Fort Hood: In War, There are no Unwounded Soldiers
posted by: Angel Flinn 17 days ago
"In war, there are no unwounded soldiers." ~ José Narosky
"Since Christ his new commandment gave to men, 'Love One Another', full two thousand years have passed away, yet Earth is red with blood…"
From The Edict of the Sex – Ella Wheeler Wilcox
On Thursday Nov 5, at the Fort Hood Army post in central Texas, a 39-year-old man killed 13 people and wounded 30 others. The killing spree took place inside a crowded medical processing center for soldiers returning from or about to be sent to Afghanistan or Iraq, and ended with the gunman being shot by law enforcement officials. He is still alive after being shot four times.
The shooter turned out to be Major Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychiatrist who had been in the service since 1995. Hasan was about to be deployed to Afghanistan to help soldiers with combat stress, a task he'd done stateside with returning soldiers. According to reports, Hasan had tried to leave the Army, even hiring an attorney to try to come to a settlement with the government, but his attempts failed. He apparently resisted his deployment up to the day before he was due to leave. That resistance culminated in the deaths of 13 people and the wounding of 30 more.
As Air America Editor-in-Chief Beau Friedlander wrote,
"I can identify with the abject terror Hasan must have felt when he was apprised of the fact that he would be deployed to the place that wrecked so many of his patients. I remember when Desert Storm was brewing and we all thought we'd get conscripted and sent to Iraq back in 1991… Imagine how much worse it would be if your job was to listen to people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder who had just returned from the place you were going?"
A fair amount of attention has been drawn to Hasan's anger about the wars in the Middle East. Some are pointing to this (amongst other things) as evidence that Hasan was planning a terrorist attack. However, in his opposition to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Hasan held a position that many Americans share. He's not alone at Fort Hood, either. Since the Iraq invasion, 'desertion rates have soared'.
According to Mark Ames, author of Going Postal: Rage, Murder, and Rebellion:
"Fort Hood has had some high-profile objectors making the news this year, such as Spc. Victor Agosto, who was court-martialed in August after he refused to go to Afghanistan, and Sgt. Travis Bishop, who filed for conscientious objector status after serving in Iraq for 14 months… Today, if you read through some of the forums out of Fort Hood, the anti-war mood is clearly strong and clearly a problem for the authorities."
Fort Hood holds the record for the most soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan – 685 so far. Over the same period, there have been 75 suicides amongst Fort Hood soldiers, 10 of which occurred in 2009 – the highest of any base. In 2005, in two separate incidents, two soldiers, having just returned from Iraq, killed themselves in one weekend. Last year, a 21-year-old Specialist from the 1st Cavalry Division shot and killed his lieutenant, then killed himself when police arrived.
Perhaps all this violence and bloodshed at home ought to make us seriously reflect on what it is we are asking our young people to do. Out of all the heartbreak left in the wake of this tragedy, an opportunity arises. It's a chance to look more deeply at this horror of horrors; this vile practice that we call war, where men and women who can think and feel are asked to commit atrocities and risk not only their lives, but their chances of ever again finding peace within themselves.
The casualties of war are far greater than the statistics would lead us to believe. Surely, in 2009, it is time to acknowledge that we must find a more civilized way to deal with our disputes; one that does not involve killing one another. Until we do, our society will forever be plagued by the anguish that is the inevitable result of sending our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters and our fathers and mothers into the killing fields.
This nation is mourning the loss of the 13 individuals who did not survive the massacre, and the despair and distress of those who did survive, but whose lives will never be the same. These men and women were taken from people who loved them, and they had lives ahead of them that will never be lived. This country owes something to these people – not a debt of gratitude; not awe nor respect nor wonder at their courage that led them to make 'the ultimate sacrifice'. No, this country owes those men and women the profoundest of apologies.
Above all, we owe to every person, who has ever died in any war, the willingness to finally be honest about this madness, and to acknowledge once and for all what it really is – the horrific remnants of a primitive time when we did not have the same understanding of right and wrong; when we did not know that violence and killing are immoral and unethical no matter what the reason.
War has no place in a civilized society. The time will come when we will look back on this practice as being nothing short of barbaric. We will look back on this time filled with shame for the things we used to do to one another and the things we asked one another to do, all in the name of Freedom, in the name of Democracy, in the name of Peace, and in the name of God.
