ABC: FBI knew Hasan tried to contact Al-Qaeda

posted at 9:30 am on November 9, 2009 by Ed Morrissey

Would it normally be considered a national-security problem if a high-ranking military officer had tried to contact an enemy of the United States during wartime?  ABC News reports that the FBI knew that Major Nidal Hasan had attempted to contact al-Qaeda and its associates months before Hasan went on a shooting rampage at Fort Hood, killing 13 people.  Did the FBI tell the Army about it?  That gets rather murky:

U.S. intelligence agencies were aware months ago that Army Major Nidal Hasan was attempting to make contact with people associated with al Qaeda, two American officials briefed on classified material in the case told ABC News.

It is not known whether the intelligence agencies informed the Army that one of its officers was seeking to connect with suspected al Qaeda figures, the officials said.

One senior lawmaker said the CIA had, so far, refused to brief the intelligence committees on what, if any, knowledge they had about Hasan’s efforts.

However, the Army certainly had enough information to know that Hasan was a problem:

A fellow Army doctor who studied with Hasan, Val Finell, told ABC News, “We would frequently say he was a Muslim first and an American second. And that came out in just about everything he did at the University.

Finell said he and other Army doctors complained to superiors about Hasan’s statements.

“And we questioned how somebody could take an oath of office…be an officer in the military and swear allegiance to the constitution and to defend America against all enemies, foreign and domestic and have that type of conflict,” Finell told ABC News.

Meanwhile, the imam with whom Hasan associated — with his own ties to the 9/11 terrorists — has issued a statement calling Hasan a “hero,” a “man of conscience” who successfully resolved the conflict of being Muslim and a member of the American armed forces.  Anwar al-Awlaki now lives in Yemen, but he used to run mosques in Denver, San Diego, and Falls Church before beating feet after the 9/11 attacks.  ABC reports that Awlaki runs a jihadist web site, which is where he posted his support of Hasan.

Did Hasan commit his act of terror alone or under instructions from Awlaki and his AQ associates?  That’s what investigators want to know, but either way it seems that a 9/10 attitude has re-entered national-security considerations.  Anyone attempting to contact al-Qaeda should have been arrested, or at the least kept away from military bases.  Why did our counter-terrorist efforts leave Nidal Hasan in position to actually deploy into a combat theater if the FBI knew or even suspected these attempts to contact the enemy?

It sounds a lot like the law-enforcement model of counterterrorism that failed us so spectacularly from 1993 to 2001.

Update (AP): In case you missed WaPo’s story on Hasan over the weekend, note what he told a neighbor on the morning of the murders after handing her a Koran: “I’m going to do good work for God.”

Update (Ed): Verum Serum has more on al-Awliki and Hasan’s “heroism”.

Update II: Joe Gandelman asks the right question: “If American intelligence agencies missed the signs pre-911 and they missed a big hint pre-Foot Hood, exactly what are they missing now, as you read this post?”  I would also add this: “And why are they missing it?”  Because in this case, it seems as though political correctness over the feelings of Muslims has played a part in hamstringing action — and that could be the case with other potential threats, too.

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My hypothesis is that, despite warnings, Bush failed to prevent 9/11. You are confirming, rather than contradicting, my hypothesis.

Bleeds Blue on November 9, 2009 at 12:15 PM

ah, but just what could Bush do? He did not have any declarations of war. He did not have any authortiy under the war powers act.

Are you saying he should have invaded foreign countries? Gone after allies? Maybe use the FBI and CIA in unconstitutional ways to spy on people on US soil???

All things the LEFT has complained about him doing anway? Just now you wanted him to do these things EARLIER?

/my heads spinnin trying to figure your logic…

Romeo13 on November 9, 2009 at 12:27 PM

Obama knew. People died.

faraway on November 9, 2009 at 12:28 PM

Old Hippie Vet on November 9, 2009 at 12:05 PM

I hear you brother, and I’m with you brother.

NumberTwo on November 9, 2009 at 12:29 PM

Tomorrow, Major Hassassin’s predecessor, Beltway Sniper John Allen Mohammed, will be executed.

Christien on November 9, 2009 at 12:25 PM

Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched – remember the “McVeigh Test” – one must be white and right wing to be put to death for a heinous crime.

Maybe the racist southern state of Virginia will actually put the needle in him – then again maybe Eric Holder is on a plane now to Richmond …

Developing.

HondaV65 on November 9, 2009 at 12:29 PM

I keep telling you: Ed has told us in no uncertain terms that he agrees with Obama that we should not jump to conclusions here. Just ignore the fact that 99% of terrorist acts are committed by Muslims. Just ignore the fact that Hasan was a fundamentalist Muslim. Just ignore his attempts to contact terrorist organizations. It’s all mere speculation. I’m sure the FBI was merely waiting until all the facts were in before they came to any conclusions, so we don’t want to blame them for intelligence failures. They were just doing the right thing and not jumping to conclusions. /sarc

tballard on November 9, 2009 at 12:29 PM

Okay, I’m officially calling this a terrorist attack.

DethMetalCookieMonst on November 9, 2009 at 12:30 PM

barry is looking more like an asshat everyday. Nice work Liberals, you still don’t understand the Islamic Threat. There is a global Jihad against the west.

mmm mmm imam

Geochelone on November 9, 2009 at 12:30 PM

highhopes on November 9, 2009 at 12:27 PM

Ah, it’s always an intel failure when the J-3 doesn’t want to fess up to it.

You can tell a guy about something but you can’t make him do anything about it.

Otis B on November 9, 2009 at 12:31 PM

Panetta + Holder + Obama = Dead soldiers

Are you next?

BobMbx on November 9, 2009 at 12:31 PM

UCMJ punishment for murder is the death penalty.

dpierson on November 9, 2009 at 11:46 AM

Which hasn’t been carried out since 1961. With Barry as CiC, I hold little hope for Hasan-of-a-bitch being executed.

