foundation Alert headlined, "Afghan Taliban Celebrate Ft. Hood Massacre," saying it:

"issued a new official communique in response to the massacre at Ft. Hood....titled, 'The Attack in Texas Is A Proof On The Disagreement Among American Soldiers Over The War,' the Taliban celebrated the 'fight and trance and enormous fears within the military and civil circles in America' caused by the incident."

Referring to Hasan as a "hero," it warned that if the US doesn't withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan, "it will become normal for (similar) incidents and attacks (to) expand to the Pentagon and the rest of the American military bases...."

Instances of Violence in the Military

On November 9, New York Times writers Michael Moss and Ray Rivera headlined, "At Army Base, Some Violence Is Too Familiar," citing past examples from combat stress:

-- after returning to Fort Hood in 2008, Sgt. Gilberto Mota shot his wife Diana, an Army specialist, and took his own life;

--in July, two returning First Cavalry Division members were at a party when one killed the other; and

-- the same month, Sgt. Justin Lee Garza, over-stressed from two deployments, shot himself in a friend's apartment outside Fort Hood four days after being told no therapists were available for counseling.

The article said "Reports of domestic abuse have grown by 75 percent since 2001, (and) violent crime in (adjacent) Killeen has risen 22 percent...." Other stresses showed up in 76 Fort Hood suicides, 10 in 2009. Overall, record numbers of them are occurring, likely more than officially reported, as well as on average 10 failed attempts for each lost life. The reasons - extended, repeated combat zone deployments causing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and severe depression.

In January, the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) reported 178,483 Iraq and Afghanistan vets diagnosed with mental illness between 2002 and September 2008. Included were cases of PTSD, depression, neurotic disorders, and psychoses, as well as drug abuse and alcoholism. A 2008 RAND Corporation study estimated that 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan vets (or 350,000 people) suffered from PTSD, nearly double the VA figure. In addition, up to 18 US veterans of foreign wars commit suicide daily - over 6,500 annually. The numbers are troublesome and unreported by the major media supporting calls for more troops.

The Times said interviews with Iraq and Afghanistan vets and with family members of those killed in Texas show that the Army hasn't dealt with this crisis. "Even some alarm bells rung by the Army leadership have gone unanswered." Open-ended billions go for militarism and imperial wars. Appallingly little helps the young men and women fighting them when they most need it.

The Fort Hood tragedy is a profound "red alert" indictment of America's imperial wars and the immense human cost to soldiers and non-combatants alike.

Fragging in Vietnam

War-induced stress sparks violence in the ranks. Fragging was the Vietnam term for rank-and-file soldiers killing NCO and officer superiors by fragmentation grenades, shootings, and other means. According to Texas A&M historian, Terry Anderson, the Army knew of at least 600 officer cases from 1969 - 1973, plus "another 1,400 who died mysteriously." He believes that late in the conflict, the Army was more at war with itself than the Vietnamese.

Congressional hearings in 1973 estimated that from 1961 - 1972 up to 3% of NCO and officer deaths were from fragging by fragmentation grenades alone. Many others were by "handguns, automatic rifles, booby traps, knives, and bare hands (by) increasingly pissed off enlisted men."

Writing in 1971, a Col. Heinl said:

"The morale, discipline and battleworthiness of the US Armed Forces are....lower than anytime in the century and possibly in the history of the United States. By every conceivable indicator, our Army that remains in Vietnam is in a state of approaching collapse, with individual units avoiding or having....refused combat, murdering their own officers and NCOs, drug-ridden and dispirited when not mutinous."

Despite today's all-volunteer force, the longer America's wars go on, the closer a similar state approaches critical mass because of declining moral, repeated deployments, combat stress, battle fatigue, and what Vietnam vet Steve Hesske wrote in 2003 on newdemocracyworld.org:

the "negative universals in all warfare. Lousy nutrition. Cramped, dirty, awful living conditions. Terrible weather. Unreasonable often senseless demands made by superiors. And what Michael Herr describes in DISPATCHES (as) 'long periods of boredom punctuated by moments of stark terror.' "

Leaving Iraq occupied, letting conditions there fester, and expanding the Afghan-Pakistan theaters promise enough growing resentment in the ranks to perhaps cause the type Vietnam breakdown Col Heinl described. One no Islamophobic media response can hide or prevent.