"Since Christ his new commandment gave to men, 'Love One Another', full two thousand years have passed away, yet Earth is red with blood…"
From The Edict of the Sex – Ella Wheeler Wilcox
On Thursday Nov 5, at the Fort Hood Army post in central Texas, a 39-year-old man killed 13 people and wounded 30 others. The killing spree took place inside a crowded medical processing center for soldiers returning from or about to be sent to Afghanistan or Iraq, and ended with the gunman being shot by law enforcement officials. He is still alive after being shot four times.
The shooter turned out to be Major Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychiatrist who had been in the service since 1995. Hasan was about to be deployed to Afghanistan to help soldiers with combat stress, a task he'd done stateside with returning soldiers. According to reports, Hasan had tried to leave the Army, even hiring an attorney to try to come to a settlement with the government, but his attempts failed. He apparently resisted his deployment up to the day before he was due to leave. That resistance culminated in the deaths of 13 people and the wounding of 30 more.
As Air America Editor-in-Chief Beau Friedlander wrote,
"I can identify with the abject terror Hasan must have felt when he was apprised of the fact that he would be deployed to the place that wrecked so many of his patients. I remember when Desert Storm was brewing and we all thought we'd get conscripted and sent to Iraq back in 1991… Imagine how much worse it would be if your job was to listen to people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder who had just returned from the place you were going?"
A fair amount of attention has been drawn to Hasan's anger about the wars in the Middle East. Some are pointing to this (amongst other things) as evidence that Hasan was planning a terrorist attack. However, in his opposition to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Hasan held a position that many Americans share. He's not alone at Fort Hood, either. Since the Iraq invasion, 'desertion rates have soared'.
According to Mark Ames, author of Going Postal: Rage, Murder, and Rebellion:
"Fort Hood has had some high-profile objectors making the news this year, such as Spc. Victor Agosto, who was court-martialed in August after he refused to go to Afghanistan, and Sgt. Travis Bishop, who filed for conscientious objector status after serving in Iraq for 14 months… Today, if you read through some of the forums out of Fort Hood, the anti-war mood is clearly strong and clearly a problem for the authorities."
Fort Hood holds the record for the most soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan – 685 so far. Over the same period, there have been 75 suicides amongst Fort Hood soldiers, 10 of which occurred in 2009 – the highest of any base. In 2005, in two separate incidents, two soldiers, having just returned from Iraq, killed themselves in one weekend. Last year, a 21-year-old Specialist from the 1st Cavalry Division shot and killed his lieutenant, then killed himself when police arrived.
Perhaps all this violence and bloodshed at home ought to make us seriously reflect on what it is we are asking our young people to do. Out of all the heartbreak left in the wake of this tragedy, an opportunity arises. It's a chance to look more deeply at this horror of horrors; this vile practice that we call war, where men and women who can think and feel are asked to commit atrocities and risk not only their lives, but their chances of ever again finding peace within themselves.
The casualties of war are far greater than the statistics would lead us to believe. Surely, in 2009, it is time to acknowledge that we must find a more civilized way to deal with our disputes; one that does not involve killing one another. Until we do, our society will forever be plagued by the anguish that is the inevitable result of sending our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters and our fathers and mothers into the killing fields.
This nation is mourning the loss of the 13 individuals who did not survive the massacre, and the despair and distress of those who did survive, but whose lives will never be the same. These men and women were taken from people who loved them, and they had lives ahead of them that will never be lived. This country owes something to these people – not a debt of gratitude; not awe nor respect nor wonder at their courage that led them to make 'the ultimate sacrifice'. No, this country owes those men and women the profoundest of apologies.
Above all, we owe to every person, who has ever died in any war, the willingness to finally be honest about this madness, and to acknowledge once and for all what it really is – the horrific remnants of a primitive time when we did not have the same understanding of right and wrong; when we did not know that violence and killing are immoral and unethical no matter what the reason.
War has no place in a civilized society. The time will come when we will look back on this practice as being nothing short of barbaric. We will look back on this time filled with shame for the things we used to do to one another and the things we asked one another to do, all in the name of Freedom, in the name of Democracy, in the name of Peace, and in the name of God.