Fed45 on November 9, 2009 at 12:31 PM

I’m not sure how this could be classified a terror attack, assuming that there is not the threat that other radical Islamic soldiers are waiting to do the same sort of atrocity. There really isn’t any terror until people think twice about going into military bases lest they be killed by unhinged jihadists.

As to the intelligence services failing miserably, I’d go you one further and suggest that the administration at Walter Reed needs to be held to account as well (if the stories of his time there are true). The evidence that Hasan was unfit to be in the Army is stacking up even without the connections to terrorist organizations and the 9/11/01 hijackers.

highhopes on November 9, 2009 at 12:27 PM

Have you been drinking?

Old Hippie Vet on November 9, 2009 at 12:31 PM

ow that Obama is in the White house and this happened on his watch:

U.S. intelligence agencies were aware months ago that Army Major Nidal Hasan was attempting to make contact with people associated with al Qaeda, two American officials briefed on classified material in the case told ABC News.

Nothing but crickets.

DethMetalCookieMonst on November 9, 2009 at 12:24 PM</blockquote

So, when was Obama briefed? How high up did this information go?

Bleeds Blue on November 9, 2009 at 12:32 PM

My hypothesis is that, despite warnings, Bush failed to prevent 9/11. You are confirming, rather than contradicting, my hypothesis.

Bleeds Blue on November 9, 2009 at 12:15 PM

The only “warning” that Bush got was that a terrorist attack may happen someday involving planes. When people usually hear something like that they think “highjacking”.

Meanwhile, on Obama’s watch, the FBI knew they this specific guy was trying to contact Al-Qaeda and did absolutely nothing.

DethMetalCookieMonst on November 9, 2009 at 12:32 PM

Christien on November 9, 2009 at 12:25 PM

John Allan Muhhamamed truly was a terrorist by the way he operated. I don’t see that Nidal Hasan’s actions were necessarily terrorism but, and here is the irony. Hasan will be a hero and martyr among radical Islam while the DC Sniper- not so much.

highhopes on November 9, 2009 at 12:32 PM

Nothing but crickets.

DethMetalCookieMonst on November 9, 2009 at 12:24 PM

There is one significant difference . . . the U.S. did not have the suspected perpetrators under their direct control and living within a closed society that was capable of controlling their movements. Your analogy lacks sound reasoning and is an obviously weak attempt to cover for Obama.

rplat on November 9, 2009 at 12:32 PM

FBI Agent in charge Ahmed Faisal… think he’s a Methodist?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!

I was going to post a sarcastic comment that the lead investigator, FBI Special Agent Acmed Ahmed says that everything looks halal with Hasan and he is drawing a blank…..HAHAHAHAHAHAHa!!!1

Now this!?! Your all very, very burnt toast now. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!!

God has the blackest sense of humor in the universe.

Wait…it is a joke that a Muslim is the lead investigator right? I jumped to a conclusion didn’t I?

BL@KBIRD on November 9, 2009 at 12:34 PM

So, when was Obama briefed? How high up did this information go?

Bleeds Blue on November 9, 2009 at 12:32 PM

Yeah, the Buck Stops Somewhere Down There.

Otis B on November 9, 2009 at 12:34 PM


Ft. Hood Investigators take over at Customs

Man: All right, I confess, I’m a smuggler … This whole case is crammed full of Swiss watches and clocks. I’ve been purposely trying to deceive Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise. I’ve been a bloody fool.

Officer: I don’t believe you, sir.

Man: It’s true. I’m, er, guilty of smuggling.

Officer: Don’t give me that, sir … you couldn’t smuggle a piece of greaseproof paper let alone a case full of watches.

Man: What do you mean! I’ve smuggled watches before, you know! I’ve smuggled bombs, cameras, microfilms, aircraft components, you name it – I’ve smuggled it.

Officer: Now come along please, you’re wasting our time… move along please.

Man: Look! (he opens his case to reveal it stuffed full of watches and clocks) Look – look at this.

Officer: Look, for all I know, sir, you could’ve bought these in London before you ever went to Switzerland.

Man: What? I wouldn’t buy two thousand clocks.

Officer: People do, now close your case move along please come on. Don’t waste our time, we’re out to catch the real smugglers. Come on.

Man: (shouting) I am a real smuggler. I’m a smuggler! Don’t you understand, I’m a smuggler, a lawbreaker… a smuggler. (he is removed struggling)

(A vicar is next.)

Vicar: Poor fellow. I think he needs help.

Officer: Right, cut the wisecracks, vicar. Get to the search room, and strip.

mankai on November 9, 2009 at 12:36 PM

Yahoo! has a headline that Hasan is awake and talking.

uknowmorethanme on November 9, 2009 at 12:36 PM

Not the religion? Let me see; I do recall some muslim terrorism somewhere. Maybe it was the attack in U.S.A., Spain, France, Austria, Italy, Germany, Holland, England, Scotland, Afghanistan, Saudia Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Greece, India, Lebanon, Phillipines, Bali, Russia, Georgia, Egypt, Israel, Algeria, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kashmir, Tunisia, Jordan, Kenya, Chechnya, Morocco, North Ossetia, Kosovo, Serbia and Abania. I could go on, but I am out of ink.

Johan Klaus on November 9, 2009 at 12:12 PM,

Impressive! You forgot a couple though, I understand its hard, soon it will be easier to name places not attacked by Islamists.

Somalia, Dagestan, Russia, China (Uigaher province)

Archimedes on November 9, 2009 at 12:36 PM

My hypothesis is that, despite warnings, Bush failed to prevent 9/11. You are confirming, rather than contradicting, my hypothesis.

Bleeds Blue on November 9, 2009 at 12:15 PM

Obviously what just happened at Fort Hood was Bush’s fault – I’m surprised you even have to type it all out at this point.