Stephen Lendman is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization. He lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to The Global Research News Hour on RepublicBroadcasting.org Monday - Friday at 10AM US Central time for cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on world and national issues. All programs are archived for easy listening.

http://republicbroadcasting.org/Global%20Research/index.php?cmd=archives.year&ProgramID=33&year=9

 

Word on the street is that you too can get fancy-schmancy sounding titles at the local 5 and dime.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diploma_mill

yeah only the rabid bats of the pirate Israeli in their blog circle jerks of self masturbatory affirmation, really mean anything to a zionazi spook.

indecipherable verbiage of an alcoholic on a Friday night? Or the everyday utterances of a shit for brains?



"selective 'victimhood'

by dealing with Israeli spooks Friday, Nov. 13, 2009 at 9:52 PM

yeah only the rabid bats of the pirate Israeli in their blog circle jerks of self masturbatory affirmation, really mean anything to a zionazi spook."

isn't that what you spooks in the office do?

engage in self masturbatory affirmation of your rabid psychosis?

"Maybe they'll come back someday and finish this IMC by burning down the garrage it's hosted in after taking these tidal waves of zionist sewage which blocks all other news like Cleveland's unemployed or the banking bailout but remains only about Israel and their enemies.

Like the readership."

"proof?

Nothing in the world is proof; there is only perceptive viewpoints of the physical world. You will need an interpreture to understand this as it requires introspection best available, for yourself, through intensive psychiatric care.

I offer something beside the awful sea of propaganda that *you* percieve [ if you even fall for it, yourself and are *not* fully aware of the tender pustules of zionist history ] through a blood soaked pro-israeli/zionist lens of victimhood and paranoia.

The deliberate agenda of deceit and beligerence [ to put it very mildly ] is all yours.

I just use it and you to make it obvious even to the sleeping American public. I'm using you to piss them off.

That's My agenda.

Thank you for your assistance."

"and while Yada is dependant upon sloganeering fickwit C&P saying nothing but doing it repeatedly, we learn the false substance of this cult of murder and betrayel.

And fear of discovery. "

now you are reduced, not of course any pertinent analysis; but merely repeating off thread, out of context, ancillary comments?

For a cult that thinks it's so much more clever than an awakening world, you spooks are not only empty and deranged but self effacing.

When the Maj. Questions in this mass shooting come out,

[ Ft. Hood Shooting Staged

There is no need for the military as it exists solely to murder the people of the world to steal their resources, usually oil, so as to maximize the profits of the oil companies and munitions companies. Thus, the entire illegal attack on the people of Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan is staged, and American troops want to come home. This means a scapegoat is needed to build support of more war. The shooting at Ft. Hood could not have been done by one person with the weapons used.

From brasschecktv.com:

Ok, let's get this out of the way.

Fort Hood - tragic.

Now let's look at some reality.

ONE guy shooting a hand gun killed

HOW many people - and on a military

base? Ae you serious?

And the one shooter is now in a coma?

And, as of now at least, there's no

surveillance camera footage?

And he's a Muslim who also happens

to be a serviceman with a mental

disorder involving gunplay who did

it with privately owned weapons?

This thing could not have been scripted or

casted better if Hollywood had produced it.

Let's see:

1. Private gun ownership demonized - check

2. Muslims demonized - check

3. Military personnel demonized - check

4. Base dwelling troops at home terrorized

by a fellow American - check

5. Yet another chance to distract the public - check

If this really happened the way it's been spun,

there have to be a lot of social engineers

high fiving each other at their good luck.

And what about the logic of the gunman?

He was afraid of being deployed to a combat

zone...so he created one at home so he

could be killed sooner? I realize the man

was "crazy" but come on.

(I wonder what prescribed medically-endorsed

pharmaceutical substance(s) he was one. We'll

never know because it would violate his privacy.

Score another one for Big Pharma.)

13 killed and 30 wounded by one man with

two pistols.

Nearly a 50% kill rate.

Ever fired a handgun? Ever tried aiming

and firing two at a time? Under pressure?

Ever reload a handgun under pressure?

There were people shooting at him. That's

a little pressure.

We're talking about yet *another* superhuman

performance by a "lone gunman" who is

conveniently not conscious to tell the tale.