Read more: war, peace, soldiers, politics, violence, shooting, nonviolence, massacre, rampage, fort hood, killing spree
comments
Thank you, Elisabeth :-)
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I am amazed at your article. Thank you very much. War is never justified!!!!!!!!!!
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I am amazed at your article. Thank you very much. War is never justified!!!!!!!!!!
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No one ever ever wins in any kind of war all it accomplishes is unnessary deaths.
The people that are fighting don't really understand what is going on they fight because the ordered to do so.
If the leaders that decided to go to war went on the front lines it would be over in such a short time the clock wouldn't move and that is a fact.
But to get back to this article everyone that lives or goes there are all effected by this because they will never ever feel safe again they will end up having to stand guard even more than do already because they can't trust their fell soliders and I can't blame them at all.
MAY GOD BLESS ALL OF THE FAMILIES AT FORT HOOD NOW AND FOR ALL TIME AS I AM SURE HE WILL!!!
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What is "Justified?" We are fighting a war and all sides are killing each other. I use to think that fighting the war was "us" the Americans fighting the enemies, but now I feel we too are the enemies. Innocent people are getting killed, man, woman and child. When does this stop? Who is this god that they claim this war is what he wants. Who is this god, that says we should be killed, who are these people that are so fanatical about their religion and beliefs that this is their duty to kill? God is known by many names, but he is not evil, this is NOT what he wants. He created all of us in his image. And look at what we are doing. We are destroying ourselves, and our world, that God gave us. This is his gift to us, and this is how we repay him? I just don't get it. SO Sad, so very sad.
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My opinion is that we need to be more honest in regard to *the reasons why* certain groups of people have such hostile feelings toward the US.
If we were willing to face up to the reality of what the US has done to create the kind of hostility that we now fear from extremist groups, we might be in a position to address the core issues behind these conflicts, rather than acting violently, as though violence can ever be solved with more violence.
As Einstein is quoted as saying:
'It is madness to think that one can solve a problem with the same thinking that created it.'
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Excellent article by Charles Krauthammer:
"Medicalizing mass murder"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2009/11/12/AR2009111209824.html
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Lionel, forgive me but I will let history speak to Iraq - Palestine, Pakistan, & Afghanistan will be judged in part as to how our current President handles them. At tis point his inability to make a decision could lead to your premature conclusion.
Your, disdainful attitude towards the people who serve in the military is a reflection of your ignorance and bigotry. Sometimes we see people through our eyes.
Lionel it is war and not military might that results in the deaths of countless civilians. Your response to the Hitler issue is very "Chamberlain" and if you indeed believe what you said exhibits a lack the understanding of history. You should come to grips with the fact that many wars were fought for democracy as against totalitarian rule. Simply put without those wars you may not have the freedom to vilify those who gave you those freedoms.
Finally, Lionel you made no mention of whether or not you would defend your family from harm - I fine that very telling.
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cont. . I don't believe in allowing another to come to and within these borders with the wanton will to destroy us. And it has and continues to become increasingly clear that is the agenda of the muslim radicals.
With all respect to those who believe in a peaceful world, the harsh reality is there is no such. The best that can be hoped for is that those of different religions can somehow learn to tolerate the rights of others and yet stay within the confines of their own 'back yards.'
And when I say different, I mean ALL religions. There's enough descent between the Christians alone to keep the world arms dealers busy for years to come--in theory, not literally, of course.
Steering away from all of what has made this forum such a hot bed, for a closure: There has been talk for years of UFO's and life existing on other planets within the Universe. There is strong evidence to support much.
Along with all of this comes the ? posed by many: why haven't they made attempts to contact us? Why haven't they landed? Why?
I think the answer to that is all too obvious. They have taken a good look at the way we not only treat one another but at the destruction we are causing to the very planet which sustains our life . need I say more?
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Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, chairman of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (http://www.aifdemocracy.org/ ), says Nidal Malik Hasan was obviously motivated by Islam, and people like Hasan are destroying the faith.
Take off the blinders and forget about being PC! We are in danger. There have been terrorist attacks for years and horrific murders, like at Ft. Hood, will continue if we have our heads in the sand. We must not continue to portray radical Muslims as the poor, misunderstood victims of the West.
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