Otis B on November 9, 2009 at 12:36 PM

What would make this NOT be a terrorist act?

Fed45 on November 9, 2009 at 12:18 PM

The “Overseas Contingency Operation” does not cover attacks on our homeland. We are not at war with muslim terrorist, “We are at war with Eurasia. We have always been at war with Eurasia”.

Johan Klaus on November 9, 2009 at 12:36 PM

Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched – remember the “McVeigh Test” – one must be white and right wing to be put to death for a heinous crime.

HondaV65 on November 9, 2009 at 12:29 PM

LOOLOLOL

You’re kidding right? Someone give this man some stats…stat. I mean you’re right if you totally forget how a disproportionate amount of blacks are given death and longer jail time for the same crime compared to whites.

Norvell on November 9, 2009 at 12:36 PM

but it certainly cannot be denied that Clinton had ample opportunity to get well out in front of 9/11 by capturing/killing bin-Laden, which he balked at…not once, not twice, but three times a lady.

Fed45 on November 9, 2009 at 12:21 PM

The only way liberals can deflect from their incredible failures in National Security is to make stuff up and blame Bush.

The head of the Bin Laden team appointed by Clinton (and no fan of Bush’s) states the obvious facts that liberals like Bleeds here can’t handle:


Harry Smith Taken Aback as CBS Analyst Blames Clinton for bin Laden Failures
By Michael Rule (Bio | Archive)
September 25, 2006 – 10:28 ET

Despite Bill Clinton’s angry protestations, the bulk of the blame for America’s failure to catch or kill Osama bin Laden lies squarely on the Clinton administration, at least according to terrorism analyst Michael Scheuer.

Scheuer’s words, delivered on today’s edition of CBS’s “Early Show,” must have come as a shock for co-host Harry Smith since the liberal media’s usual refrain on bin Laden is to blame Bush for the failure to kill him back in the early days of the Afghanistan campaign.
That just isn’t the case, Scheuer argued, implicitly criticizing the press.


“The former president seems to be able to deny facts with impugnity. Bin Laden is alive today because Mr. Clinton, Mr. Sandy Berger, and Mr. Richard Clarke refused to kill him,” he said.

Smith was shocked when Scheuer laid the blame at the feet of the Clinton administration, and attempted to put the focus back on failures of the Bush Administration. Smith highlighted president Clinton’s defense of his administration:

“Let’s talk about what President Clinton had to say on Fox yesterday. He basically laid blame at the feet of the CIA and the FBI for not being able to certify or verify that Osama bin Laden was responsible for a number of different attacks. Does that ring true to you?”

Scheuer refuted Smith’s portrayal of Clinton:

“No, sir, I don’t think so. The president seems to be able, the former president seems to be able to deny facts with impugnity. Bin Laden is alive today because Mr. Clinton, Mr. Sandy Berger, and Mr. Richard Clarke refused to kill him. That’s the bottom line. And every time he says what he said to Chris Wallace on Fox, he defames the CIA especially, and the men and women who risk their lives to give his administration repeated chances to kill bin Laden.”


“Oh, I think there’s plenty of blame to go around, sir, but the fact of the matter is that the Bush Administration had one chance that they botched, and the Clinton Administration had eight to ten chances that they refused to try…”


Scheuer continued his response and accused President Clinton of lying to the American people:

“..

.But it’s just, it’s an incredible kind of situation for the American people over the weekend to hear their former president mislead them.”

That one chance Sheuer notes about Bush is when we had tens of thousands of troops doing everything they could to kill Bin Laden.
Unlike Clinton who had Bin Laden in a predator drones sights and said no…had the Sudan offer to deliver him to us and said no….many times had his hideout in plain view but said no.

State Dept. Says It Warned About bin Laden in 1996

August 17, 2005
By ERIC LICHTBLAU
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/17/international/asia/17osama.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin

WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 – State Department analysts warned the Clinton administration in July 1996 that Osama bin Laden’s move to Afghanistan would give him an even more dangerous haven as he sought to expand radical Islam “well beyond the Middle East,” but the government chose not to deter the move, newly declassified documents show.

Let’s just ignore all these facts and blame it on BOOOOOOOOOOSH.

How progressive!!!!!

Baxter Greene on November 9, 2009 at 12:37 PM

If this makes you mad, call your Senators and demand that they support an investigation and have the agent who made those remarks to Rachel Madcow removed. Call.

bloggless on November 9, 2009 at 12:37 PM

My hypothesis is that, despite warnings, Bush Clinton failed to prevent 9/11. You are confirming, rather than contradicting, my hypothesis.

Bleeds Blue on November 9, 2009 at 12:15 PM

FIFY

uknowmorethanme on November 9, 2009 at 12:37 PM

Somalia, Dagestan, Russia, China (Uigaher province)

Archimedes on November 9, 2009 at 12:36 PM

I know, brain fade.

Johan Klaus on November 9, 2009 at 12:39 PM

What I want to know is this: WHAT CAN WE DO TO STOP THIS PC GARBAGE??? I am livid and truly afraid of our own leaders. They are going to get us all killed!
They don’t seem to give a &^%% about what we think or want. Can we survive until 2010? Even then, we will still have the same officers, president, vp, media etc. WE MUST DO SOMETHING! WHAT????

francesca on November 9, 2009 at 12:42 PM

Norvell on November 9, 2009 at 12:36 PM

But of course – we’re a racist nation aren’t we?

/ sarcasm

HondaV65 on November 9, 2009 at 12:43 PM

My hypothesis is that, despite warnings, Bush failed to prevent 9/11. You are confirming, rather than contradicting, my hypothesis.

Bleeds Blue on November 9, 2009 at 12:15 PM

Unfortunately, the answer to this hypothesis lies somewhere in Sandy Berger’s pants… and Democrats are far better equipped to conduct that investigation than I am.

mankai on November 9, 2009 at 12:50 PM

But of course – we’re a racist nation aren’t we?