Caliber doesn't matter and the bogus

non-fact that these were "automatic"

pistols is bull**** as well.

Meanwhile, we're being drowned in

flags, memorials and interviews with

the victims' families - and a total

absence of any information that makes

sense.

"But the government would never

do such a thing to its own troops!"

Uh, excuse me. It's putting thousands

of them through a meat grinder in

a pointless, unwinnable charade of

a war as we speak - in two countries,

while gearing up for two more (Iran

and Pakistan.)

Do you think the dead and wounded

from overseas are any less dead and

wounded victims from Fort Hood?

Assume the gunman was crazy. What

does that make the Bush-Bama regime?

Here's a news report about *another*

mass shooting by a lone gunman with two

pistols that sneaked its way onto the air

before it was pulled off and never replayed.

Reality please, just a little reality.

See also:

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/96.html

www.brasschecktv.com/page/96.html

**

ft. hood cover up

by ft. hood cover up Monday, Nov. 09, 2009 at 5:09 PM

http://exiledonline.com/fort-hood-cover-up-a-dozen-tales-of-disinformation/

**

Ft. Hood & The Media's Lies

by repost Monday, Nov. 09, 2009 at 9:33 PM

From " Fort Hood: A media orgy of rumors, speculation and falsehoods" Glenn Greenwald, 11/9/09, originally in salon.com, 11/6/09, at

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=15948

Number of shooters

"The fact that at least three gunmen are involved already has Shuster and Miklaszewski mentioning similarities to the Fort Dix Six plot on MSNBC . . . two of the gunmen are still at large and one has fired shots at the SWAT team on the scene . . . . New details from CNN: One gunman "neutralized," one "cornered," no word on the third. . . . Whether there are two shooters or three seems to be in dispute at the moment, but there’s certainly more than one: The second shooting on the base evidently occurred at a theater. . . . Fox News says there are reports that the men were dressed in fatigues. . . . MSNBC TV says two shooters are in custody now. . . . it sounds like both shooters are military . . .According to MSNBC, there were three shooters. . . In case you're wondering whether the other two soldiers in custody were actual accomplices or just being questioned because they knew Hasan, Rick Perry just said at the presser he’s holding that all three were shooters. . . . Hearing rumblings on Twitter right now that Perry was wrong and that the two other "suspects" have now been released. Was Hasan, in fact, a lone gunman? . . . . According to the general conducting the briefing going on right now, he appears to be a lone gunman."

The fate of the shooter

"One of the shooters is dead. . . One is dead, two more are in custody. Has there ever been a case of "battle stress" that involved a conspiracy by multiple people? . . . So poor and fragmented have the early media reports about this been that only now, after 9 p.m. ET, do we learn that … Hasan’s still alive. He’s in stable condition."

The weapons used

"M-16s involved: . . . From the local Fox affiliate, how it all went down. Evidently McClatchy’s report of M-16s was wrong:"

The shooter's background

"According to Brian Ross at ABC, Hasan was a convert to Islam. . . . Contra Brian Ross, the AP says it’s unclear what Hasan’s religion was or whether he was a convert. . . . Apparently, one of Hasan’s cousins just told Shep that he’s always been Muslim, not a recent convert. . . ."

"I’m hearing on Twitter that Fox interviewed one of his neighbors within the last half-hour or so and that the neighbor claims Hasan was handing out Korans just this morning. Does anyone have video? . . . . "Brenda Price of KUSJ reported to Greta at 10:33: 'also, the latest I am hearing, this morning, apparently according to his neighbors, he was walking around kind of giving out his possessions, giving away his furniture, handing out the Koran…'" . . .: Evidently CNN is airing surveillance footage from a convenience store camera taken this just morning showing Hasan in a traditional Muslim cap and robe. . . "A former neighbor of Hasan’s in Silver Spring, Md. told Fox News he lived there for two years with his brother and had the word ‘Allah’ on the door.""

Miscellaneous claims

"Good lord — there’s a report from BNO News on Twitter that new shooting is being heard on the base. . . . For what it’s worth, an eyewitness report of Arabic being shouted during the attack: . . .Federal law enforcement officials say the suspected Fort Hood, Texas, shooter had come to their attention at least six months ago because of Internet postings that discussed suicide bombings and other threats. . . . The ,000 questions: What was he doing at Fort Hood among the population if he thought suicide bombers were heroes?"