/ sarcasm

HondaV65 on November 9, 2009 at 12:43 PM

Some would say so. I would say there are certain racial biases that are in our society that might make the general act a certain way or have a certain perception of one group of people or another.

Norvell on November 9, 2009 at 12:51 PM

Bleeds Blue on November 9, 2009 at 12:32 PM

“I won”, Barak Hussein Obama.

Johan Klaus on November 9, 2009 at 12:51 PM

You know, if 13 of our soldiers weren’t dead, and over 30 wounded, this thing would have descended into COMEDIC PARODY on the magnitude of a really good Monty Python skit.

You have a guy who’s a US ARMY MAJOR who’s been sitting right in the middle of our military publicly sympathizing with the enemy we’re fighting and not shy about talking to his colleagues about it.

And nobody can raise a red flag big enough to actually get his ass thrown out of the military because since 9-11, he’s part of a protected minority group.

Don’t tell me there’s not a really good comedy skit in there.

manofaiki on November 9, 2009 at 12:52 PM

So, when was Obama briefed? How high up did this information go?
Bleeds Blue on November 9, 2009 at 12:32 PM

You’re obviously not getting my point.

9/11 happens. Apparently intelligence got an extremely vague memo regarding a possible terrorist attack involving a plane. EEEERRRRHHHHH BUSH KNEW!!!!!!

Fort Hood attack happens. FBI KNEW that this specific person was trying to contact alqueda and also had other sketchy thing happen. Crickets.

In other words, where is the intellectual honesty?

DethMetalCookieMonst on November 9, 2009 at 12:55 PM

There is one significant difference . . . the U.S. did not have the suspected perpetrators under their direct control and living within a closed society that was capable of controlling their movements. Your analogy lacks sound reasoning and is an obviously weak attempt to cover for Obama.

rplat on November 9, 2009 at 12:32 PM

Huh? Dude, I’m chastising the left for their lack of intellectual honesty.

DethMetalCookieMonst on November 9, 2009 at 12:56 PM

My hypothesis is that, despite warnings, Bush failed to prevent 9/11. You are confirming, rather than contradicting, my hypothesis.

Bleeds Blue343 on November 9, 2009 at 12:15 PM

Oh, please, kid. Don’t insult out intelligence.

You know full well that the only way Bush could have prevented those attacks would be by methods your side would never ever let him use. Such as racial profiling and warrantless wiretaps. The Democrats would impeach Bush had he tried, and also claimed that there were no attacks in the works.

In fact a gate agent at the Jetport in Portland Maine, where head 9/11 guy Mohammed Atta and a colleague caught a commuter flight to Boston the morning of 9/11, was immediately suspicious of the two. But he bowed to political correctness and let them board.

In reality, Bush inherited those attacks from Clinton. Because the planning and training for them began 5 years before they took place, and because they were in fact supposed to happen on Clinton’s watch. bin Laden himself said so.

Now please amuse us with your “hypothesis” of how Bush could have prevented the attacks Clinton left him.

This should be hallucinogenic!

Del Dolemonte on November 9, 2009 at 12:56 PM

OK, so I, along with most of you, am livid!!! Now, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO STOP THIS PC MADNESS??? Seriously, even after the elections in 2010, we will still have the same president, vp, cabinet, military officers, media, etc. What about them? These people are going to get us all killed. I am getting very afraid of our own leaders.

francesca on November 9, 2009 at 12:59 PM

You’re kidding right? Someone give this man some stats…stat. I mean you’re right if you totally forget how a disproportionate amount of blacks are given death and longer jail time for the same crime compared to whites.

Norvell on November 9, 2009 at 12:36 PM

Links, please. And I don’t mean stuff from http://www.itsallwhiteysfault.com.

DethMetalCookieMonst on November 9, 2009 at 12:59 PM

Some would say so. I would say there are certain racial biases that are in our society that might make the general act a certain way or have a certain perception of one group of people or another.

Norvell on November 9, 2009 at 12:51 PM

You mean like how Obama wouldn’t have been POTUS if he wasn’t black?

DethMetalCookieMonst on November 9, 2009 at 1:01 PM

Some I would say so. I would say there are certain racial biases that are in our society that might make the general act a certain way or have a certain perception of one group of people or another.

Norvell on November 9, 2009 at 12:51 PM

Fixed.

HondaV65 on November 9, 2009 at 1:01 PM

So what is more important? The lives of unbelievers or the feelings of Muslims? Perhaps we will never know. It’s a tough question and it would be best not to jump to a rash conclusion.

BL@KBIRD on November 9, 2009 at 1:04 PM

Wait…it is a joke that a Muslim is the lead investigator right? I jumped to a conclusion didn’t I?

BL@KBIRD on November 9, 2009 at 12:34 PM

Not sure if he’s Moslem…. as I said, with a Name like that???? Gotta be a Methodist…

Romeo13 on November 9, 2009 at 1:05 PM

My hypothesis is that, despite warnings, Bush failed to prevent 9/11. You are confirming, rather than contradicting, my hypothesis.

Bleeds Blue on November 9, 2009 at 12:15 PM

This is you in an alternate universe where 9/11 was foiled:

“Are you wingnuts still claiming that goat herders from Afghanistan were planning to fly planes into the WTC? You’re confusing a Michael Bay movie with reality. Don’t worry, Sarah Palin will protect you! LOlz”

mudskipper on November 9, 2009 at 1:07 PM

AAAHHHHHHRRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!

I am listening to LT Gen Cone talk about Hasan and he keeps mentioning “Combat Stress Detachment” and “Behavorial Health” and all this other CRAP.

I can no not STAND the military as an institution anymore. They no longer care about our soldiers, it is political correctness first. The military has become yet another dysfunctional Bureaucratic government institution except this one has exceptional “employees” who they don’t give a damn about.

Maybe, JUST MAYBE, Hasan’s stress was cause by the fact that we were at war with his people? Maybe, as the overwhelming evidence supports, he was a dirty traitor?

Our soldiers are under attack from both sides and no way in hell would I ever join the military. This is insulting and disgusting.

Daemonocracy on November 9, 2009 at 1:14 PM

mudskipper on November 9, 2009 at 1:07 PM

In unrelated News, President Bush’s Impeachment trial took another step forward when 2 of the Saudi Arabian men he arrested without due process were brought in to testify. The Students, who were enrolled in Flight Schools….

Romeo13 on November 9, 2009 at 1:16 PM

mudskipper on November 9, 2009 at 1:07 PM

What you are seeing is the result of the PC mindset that was thrust onto the Military in the 80s…

The Officers trained then, are now in Senior Positions.

This mindset will not change until the Junior Officers who cut their teeth in Iraq and Afganistan, are Senior enough to be in Policy making positions.

Romeo13 on November 9, 2009 at 1:18 PM

I mean you’re right if you totally forget how a disproportionate amount of blacks are given death and longer jail time for the same crime compared to whites.

Norvell on November 9, 2009 at 12:36 PM

Your analogy is utterly stupid but, tell you what, the next time a black man blows up a federal office building we’ll make sure that he gets the death penalty like McVeigh.

highhopes on November 9, 2009 at 1:21 PM

FBI FAIL!

All of the signs were there with Hasan. I don’t need a teabag on my hat to understand that.

Just ignore the fact that 99% of terrorist acts are committed by Muslims.


If you could back that stat up with some documentation you would really be doing us all a service. Even the most anti-American apologist would have trouble refuting figures that high.

Make it known, Man!

The Race Card on November 9, 2009 at 1:27 PM

Meanwhile, the imam with whom Hasan associated — with his own ties to the 9/11 terrorists — has issued a statement calling Hasan a “hero,” a “man of conscience” who successfully resolved the conflict of being Muslim and a member of the American armed forces. Anwar al-Awlaki now lives in Yemen, but he used to run mosques in Denver, San Diego, and Falls Church before beating feet after the 9/11 attacks. ABC reports that Awlaki runs a jihadist web site, which is where he posted his support of Hasan.

So… is Hasan’s Imam ALSO a psychologist who’s discriminated against by his US military colleagues, and got exposed to way too much talk about stress?

Of course it’s astronomically unlikely that this guy would just happen to ‘snap’ the exact same way that Hasan did totally at random.

But I just don’t see any possible connection between the motivations these two guys shared. I guess this will just have to down in history as a hopelessly unexplainable coincidence.

Does the FBI still have that “X-files” project going on? Maybe they could try and riddle this one out.

logis on November 9, 2009 at 1:32 PM

I mean you’re right if you totally forget how a disproportionate amount of blacks are given death and longer jail time for the same crime compared to whites.

Norvell on November 9, 2009 at 12:36 PM

Sorry – but you’re rong …

Let’s dial in to the statistics from the DoJ shall we?

- In 2008, 37 persons in nine states were executed — 18 in Texas; 4 in Virginia; 3 each in Georgia and South Carolina; 2 each in Florida, Mississippi, Ohio, and Oklahoma, and 1 in Kentucky.

- Of persons executed in 2008:
– 20 were white
– 17 were black

- Since the death penalty was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976, white inmates have made up more than half of the number under sentence of death.

- Of persons under sentence of death in 2007:
— 1,804 were white
— 1,345 were black
— 26 were American Indian
— 35 were Asian
— 10 were of unknown race.

Now I suppose your argument is that the numbers are “disproportionate” for blacks when compared to their actual numbers in society. Sure – that could be.

It could also be that Blacks commit violent crime at a higher rate than whites.

Next argument please.

HondaV65 on November 9, 2009 at 1:35 PM

Does the FBI still have that “X-files” project going on? Maybe they could try and riddle this one out.

logis on November 9, 2009 at 1:32 PM

No … the X-Files were terminated by executive order signed by Barack Obama on January 21st, 2009. Famous FBI officer Scully was then relieved of duty pending a determination by the DoJ and Eric Holder concerning her involvement in EIT’s during the Bush administration.

HondaV65 on November 9, 2009 at 1:39 PM

Blinkered Hoosier wacademia invokes Rodney King;

Indiana U: Aren’t we all Americans in the end?

…Undoubtedly, people are going to make this attack about religion. Maj. Hasan is a Muslim man who apparently shouted “Allahu Akbar” (Arabic for “God is Great”) in the midst of killing American soldiers.

Frankly, the only thing he might have accomplished by that is going to be increased resentment toward Muslim Americans. It’s unfortunate that one radical guy has the power to alter these opinions toward an entire group of people. Had a Protestant, Catholic or even a Jew carried out this attack, the media would be responding to the Ft. Hood shooting differently.

Regardless of who you are and what you believe in, this senseless killing needs to stop. If you are so unhappy with your situation, find help. Don’t ruin other people’s lives in addition to yours.

Meanwhile, in an alternate universe, the Greatest Generation bedwets over the “increased resentment” toward Shinto-Americans that “Bonsai!” shouting kamikazi were causing.

Terp Mole on November 9, 2009 at 1:40 PM

In unrelated News, President Bush’s Impeachment trial took another step forward when 2 of the Saudi Arabian men he arrested without due process were brought in to testify. The Students, who were enrolled in Flight Schools….

Romeo13 on November 9, 2009 at 1:16 PM

Exactly right. Here’s an oldie but still relevant today…

Washington, April 9, 2004. A hush fell over the city as George W. Bush today became the first president of the United States ever to be removed from office by impeachment. Meeting late into the night, the Senate unanimously voted to convict Bush following a trial on his bill of impeachment from the House.