"Isn't it clear that anyone following all of that as it unfolded would have been more misinformed than informed?"

"The New York Times' Robert Mackey did an equally comprehensive job of live-blogging the media reports, and his contemporaneous compilation reflects many of these same glaring errors in the coverage: "CNN reports that two military sources say that the second gunman at Fort Hood is 'cornered' . . . Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison told Fox 4 News in Texas that one shooter was in custody and 'another is still at large' . . . CNN’s Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports that 12 people have been killed and up to 30 wounded. One of the dead is said to have been one of the gunmen. . . . Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, just revealed that earlier reports that the suspected gunman, Major Nidal Hasan, had been killed were incorrect. Major Hasan was wounded but remains alive.""

"Perhaps most irresponsible of all is the unverified claim that Hasan had written on the Internet in defense of suicide attacks by Muslims, even though the origins of those writings are entirely unverified. Similarly, certain news organizations -- like NPR -- used anonymous sources to disseminate inflammatory claims about Hasan's prior troubles allegedly grounded in activism on behalf of Islam. Much of this may turn out to be true once verified, or it may not be, but all of the conflicting, unverified claims flying around last night enabled many people to exploit the "facts" they selected in order to create whatever storyline that suited them and their political preconceptions -- and many, of course, took vigorous advantage of that opportunity."

I"'m obviously ambivalent about the issues of media responsibility raised by all of this. It's difficult to know exactly how the competing interests should be balanced -- between disclosing what one has heard in an evolving news story and ensuring some minimal level of reliability and accuracy. But whatever else is true, news outlets -- driven by competitive pressures in the age of instant "reporting" -- don't really seem to recognize the need for this balance at all. They're willing to pass on anything they hear without regard to reliability -- to the point where I automatically and studiously ignore the first day or so of news coverage on these events because, given how these things are "reported," it's simply impossible to know what is true and what isn't. In fact, following initial media coverage on these stories is more likely to leave one misled and confused than informed. Conversely, the best way to stay informed is to ignore it all -- or at least treat it all with extreme skepticism -- for at least a day."

"The problem, though, is that huge numbers of people aren't ignoring it. They're paying close attention -- and they're paying the closest attention, and forming their long-term views, in the initial stages of the reporting. Many people will lose their interest once the drama dissolves -- i.e., once the actual facts emerge. Put another way, a large segment of conventional wisdom solidifies based on misleading and patently false claims coming from major media outlets. I don't know exactly how to define what the balance should be, but particularly for politically explosive stories like this one, it seems clear that media outlets ought to exercise far more restraint and fact-checking rigor than they do. As it is, it's an orgy of rumor-mongering, speculation and falsehoods that play a very significant role in shaping public perceptions and enabling all sorts of ill-intentioned exploitation."

www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=15948 ]

...the answers may pull the rug off of the interconnections between the Israeli intelligence services and the US media.

This incident shows that the palestinians are functioning as a fifth block. This has just been one in a series of terror attacks on Americans, begining with the murder of Robert F Kennedy Jr by a Palestinian, Sirhan Sirhan. Sadly, it is a culture that has learned it cn bully its way through violence and threats of violence into achieving its goals.

for you idea of what you believe or want the rest of us, who actually read the article, to think.

they were watching him, huh? No doubt they went to the same strip bars Hasan went to?

funny you should mention Sirhan Sirhan ( or was it? ) another subject of the mind control and another huge bundle of government cover ups and destroyed evidence and railroaded justice like the JFK assassination event before it. There are indeed many similarities in the observation, promotion, sponsorship and perhaps manipulation of this very dark event.

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2009/11/232345.php

it's looking like another staged event to suit many agendas.

Its not "Islamaphobia" when they're shooting or bombing because you aren't Moslem!! A better phrase would be "survival instinct."

so exactly who was doing most of the 100 rounds fired? One lone nut gunman, again?

these other shooters at the theater kinda disappeared like the secret service did on the streets of Dallas in 1963 ?

Or all the evidence that was destroyed in the RFK assassination?

most Americans are aware of the dark hand of power, unchecked.

And its absolute control of the commercial media.