Moments after being sworn in as the 44th president, Dick Cheney said that disgraced former national security adviser Condoleezza Rice would be turned over to the Hague for trial in the International Court of Justice as a war criminal. Cheney said Washington would “firmly resist” international demands that Bush be extradited for prosecution as well.

On August 7, 2001, Bush had ordered the United States military to stage an all-out attack on alleged terrorist camps in Afghanistan. Thousands of U.S. special forces units parachuted into this neutral country, while air strikes targeted the Afghan government and its supporting military. Pentagon units seized abandoned Soviet air bases throughout Afghanistan, while establishing support bases in nearby nations such as Uzbekistan. Simultaneously, FBI agents throughout the United States staged raids in which dozens of men accused of terrorism were taken prisoner.

Reaction was swift and furious. Florida Senator Bob Graham said Bush had “brought shame to the United States with his paranoid delusions about so-called terror networks.” British Prime Minister Tony Blair accused the United States of “an inexcusable act of conquest in plain violation of international law.” White House chief counterterrorism advisor Richard Clarke immediately resigned in protest of “a disgusting exercise in over-kill.”

When dozens of U.S. soldiers were slain in gun battles with fighters in the Afghan mountains, public opinion polls showed the nation overwhelmingly opposed to Bush’s action. Political leaders of both parties called on Bush to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan immediately. “We are supposed to believe that attacking people in caves in some place called Tora Bora is worth the life of even one single U.S. soldier?” former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey asked.

When an off-target U.S. bomb killed scores of Afghan civilians who had taken refuge in a mosque, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Aznar announced a global boycott of American products. The United Nations General Assembly voted to condemn the United States, and Washington was forced into the humiliating position of vetoing a Security Council resolution declaring America guilty of “criminal acts of aggression.”

Bush justified his attack on Afghanistan, and the detention of 19 men of Arab descent who had entered the country legally, on grounds of intelligence reports suggesting an imminent, devastating attack on the United States. But no such attack ever occurred, leading to widespread ridicule of Bush’s claims. Speaking before a special commission created by Congress to investigate Bush’s anti-terrorism actions, former national security adviser Rice shocked and horrified listeners when she admitted, “We had no actionable warnings of any specific threat, just good reason to believe something really bad was about to happen.”

The president fired Rice immediately after her admission, but this did little to quell public anger regarding the war in Afghanistan. When it was revealed that U.S. special forces were also carrying out attacks against suspected terrorist bases in Indonesia and Pakistan, fury against the United States became universal, with even Israel condemning American action as “totally unjustified.”

Speaking briefly to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before a helicopter carried him out of Washington as the first-ever president removed by impeachment, Bush seemed bitter. “I was given bad advice,” he insisted. “My advisers told me that unless we took decisive action, thousands of innocent Americans might die. Obviously I should not have listened.”

Announcing his candidacy for the 2004 Republican presidential nomination, Senator John McCain said today that “George W. Bush was very foolish and naïve; he didn’t realize he was being pushed into this needless conflict by oil interests that wanted to seize Afghanistan to run a pipeline across it.” McCain spoke at a campaign rally at the World Trade Center in New York City.

Del Dolemonte on November 9, 2009 at 1:48 PM

Are we still not jumping to conclusions?

When do we get to jump/SARC.

Dr Evil on November 9, 2009 at 1:56 PM

CPT. Charles on November 9, 2009 at 11:59 AM

Unbelievable.

journeyintothewhirlwind on November 9, 2009 at 1:59 PM

This “hamstringing” by political correctness is being openly promoted by the Sec. of Homeland Security. Not to mention her earlier memo describing returning Vets, pro-lifers, etc. as potential terrorists. That woman is a menace to the safety of the United States. But on a more personal level I find her repulsive as the Secretary in charge of the Department under which my two sons serve in the U.S. Coast Guard.

DrStock on November 9, 2009 at 2:07 PM

al-Awliki and Hasan’s “heroism”

Hey, according to Michael Moore, he’s a “minuteman” and a “freedom fighter”.

spmat on November 9, 2009 at 2:11 PM

francesca on November 9, 2009 at 12:59 PM

The only real way to fix the problem goes counter to all the “diversity” nonsense all the polticos are mired in.

dogsoldier on November 9, 2009 at 2:22 PM

When was the last time anyone was executed who was paralyzed from the neck down and a blameless Muslim?

He will always have a nice army nurse to face him towards Mecca and celebrate the festival of throat slitting with. I’m sure that if petitioned properly and with deepest respect, the Saudis might be honored to pay for his care. You could build a sh1tter in a girls school in the Afghan landfill with the savings. It’s a win win!

BL@KBIRD on November 9, 2009 at 2:23 PM

These so-called ‘legitimate’ MSM news outlets (as so ordained by the WH) need to stop jumping to conclusions. They might have their legitimacy revoked if they don’t stop.

Liam on November 9, 2009 at 2:24 PM

So, when was Obama briefed? How high up did this information go?
Bleeds Blue on November 9, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Yeah, the Buck Stops Somewhere Down There.
Otis B on November 9, 2009 at 12:34 PM

Obama loses either way, or should

afterlall, attempting to contact aq while an officer in the military?

He, being obama, would have some sort of protocol concerning one of our main adversaries. Ya think?

Sonosam on November 9, 2009 at 2:54 PM

Having been in the military – I’ll tell you that if anyone told me that a SEAMAN RECRUIT in the Navy attempted to contact AQ it would have – or should have been – BATTLE STATIONS!!

HondaV65 on November 9, 2009 at 3:08 PM

Anyone here remember the Liberty City Seven? They were filmed pledging allegiance to al Qaeda, and were acquited in court…in fact, the Feds attempted to try this case a third time and had to hand several defendants over to Immigration Court, with a lower burden of proof, to ensure these guys would be convicted and deported.

The jury found twice that the group had done “nothing illegal.”

This is exactly why the Feds most likely had not moved on Hasan, as they had no real “evidence” that would get this guy thrown in jail. Case in point provided above.

I can’t say I know for sure on this particular case, but I wouldn’t be surprised that Hasan being a USPER may have created additional hurdles to notifying the military, as there must be a “connection to terrorism” for them to look into US Citizens.

I believe it important to contact DOA based on this information, especially because of the attempt to contact AQ, but I’m not sure one of the higher-ups in FBI/DOJ would warrant this to be enough “evidence” for DoD notification. It would not be up to the average employee, agent or analyst.

It will be interesting to see what else comes out in the next few weeks/months to give us a better picture of what did/did not occur between the FBI and DOA.

Miss_Anthrope on November 9, 2009 at 3:27 PM

My hypothesis is that, despite warnings, Bush failed to prevent 9/11. You are confirming, rather than contradicting, my hypothesis.

Bleeds Blue343 on November 9, 2009 at 12:15 PM

Okay liberal logic 101. Bush is responsible for all of the ails plaguing the obama administration. But eight years of Clinton destroying the CIA and Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick inventing walls between the intelligence agencies, (which Cheney immediately began to dismantle) had no effect on the Bush Administrations ability to track terrorist threats? And when the Bush Administration took measures to protect us, you liberal were so afraid it would be a gain to the Republicans because we were power when these measures had to be taken, well you fought them every step of the way. You said that we were losing our basic freedoms from intrusion by the government. Hell, now you’re inviting the US government to charge you 15,000 dollars for a worthless insurance policy or risk of jail and be your freaking doctor. The point is you never cared about security of this country. You only cared about destroying Bush.

These people got it past the entire world intelligence community.

I hate liberal dishonesty.

hawkdriver on November 9, 2009 at 3:27 PM

And the Ron Paul Supporters say that the Government knew it was going to happen before it happened and let it happen to distract from Healthcare IN 3…2…..1…..

rednebulastudios on November 9, 2009 at 3:50 PM

I mean you’re right if you totally forget how a disproportionate amount of blacks are given death and longer jail time for the same crime compared to whites.

Norvell on November 9, 2009 at 12:36 PM

According to the U.S. Dept. of Justice, in 2008 there were 37 people executed in America; 20 were white, and 17 were black.

In my state, Kentucky, there are 39 inmates on Death Row; 30 are white, 8 are black, and 1 is Hispanic.

To read about what these monsters did in order to earn a cell on Death Row, go to Dogpile and type in http://www.lexingtonprosecutor.com/death_row.htm.

KyMouse on November 9, 2009 at 4:01 PM

The Gorelick Wall appears to be back. And, the current regime will do everything it can to call this attack something other than what it was.

BottomLine5 on November 9, 2009 at 4:19 PM

Admittedly I have not done much reading of this matter as I should, but any discussion of the death penalty yet in this case?

Who’s jurisdiction is this case: the State of Texas or the Military?

Based on some things I’m hearing, I would hope it’s with the State of Texas. If not, the ditherer-in-chief, Chairman MaoBarry will get involved (in the background, of course), and the killer will get 10 years, his own radio talk show, and a lucrative book deal.

Sweet_Thang on November 9, 2009 at 4:24 PM

Norvell on November 9, 2009 at 12:36 PM

Most black crime is black on black… you have a problem with justice for black victims?

mankai on November 9, 2009 at 4:34 PM

I would hope it’s with the State of Texas.

On a base? Not a chance it’s Texas.

AnninCA on November 9, 2009 at 4:35 PM

Does contact with AQ actually justify keeping Hassan in Rank?
 
Seems to be a general feeling of shock that all these red flags could have been ignored. There’s certainly a lot to indicate that this was sheer incompetence, but hindsight is everything, so for a moment consider the possibility that the signs weren’t missed, they were just mishandled. We cannot ignore the intelligence value of a scenario in which Hasan would be kept in place, deployed to Afghanistan, and subject to heavy surveillance It may very well turn out that we just dropped the ball, but if these AQ contacts pan out, they could be precisely the reason why he wasn’t removed. All this finger pointing is premature.
 
If it proves to be the case, having a relationship with Anwar al Awlaki and his associates pre-9/11 is a pretty big deal. Once deployed to Afghanistan, if he sought out AQ (if he hadn’t already succeeded), his devotion would not be suspect. He’s got a backstage pass to a sold-out show… unquestionable devotion to Islam, and he’s a Major in the US Army, with access, and a position that would keep him around lots of other officers… He’s al qaeda’s dream-recruit for an attack inside a post in Afghanistan. AQ would welcome him with open arms.
 
So if our intelligence agencies took notice of his attempts to make contact, Take Fort Hood out of the equation and honestly ask yourself: what’s the prudent move? From a strategic standpoint, would the concern really be that Hasan might go postal before deploying? Just considering what Hasan could have accomplished from inside the walls of one of our bases in Afghanistan, it’s tough to think that anyone would have assumed Hasan would pass up that opportunity -With that in mind, attacking unarmed soldiers at Ft. Hood demonstrates just how much of a coward he is. But back to the question: Taking Hood out of the equation, Do you kick him out and that’s the end of it? Or do you let him deploy to Afghanistan, watch him like a hawk and see where he leads you? You have him isolated. He’s no longer seeing patients. He’s getting ready to deploy, so honestly, what’s the next move?
 
The fact is, we don’t have a clue yet as to what kind of intel we actually had on him, and because of that, this finger-pointing is premature. It may very well be that someone dropped the ball here. It may also be that this contact with al qaeda was justification for keeping him active. I think those pretending this attack wasn’t motivated by religion can certainly shut their pieholes now, but before we turn our intelligence agencies into the scapegoats (which these days many seem eager to do) for “failing” lets keep an open mind and remember just how this game is played. Every move has it’s risks along with its consequences when you’re wrong. The incident at Ft. Hood may just be a colossal backfire in a larger surveillance strategy.
 
…But of course, it could just be plain old incompetence. I truly want to believe that it’s not the latter, but until we know more, it would certainly appear as though a lot of people screwed up what should have been a no-brainer.

Medicated on November 9, 2009 at 4:50 PM

Same catch 22 that women have against stalkers or ex-husbands. Get a restraining order against them but it will not be “enforced” unless he does something or kills her. That’s why everyone should be armed,,,,the system will not protect us,,,,,,we are on our own,,,,,,hows that for chaos.

retiredeagle on November 9, 2009 at 4:54 PM

On a base? Not a chance it’s Texas.

AnninCA on November 9, 2009 at 4:35 PM

I’ve worked aboard a military installation for almost 25 years; in my experience, things that happen aboard a Federal installation are Federal offenses. So – as much as I would love for Texas to get a chance to put him to sleep – I would guess that he will be tried by the Feds or (more likely) courts marshaled by the Army. And, the chances of him getting the death penalty are somewhere between slim and none. Even if he did get sentenced to death, I have no doubt that the Village Idiot in Chief would pardon him in the interest of “conciliation”.

uncivilized on November 9, 2009 at 4:55 PM

Why smear everyone who puts his religion before his country by associating it with this guy likes it’s a bad thing?

How many Christians put their country before Christ?

Dan Minardi on November 9, 2009 at 5:20 PM

It’s unknown who will get jurisdiction – the Feds or the Military – but one thing is certain …

The State of Texas WILL NOT get it.

Military bases are federal property. Even things like DUI are handled by a federal magistrate if it happens on a military base.

Normally I’d say – give the Army jurisdiction but since this was a terrorist attack – then other rules apply.

Whatever – I’d just like to see this guy in a real-time test of a rusty old electric chair.

It won’t happen though.

HondaV65 on November 9, 2009 at 5:23 PM

How many Christians put their country before Christ?

Dan Minardi on November 9, 2009 at 5:20 PM

Judging from all those THOUSANDS of Christian suicide bombers out there – I’m saying not many.

HondaV65 on November 9, 2009 at 5:25 PM

No jumping to conclusions. The media is busy shark jumping to conclusions and will tell us what to think when they are good and ready.

Geochelone on November 9, 2009 at 5:27 PM

You must stop this immediately.

You must stop investigating Muslims who contact Al Qaeda because somewhere in the world a Muslim will be inflamed by this investigation.

You can bet that’s pretty much how it happened.

drjohn on November 9, 2009 at 5:29 PM

Medicated on November 9, 2009 at 4:50 PM

I don’t think it’s pre-mature to say that Barack Obama is negligent and is responsible for creating an atmosphere of complacency regarding the War On Terror which allowed this terror attack to occur.

Dick Cheney’s been saying this for months – and now he’s proven correct again (unfortunately).

I’m sick and tired of people blaming Bush for Katrina – and everything else simply because he was “at the top”. What ball did Bush drop during Katrina? Yet he was blamed because he picked the FEMA director, yada-yada-yada.

Man up and accept responsibility!

HondaV65 on November 9, 2009 at 5:30 PM

Wasn’t the FBI claiming this was not terrorism related before they even got to the scene of the shooting? I think there should be an investigation into who made that statement, where he or she got the information on which the statement was made, and what tehy knew and when they knew it. The FBI, by the way, is an agency and knows nothing. A person somewhere in that loop made the statement. What is the name of that person, and that person’s direct supervisor?

MikeA on November 9, 2009 at 5:47 PM

Matthews just asked if it is illegal to call AQ…really

yakwill83 on November 9, 2009 at 5:57 PM

Seems the lonely little Muslim child was a part time Imam as well.

BL@KBIRD on November 9, 2009 at 6:10 PM

The Krauthammer just eviscerated the MSM that tried to “medicalize” Hassan’s motivations.

Great stuff.

HondaV65 on November 9, 2009 at 6:45 PM

Awesome. The FBI had this A-hole on its radar, and he was given a promotion, then killed 13 people.
Yeah, I feel safe.

Geronimo on November 9, 2009 at 7:03 PM

I hate people who have “no opinion”. They are the most dangerous squishes to beware.

Schadenfreude on November 9, 2009 at 7:07 PM

When will Obama apologize to Hasan for the use of deadly force deployed against him?

Shouldn’t the woman officer who shot him have just used a Taser, or something?

Wasn’t she actually racially profiling?

And an unconscious Islamophobe?

Prosecute Officer Munley!

C’mon Barry!

profitsbeard on November 9, 2009 at 7:31 PM

Why smear everyone who puts his religion before his country by associating it with this guy likes it’s a bad thing?

How many Christians put their country before Christ?

Dan Minardi on November 9, 2009 at 5:20 PM

You serve in uniform, you take an oath to.

Otherwise you can choose not to serve.

The military is not a Camp Meeting.

It’s a killing machine for a secular state.

Religious quibblers need not apply.

profitsbeard on November 9, 2009 at 7:33 PM

this aq thing is so troubling in the fact that this guy didnt have a tail or something

Its not like they couldnt surmise what level his actions may take

on another note could you imagine the press reaction if Bush was in power.

obama is getting a total pass and its BS

Sonosam on November 9, 2009 at 7:52 PM

If the FBI or the CIA knew about this onths ago, and did not inform the Army, we the people must demand their resignations. Is their anyway those intelligence directors can be brought up on negilgent homicide charges for their accessory into these crimes?

paulsur on November 9, 2009 at 8:20 PM

So, if a soldier ever said that he put Christ above his oath to the United States, would that be a grave conflict that the military would think strange? Can you even call yourself a Christian if this country is more important to you than service to Christ? How welcome are atheists in the military?

Dan Minardi on November 9, 2009 at 8:33 PM

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